Race Against Time
Chapter 4: Home Again
By: Pink-Green-White-4ever
Last Revised: November 25, 2005
Summary: Spoilers for Endings Pt. 2 - 5 yrs. post Endings Pt. 2, and the infamous B Squad Rangers are invited to celebrate Cruger's reassignment to General and head of SPD HQ and Sky's promotion to Commander, but something goes awry, and they have to race against the clock to save one of their friends before it's too late.
Ships: Syd/Sky, Bridge/Z, Jack/Ally, Cruger/Isinia, Kat/Boom
Rating: T, for now
AN: Ok, so to satisfy all of you who are asking for the SSness, here you go!
--
Sky stood in the doorway of her room, watching her and Nova cuddle on the bed while Z and Bridge entertained them. It was disheartening to see her cringe whenever one of them got close to her or tried to help her remember something and her face went blank. He had to smile though, any time she saw him, Syd seemed to brighten a bit.
"Well, look who got off his high horse and finally decided to join us," Z teased when she saw him.
"For your information, I was making sure New Tech City was still standing after Jack's stunt a few days ago."
"What stunt?" Bridge asked, alarmed. His three years as Sky's second in command had done the former Rangers a world of good. He knew better now when to go off on one of his tangents and when to be as serious as possible then he ever had before. Hearing the comment Sky had just made sent him into serious mode.
"Monster attack downtown; replication monster. The Rangers had to use their Zords for the first time, and our former Red Ranger went with them."
"How?" Z asked, worried about Jack.
"I left his morpher with Kat, and he used it. Not to mention, the Delta Runners have been out of commission since you two left two years ago, so we hid them under the academy with the SWAT Fliers."
Z and Bridge shared a look. "So?"
"Minor damage to the city. Jack razzed be but good about training my Rangers, and then proceeded to tell me he's giving them Zord driving lessons." Z and Bridge burst out laughing while Sky grinned. Nova looked amused by the conversation while Sydney looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"I still can't believe you guys are Power Rangers," Nova giggled. "But why aren't your regular uniforms like Sydney's?"
Sky came further into the room and smiled down at her. "Sydney's been missing for four years, Nova. When she left, we were all still Rangers, but we've been promoted since, so our uniforms have changed. I'm the new commanding officer of the New Tech City SPD Academy, as well as the person in charge of SPD operations on Earth. Bridge and Z are instructors and lecturers at the new Academy on Earth, which is in New Zealand."
"Oh."
"None of us have morphed like we did when we freed you, in like 2 years," Z told her, grinning.
"After Syd's disappearance, the team kinda fell apart," Bridge murmured.
Z nudged Bridge when she saw the pained looks on Syd and Sky's faces. "Nova, why don't' you come with me and Bridge," Z suggested.
The little girl in question caught onto Z's train of thought and bounded from the bed, leaving Syd looking mildly hurt. "I'll be back later Sydney!" Nova giggled, bouncing from the room with Z and Bridge hot on her heels.
Sky shook his head and laughed before moving to sit on the end of Sydney's bed. "How are you feeling?"
Sighing, Syd shrugged. "I'm still tired, and my head still hurts, but other than that, I'm better. Have they figured out what was done to me in that machine?"
Sky frowned. "No. The recon team said the machine was destroyed before they got to it. I've already sent pictures of it that were taken when we initially stormed the fortress to Kat. If anyone can figured out what the heck it was or did, she can."
The former Pink Ranger but her lip while staring down at her hands, which were clenched in her lap. Now that the two of them were alone, Sydney found she didn't have enough courage to ask him all the things she had wanted to know only a few days before when she had been stuck in that cell.
She was so deep in thought that she jumped when Sky cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up. "Sydney," he whispered, his nerve to tell her what he was feeling fading fast, as stared into her cornflower blue eyes. Sky was startled when she started crying. Not knowing what else to do, Sky pulled her into the circle of his arms and held her tightly. "Shh, it's ok; you're safe now."
Sydney cried for a long time, all the while Sky held her tightly and soothed her as best as he could. Finally, the tears subsided so that she only hiccupped occasionally while she was burrowed in his arms, her head resting against his chest. "Feel better?" Sky softly questioned, one hand rubbing her back while the other held her neck.
"I guess so."
"Try to lie down and sleep," Sky told her, attempting to lay her back on her bed. His plan backfired when Syd clung to him tighter. The sat there in silence for a few minutes before Sydney worked up the courage to talk to him.
"I had dreams about you," she told him, moving so that her mouth was near his ear, and sending shivers down his spine, unbeknownst to her. "You were the only thing I remembered after the shuttle crash; your blue eyes and how strong your arms were when you held me." Sky wracked his brain, trying to figure out when the last time he'd held her had been. "I remembered the talk we had after an alien had possessed your body."
Her words brought clarity to Sky's befuddled mind. That was the last time he'd really just held her, not merely hugged her. Hard to believe it was nearly five and a half years ago since Wootox had taken over his body. "Stay with me, please? I feel safe when you're with me."
Nodding, Sky picked her up off the bed and then sat down in her spot, his back to her headboard and Syd tucked safely in his arms. "I promise, I'll be here when you wake up."
Sydney sighed and snuggled closer to him before drifting off to sleep.
--
"She's ok?" Jack asked, relieved. Boom was on the other side of the Command Center teaching the Green Ranger something on the computer, while the other Rangers were performing various duties, and Ally and Kat were in the infirmary taking care of his son, Trevor Alan, who was sick with an upset stomach. He knew his wife and Kat had everything under control and since talking to Sky, he was dying to talk to Z and Bridge and get the scoop on their Pink Ranger.
"She's fine. A little banged up, but Sky's taking care of her," Z assured him.
Jack could only grin at that. "Good. When can we expect you home?"
"We won't know until later. Cruger and Sky still haven't decided when it'll be safe enough to move Syd, or Nova," Bridge told him.
"Ok. Call and let us know, so we can get their rooms ready in time."
"You got it. Z and Bridge out."
When the screen went blank, Z turned and buried herself in Bridge's arms. "Let it out, Sweetheart," Bridge soothed, rubbing her back. "She's safe, Z, its ok to let it out. Go ahead and cry."
Bridge gasped when his wife's feeling slammed into him full force. She was so much more afraid than she'd let on before they left Earth, not to mention, how relieved she was that Syd was ok.
"Bridgey…"
Pulling back, Bridge grinned at her. No one ever called him that anymore, not since Syd had disappeared. "We're going to be ok, right?"
"Of course."
Smiling, Z leaned forward, threw her arms around her husband's neck and kissed him.
--
Nova grinned when she entered Sydney's room. Sky was leaning against the headboard while Syd was cuddled close to him, her head on his chest, one arm across his stomach, and one of her legs wrapped around one of his. Sky had an arm draped around her shoulders while the other was lying on top of the hand she had around his waist.
"If they aren't mates, then I'm imagining things."
"Not quite, little one," a gruff voice announced.
Spinning around, Nova came face to face with Anubis, who was checking up on his young charges as well. "What do you mean by that?"
"They never made it official, because Sydney disappeared before Sky could start, courting her, if you will."
Nova seemed to struggle with that before it made sense. "I see. Do you think he'll court her now?"
"I certainly hope so," Anubis smiled.
Nova smiled back and the pair turned to leave Syd and Sky to sleep.
--
"YOU LET HER ESCAPE!" he bellowed, his voice sending his minions scattering in fear. He had Tengas to one side, putties to the other, and the cogs he was currently yelling at were cringing behind Klank, who he'd had rebuilt and had put in command of the robotic foot soldiers.
"I'm sorry, Sire. Four Rangers, of the likes I've never seen, broke in and took her."
"And the child?"
Klank cringed. "They took her too."
"IMBECILES! FIND THEM!"
--
Sky awoke with a start. He was cold, and sore from sleeping in the same position for so long. He knew Syd had been sleeping comfortably next to him and now, she wasn't there. Looking around, he panicked when he didn't see her.
"Sydney?" he called out, jumping from the bed. Looking around, he saw no sign of her. It wasn't until he heard the shower that the panic subsided slightly. Quietly, he stalked to the bathroom.
When he entered, he was met by a billowing cloud of steam from the shower. Sighing, Sky moved closer and felt his heart clench with icy fear.
Sydney sat under the hot spray of the shower head, her arms wrapped around her knees, which were pulled to her chest. Sky could barely make it out, but he knew her shoulders were shaking as she rocked back and forth inside the tub.
The former Ranger was at a loss on what to do. Throwing caution to the wind, Sky stripped down to his boxers before moving toward the shower. Once he opened the sliding door, Sky saw he had just enough room to slip in behind her. He was surprised to see her wearing her underwear and her cami, instead of being completely naked.
"Syd?" he carefully asked, crouching behind her. She only continued to rock and cry. "Sydney?"
When she saw Sky, she only sobbed harder and buried her face in her knees. Sky didn't know what to do to help her. Sighing, he leaned over her and shut the shower off, leaving the water running to full up the tub after he put the stopper in. After that, Sky moved out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist before sitting on the ledge of the tub.
Slowly, Sydney relaxed her body, and stopped rocking and crying. "Talk to me, Syd," he murmured, reaching out to wipe the water from her face and push her wet hair out of her eyes.
"The pain."
"What pain? From what?"
"The machine. It made my brain feel like scrambled eggs. It hurt. I didn't want to wake you."
Sky let out a breath before leaning forward to peck a kiss to her temple. "You should have just gotten me up."
"I'm sorry."
Shaking his head, Sky smiled down at her. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Wait here; I'm gonna go get you some clean underclothes and something to sleep in."
Syd shivered even thought he bath water was hot. There was one thing about her dream she hadn't and couldn't tell Sky about – the voice telling her the pain would go away if she killed the B Squad Rangers and Commander Cruger.