Theme Challenge: Bridge and Z

From the Ars Amatoria Ranger Romance Themes Challenge

Challenge #28: Duty

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

A/N: This is actually the second part (companion? sequel?) to the previous story, Fight. It just popped into my head one night and I worked out the kinks while procrastinating over the weekend (haha!) I hope you all enjoy it!

Duty

"Cadet, this is not your jurisdiction anymore, do you understand? You have fulfilled your duties. This is now the medical examiner's job. The bodies are wards of the state."

Bridge stands in the command center, hands firmly clenched behind his back, trying desperately to remain somewhat calm in front of Commander Cruger. He is flanked by Sky and Syd, and he can tell that both of them are feeling very uncomfortable by the situation at hand. He doesn't even have to take off his gloves to know that.

"Sir, we couldn't find their families. Do you know why? They don't have any—they had been living on the streets. I know. I read Z's aura. Sort of."

"Z?"

"The girl."

"You were on a first name basis with her, Cadet?"

Bridge resists the urge to roll his eyes in frustration.

"Not until I read her aura, sir. Commander," he quickly changes the subject, "that isn't the point. The point is, sir, that everyone deserves to be remembered! I'm just asking a favor from SPD. If we could claim the bodies, they could have a small service—"

"Why do you feel so strongly about this, Cadet?"

"I don't--!" he begins to exclaim, then seemingly deflates. "I don't know. Sir."

"You don't know?"

"Sir, I—"

"Sir, I think he's just upset. I mean, they were our age. We may not have known them personally, but it's still a horrible thing to process. And sir, I mean no disrespect, but I don't think it would be too much trouble for the Academy to provide arrangements for two bodies." Sky, unbelievably enough, comes to his rescue, and it's a good thing, too, because he actually knows how to talk to authority figures. Bridge makes a mental note to thank him profusely later, because the Commander sighs (though it sounds like a growl) and acquiesces.

"All right, Cadets. You can have your way this time. I'll call the morgue. Talk to Jane Thomas—she's usually in charge of officer funerals. Her office is on the fourth floor. Go, before I change my mind."

"Yes, sir!"

The three of them salute and move quickly out into the hall, where Bridge turns to Sky.

"Thanks, Sky."

"Forget about it, Bridge."

Bridge watches for a moment as his friend strides purposefully down the hallway and shares a smirk with Syd. She lays a hand on his shoulder and smiles at him.

"You know, Sky cares more than he would like anyone to know." A small smile quirks his lips.

"I know."

"Are you guys coming or not?" Sky's voice drifts down the hall, and Syd laughs.

"Come on, Bridge. Let's not irritate him. You know how it is when he gets cranky."

"I heard that!" Bridge stifles a laugh, and as he and Syd move down the hallway, she turns to him, a serious look in her eye.

"Hey. Just so you know, I think you're doing a really good thing here, Bridge. I'm proud of you."

"Really?" She smiles widely at him, and he grins back, obviously touched.

"Really. Now come on. We've got some work to do."

The double funeral ceremony wasn't very long; after all, there wasn't a lot to say, but Bridge didn't care. At least someone remembered them; in Z's final moments, when he basically read her mind, he could sense a longing to be remembered, to not be a nameless, faceless street kid who died tragically one fateful day. She didn't want to die, but if she had to, she was going to go with a name to her face. And he could give her that much.

As the small service ended and the non-denominational minister shook his hand, Bridge felt a sense of satisfaction settle over him. He'd done his duty; he'd honored two people who, he honestly believed, could have been his friends. Smiling slightly, he shifts the yellow rose in his hand.

"Bridge?" Syd comes up behind him, a red rose between her fingers, which she sets down on Jack's grave. A weird feeling tugs at the back of his mind, like those colors were significant somehow, but he can't place it, and soon the feeling is forgotten.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?" He nods, and she continues. "Why…I mean, why did you go to all this trouble for someone you didn't even know? Don't get me wrong—I think what you did is really admirable, but…I just want to know why, I guess." Bridge nods, pausing thoughtfully before his response.

"This is going to sound really strange—"

"Strange? You? Never." Bridge gives her a look and she looks down at her feet. "Sorry."

"Anyway…this is really weird, but…I don't know. I think…It was like I knew her from somewhere. I don't know where, but…I—" he falters, looking away across the cemetery. "I think…I think I could have loved her, somehow."

"Bridge, that's impossible." Sky, ever the cynic, scoffs. "You didn't even know her name until five minutes before she died."

He opens his mouth to respond, but Syd beats him to it.

"Let it go, Sky." She pauses, looking straight at him. "He obviously feels something. I may not understand it completely, but I know that when Bridge feels, it's real. Even you know that." Sky rolls his eyes, but shrugs in gesture of admission, and a second glance at Bridge says, I'm sorry. Bridge smiles back—It's okay—and Sky claps him lightly on the shoulder.

"Come on, buddy. Let's head home, all right?" Bridge smiles slightly.

"Yeah…Just ah, give me a minute, okay?"

"Sure." And he watches their backs until they reach the car before turning back to the grave in front of him.

"Hey," he says quietly, unsure of himself. "Um…I guess I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we—that I—couldn't save you. We tried, but—anyway…I hope you're all right, wherever you are." He hesitates, and the setting sunlight is warm on his skin. "I…okay, so this is going to sound really weird, but I—I wish I could have known you. Actually, no, it felt like I did, like sometime faraway…a past life, maybe? I don't know. Maybe you do. Anyway, I hope that someday I will get to know you." A soft breeze ruffles his hair. "Um…so, I guess this is goodbye. Maybe I'll come visit you sometime." He lays his yellow rose on her grave and swears he could hear someone say, Yes! But it was probably just his imagination. He glances at the twin graves as he walks away, feeling a tingle in his bones.

"Goodbye, Jack Landors and Z Delgado. I…I miss you." Strange as the words sounded, they also felt incredibly right, so he smiles, waving at the graves slightly.

He falls asleep in the car on the way back home, his head on Syd's shoulder, a dream of another strange and wonderful life swirling in his head.

Well, there it is. I really hope you all enjoyed it. In fact, I'm hoping you enjoy all of these, because I'm really enjoying writing them! Anyway, please read and review--you'd make my day!