Friday night
Well here is Chapter 5. Thanks for your patience with my writer's block. I hope to finish this story soon because I've got others dying to come out. Keep on Reading and Reviewing! Thanks to all who take the time to encourage me in my writing.
Kangababie- Thanks for your great support and ideas!
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Sky didn't know what to do with the information Jack had just given him. He wanted to go to Syd and tell her that everything would be okay, but he knew that wasn't a promise he could give. How could he understand what it was like to lose both your parents? He was a loner by his own choice; but Syd was alone because of someone else's choice. Suddenly the upcoming weekend was losing its appeal without Syd to share it with.
She was always the first one to cheer him up, to get him out of his room and solitude. Now she was the one choosing to be alone, albeit for good reasons, but he had no idea how to help her. And it bothered him. It bothered him because she was his closest friend and ally on the team. She was the one he went to when he had a problem or needed to vent. Sky felt like he was watching her slip away.
"All cadets please report to the welcome center." Kat Manx's voice interrupted his thoughts. With an oath, the blue ranger quickly changed into civilian gear and went to meet his mom and the other ranger's families.
"This is Z Delgado, Jack Landors, and Sky Tate." Bridge introduced his teammates to his clan of family members who had descended upon SPD. Sky laughed at the loud rambling that surrounded the green ranger.
"I thought there were five of you." Sky's mom observed when the introductions were finished.
"Syd's not feeling well." Sky lied uncomfortably.
"Adrianna's daughter right?" Mrs. Tate inquired of the missing pink ranger. "Your father spoke highly of her. I would love to meet her daughter." She said to her son.
"Maybe tomorrow." Sky conceded hopefully. "Who's hungry?" Bridge diverted the attention from the absent Sydney as he herded his entourage towards the dining hall. Jack, Z, and Sky quickly followed the green ranger's lead.
She had spent the afternoon hiding in her room, trying to lose herself in one of her favorite magazines. She had her music turned up loud, but nothing could distract her from her thoughts
Sydney ordered out from the dining hall, one of the perks of being a power ranger. Despite her sadness and desire to fade away, she was more so determined to continue on the path she had chosen. She had lost everything once she joined SPD and she would not give up her new life for anything.
'Happy Birthday to me.' She whispered sadly as she blew out the candle on her cupcake covered in pink frosting.
Sydney desperately wanted to sleep the rest of the night, the rest of the weekend away. But she knew what she would face if she tried to sleep. Memories of her past, memories of a mother she barely knew, and memories of a father who wanted to forget her.
'Maybe I can get some more sleeping meds from Kat.' Syd thought hopefully, deciding to head towards the infirmary for some relief. She opened the door and was surprised to find a package with her name on it. Only Jack knew it was her birthday, though she suspected he probably told the others. 'But their families are here, they're too busy.' She decided, completely clueless to the identity of the owner of her gift.
Intrigued, she opened the package and found a disc. It was against regulations to have a TV in a cadet's room so Sydney found herself wondering to the movie room at the other end of the base. Luckily the halls were empty as everyone else was engaged in the parent's weekend activities that no one noticed her weary appearance. Syd walked slowly through the halls, the usual bounce in her step gone. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head and she was encased in soft gray sweats and pink tank top.
With Peanuts in one hand Sydney shoved her disc in the DVD player and settled in on a couch wondering what could be on the video.
She was taken aback when the images flashed on the screen. They had been taken long ago, but there was Commander Cruger and Kat and the ever-familiar command center. A tall striking man in red came in and Syd recognized him only as Marcus Tate. The family resemblance was too remarkable to be anyone but Sky's dad. She watched in awe as the other rangers filed in.
A tiny woman with blonde curls was the last to arrive. Syd felt her breath catch as she saw her mother appear on the screen. But what shocked her most of all was when the camera panned down and there she was. Big blue eyes opened wide as she took in her surroundings. Blonde hair pulled into neat pigtails as the girl wore pink overalls just like her mom. Syd must have been 5 years old at the time, and she felt her eyes well up with tears as she remembered how much she looked like her mother.
"No wonder Dad resented me." Syd murmured to herself, captivated by the movie. Syd felt her mood sink into depression again as she remembered the void that existed between her and her father. She couldn't shake the guilt that plagued her. She felt like it was all her fault.
Sydney laughed out loud next though when a little boy came through the doors. He was dressed in a SPD uniform just like his dad. He was as neat then as he was now, Syd decided as she saw a seven-year-old Sky. She giggled as she saw the look on his face when his father told him to keep her company. 'Just like the first day of training.' Syd recalled the same look of exasperation.
"I'm Sky." The little boy declared seriously as he put out his hand to introduce himself. "My names Sydney." The little girl replied with a small smile, trying not to be intimidated by the boy. Sky must have noticed because he immediately tried to ease her discomfort by being kind.
"Isn't this place cool?" Sky declared as he showed her some of the cool gadgets his dad often brought home. "Sure." Sydney replied softly as she tried to imagine her mom working here everyday.
"Someday I'm going to be the red ranger just like my dad." Sky boasted proudly. "How about you? Are you going to be a power ranger too?" He asked eagerly.
"I could never leave my daddy." Sydney shook her head at the absurdity of her being a power ranger.
"It is my fault my mom left." Syd decided horrified. "She knew I would never leave my dad so she left without me."
"She doesn't love me. Syd whispered sadly. "No body does." The reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks as she turned off the TV. Now she would gladly take some of Kat's sleeping pills. She just wanted to forget everything. Anything to make the pain go away.
All night Sky's mind was not on the people that surrounded him, but on the person who was absent. It had only been 24 hours ago that Syd had broken down and poured out her heart to him and the others. However much he wanted to go to her, Jack had encouraged him to give her some space. The last thing she needed was for them all to suffocate her with their well-meaning intentions. But he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in his head that she shouldn't be alone. He didn't believe for one minute that Syd would do something to hurt herself, but he wouldn't have any peace till he saw her for himself.
Sky excused himself from the table not that anyone really noticed his absence. Bridge's grandfather was just as entertaining as the green ranger himself. He was also glad he didn't have to explain his disappearance to his mother who would surely want to know what he felt for the pink ranger.
Truth be told he didn't know himself what he felt for Sydney. They had been friends from the moment she arrived at SPD, despite all his efforts to distance himself from her, it was like they had always known each other. Even he couldn't deny the strange connection they had, Syd could reach him like no one else ever had; and in return he would always be there to protect her.
He remembered the moment he vowed to protect her. She had spent hours in the rain digging for the green ooze RIC had detected while the others had gone inside and given up on the aging canine. Unknownst to them, Syd had found the ooze, but unfortunately so had Grumm's monster the Rhino. The petite girl was no match for the monster and her morpher had cracked before she could morph or even call for help. She would have been left for dead if RIC hadn't heard her screams. The loyal dog had hurried to the pink ranger's aid as the other rangers had followed quickly behind in a panic.
He himself had found her cracked morpher in a puddle, the device now completely useless. "She couldn't call for help." He had remarked in shock to the others, never more grateful for that old dog than that moment. It was then he decided to stick close to her side, whether she knew it or not, whether she wanted it or not; she was stuck with him.
"Syd?" Sky called through the closed door of the girls' room. "Sydney?" he tried again when he got no response. He assumed she wasn't in because he wasn't about to barge in without good cause. If he didn't find her anywhere else, then maybe he would kick down the door.
He was on his way to the command center, when he realized with a laugh that that's where he would head when he had things on his mind, but not Sydney. If he wanted to find her, he would have to think like the pink ranger. However his attempts were in vain as he tried without success to find her in the gym, the common room, hell he even tried the girls bathroom. Sky was headed back to Syd and Z's room when he noticed a small blonde slumped on the floor of the infirmary.
"Syd!" he shouted anxiously as he hurried to her side. Before he woke her, he noticed with tremendous relief that she was only asleep not unconscious. Sighing he collapsed on the floor next to the sleeping princess and sat there watching over her protectively as he always had.
He took the rare opportunity of her stillness just to gaze at the face he knew so well. However, it was under her skin that he didn't know so well and he wondered how she could have held it in for so long.
Syd's beloved Peanuts was crushed under one arm as she used the stuffed elephant as a pillow. Strands of unruly hair had come untucked from her careless bun to rest on her flawless skin. Flawless skin that no longer hid the signs of sleepless nights; the dark circles under her eyes, the frown that creased her lips as never before.
She looked exhausted and Sky knew she needed a good night's rest so with great care he lifted Syd into his arms and carefully arranged her into the patient bed. She barely moved, only to adjust Peanuts as he laid the blanket over her body. Satisfied that she was comfortable Sky was yet reluctant to leave. For the second night in a row he settled into the chair next to her bed content to watch her until he fell asleep.
