Time For, Wildforce

A/N: Hey guys, I couldn't resist bringing these two teams together especially with Eric/Taylor in the mix so here it is. ENJOY R&R PLZ!

"GOT IT!" Taylor yelled triumphantly, tackling Eric to the ground to get her book back. They were both breathless and laughing. Taylor got up and dusted herself off, "Now if you'll excuse me officer, I'm quite thirsty now and would like a drink." With a smirk she left the quantum ranger sprawled on the sandy ground.

At the picnic table, Alyssa and Jen stood with coconut shells in hand watching her approach. "Looks like someone is enjoying themselves," Jen teased.

"Yeah, you and Eric seem to be really getting along now," Alyssa commented.

Taylor shrugged innocently, "he isn't so bad I guess."

"Who isn't so bad?" Trip asked coming out from behind the tree. All three women shut their mouths as the innocent green ranger grabbed a piece of fruit. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked worriedly, frowning at their silence.

"No Trip," Jen assured her friend. "It's just girl talk you know."

"OH," Trip went back to smiling, "okay then, see you." He left and the girls huddled closer together.

"There are too many guys around for this type of conversation," Jen whispered.

"Leave it to me," Taylor carefully looked around, taking note of where all the men were before discreetly going to Princess Shayla. "Princess, is there anywhere private for some, you know, ladies time?" Shayla nodded, cutting a glance at Merrick who was speaking with Wes and Cole.

"Tell the others," Shayla winked.

Taylor nodded and went back to Alyssa and Jen, "Let's round everyone up." The guys weren't exactly oblivious to this in fact they noticed the girls scurrying around, conversing in each other's ears but didn't think anything of it until they started walking away as a group.

"EH!" Max shouted. "Where are you going?"

"Girl time!" yelled back Alyssa. "See ya boys." 'BYE!' the women all chorused disappearing into the trees.

The others came together to discuss this development. "I wonder what they're up to," Cole speculated. "They could have easily talked without having to leave."

Wes clapped Cole's shoulder, 'There are just some things that females don't discuss around males."

"Like what?" Danny asked.

"Like other males," Lucas answered. "They're probably talking about guys, maybe even us. You know -what they really think."

"Hey that makes sense," Trip understandingly. "After what I heard Taylor say."

Eric immediately jumped in, "What did Taylor say?" Trip realised he must've said too much and was reluctant to respond. "Trip…we're all friends here. No one is going to be upset with you."

"She said, 'he isn't so bad' but when I asked who they wouldn't tell me."

"If only we knew where they were going." Wes smirked, "We could do a little investigating."

"I know where they went," Merrick supplied with grin. "Mermaid cove. It was the worst and best kept secret among the women in Animaria back in the old days. All the men knew about it but didn't know where it was. Except Shayla slipped up and told me once, I bet she's hoping I don't remember."

"Do you?"

"Of course, we can go now," Merrick offered. There wasn't an ounce of debate to be had, they all unanimously agreed and set off for the cove. The trek through the more jungle-like area of the Animarium was surprisingly easy but then again their guide did know which paths to take and which to avoid. It wasn't long before the sounds of rushing water and feminine laughter reached their ears. At Merrick's direction they veered off into a thick patch of trees on an elevated plane overlooking the cove. Carefully parting the leaves, they could see a mini waterfall pouring into a stone basin. A mermaid had been crudely carved on one side of the rock. The girls were scattered about the area, laughing and joking happily.

"- was so jealous!" Jen exclaimed. "When I found out it was a mutant I was actually happy."

"I don't what I would've done if Cole was placed under a love spell," Alyssa shook her head. "Probably pound the org into mush."

"Oh look who's getting all protective of their man," Jen teased.

"He's not my man," Alyssa blushed.

"But you wish he was," Taylor said in a sing song voice.

"Cole if you keep smiling like that and your face will stay that way," Wes snickered. Cole rubbed his face but the goofy grin remained and didn't look like it was going anywhere for a while.

"Speaking of which," Katie plopped down in front her counterpart, "you and Eric seem awfully friendly lately."

"We have a… understanding of sorts," Taylor turned a page in her book.

"And what would that be?" Princess Shayla queried.

Taylor closed her book, "We're close but we can't be defined which, for the record, I don't mind at all. We aren't romantic in the typical sense nor are we normal friends. It's hard to put into words."

"You didn't have trouble finding words when you first met," Alyssa pointed.

"Ah yes well I still wasn't completely sure on how I felt about Eric. I couldn't decide whether to jump him and break his bones or just jump his bones." Eric actually gagged on air while the rest struggled to contain their mirth, Wes was pounding the ground with his fist.

"I'm not familiar with that expression," the princess said innocently.

"Oh god Princess no," Merrick covered his eyes.

"Wait how do you know what it means?" Lucas questioned the wolf ranger.

"I live and work at a Roadhouse that has a bar. You hear things," Merrick shrugged.

"Princess that means that Taylor…" Katie got up and whispered in her ear the rest.

Princess Shayla blushed, "Oh. I never would have thought of that. Royal women tended to be restricted from that area."

"Come on," Nadira sat down next to her, "Princess are you telling us that you've never considered that Merrick guy in that way at all?"

"I used to, back when it was possible," Shayla conceded. This caused a few of them to shove Merrick playfully. "But even then it wasn't quite so bold."

"Aw leave the girl alone Nadira," Katie swatted at her. "Not all of us are vocal about our preferences. Unlike you when it comes to Lucas."

Nadira moved a shoulder while curling her hair around her finger, "I'm just glad daddy didn't freak out too much when I started liking him."

"Depends on whose opinion you're asking Pink," Lucas scratched the back of his head remembering the whole poem incident.

"He looked ready to snap Max in two," Jen laughed.

"At least shark-boy had the guts to try and save himself," Taylor smirked. "But with all his jumping around he kind of reminded me of when Danny got all excited because Kendall liked him back."

"Good for him, I like Danny," Katie smiled.

"Not as much as a certain someone with green hair," Jen intoned merrily. Everyone's jaws dropped but none so much as Chip who looked shocked beyond words.

"I plan on asking him to lunch when we get back," Katie happily informed the group. "Jen I'm going to need your help, I'm probably going to be a nervous wreck."

"Actually Katie," Jen bit her lip. "I'm not going back." There was a collective gasp and Wes scrambled as close as he could to edge to hear better. "When I found out that I had to come back to the year 2002, I knew I couldn't leave Wes again. So…I turned in my badge to Alex and asked that the Mut-Orgs be my last assignment. Alex made me swear not to have any unnecessary contact with Wes because he wanted 100% professionalism on this assignment. The original plan was to go back to the future, hand over the Mut-Orgs, then return to this year to stay. That way I could say goodbye and everything but now with all of this, I don't have to go."

"When were you going to tell us?" Katie was ready to cry. "Does Wes know?"

"I was going to tell you all today, later in the evening. No Wes doesn't know, I want it to be surprise." Wes wiped his eyes while his friends put their hands on his back in support.

"I'm happy for you man," Cole said quietly. Wes nodded his appreciation, still too overwhelmed.

"We should get out of here," Merrick jerked his head and they left as quietly as they had come.

When the women returned to picnic it looked just like how they left it. Jen pulled Trip and Lucas aside to talk to them for moment then called Wes.

"Hey, what's up?" Wes gave her his crooked smile.

"Wes I have something I want to tell you." Jen took a deep breath, "I'm not going back to the future, I get to stay here with you!"

Wes cheered, "THAT'S INCREDIBLE!" He scooped her into his arms and spun her around a couple of times. He stopped just to stare at her, "I was so worried I'd lose you again."

"You're not going to lose me," Jen promised. Wes put her down so they could hold each other tight.

"I can't believe this," Wes whispered. "I can't believe you turned in your badge to Alex…for me."

"Believe it," Jen nuzzled his shoulder but then she froze. "Wait what?" Jen let go and took a couple of steps back, "I never said anything about turning in my badge to Alex. How did you know that?" Wes's jaw floundered making Jen angrier with every silent movement. "You were eavesdropping on me?"

"N-nuh-no-no-no," Wes's horror-struck face was proof enough.

"Oh my god, were all you men listening to us?!" Jen shouted loud enough for the others to hear too. The guys only had to take one look at the girls to know their end had come.

Sometime later the men sat in park having been kicked off the Animarium but before being slapped, kicked, pushed, cuffed, had fruit and drinks thrown in their faces, and, in Merrick's case, cursed.

"Wes," Eric groaned, gingerly touching his arm. Taylor really knew how to pack a punch. "You're my best friend but right now I hate your guts."

"For the billionth time I'M SORRY!" Wes moaned.

"I'm never going to get this mango out of my hair," Lucas said disgustedly.

"I don't know what you're all complaining about," Max adjusted the ice pack in his head. "At least they're your girlfriends. Danny and I got beat up by association."

"Where is Danny anyway?" Cole looked around for the black ranger.

"Hiding out Kendall's most likely," Max snorted. "Trip how you doing over there buddy?"

"Ouch! She only pushed me once but that was enough considering Katie's super strength." Trip reported back rubbing his chest. "Boy am I glad she managed to keep her anger in check."

"So what do we do now?" Cole asked.

"We could go to the Roadhouse," Merrick suggested sore in all the places Shayla's spells had hit. "Willie is making chili for dinner."

The guys nodded, "Let's go." They went to get up only to sit back down quickly in pain, "Maybe later, maybe later."