Variations Of SPD
Chapter 18: Missing Blue
By: Pink-Green-White-4ever
Last Revised: August 17, 2006
Summary: When your heart is hurting so much, and all you have is memories to hang onto, just remember, loves always there, to lift you up where it knows you need to be
Rating: M, for adult-themed situations.
Disclaimer: I don't own PR, Disney does
AN: Because I forgot to, the last chapter needs a special thanks to Veronica for the idea for Syd's costume, though ours were different in colors. Thanks V! And thanks to Angela and EK for being my sounding boards for this chapter!
"Love heals when pain's too much to bear. When you reach out your hand. And only the wind is there." -- "Love Heals", Jonathan Larson
"There are so many things I'm not sure of in life, but with all certainty at this very minute, all I know is that I miss him" -- Unknown
"There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief." – Aeschylus
--
Z stood in the hallway, arms wrapped around her waist, rocking back and forth on her heels. She could hear Sydney crying through the door of Sky's room, heart wrenching sobs that stole the Yellow Ranger's composure away. It sent eerie déjà vu tingles down Z's spine. They had been through this before, but it had been Syd's own doing, not her getting kidnapped the last time, at least not until much later.
"She still locked in there?" Bridge asked when he and Jack stopped in the hallway after having come up the front stairs.
Z just nodded before she threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his shoulder. Her heart broke for the woman who was her sister in everything but blood, and worry washed over her for her missing brother. "Bridge, take Z downstairs, I'm in to talk to her."
The Green Ranger nodded and began to lead Z away even as Jack phased through the wall into Sky's room. The scene he was faced with broke the Red Ranger's heart into a million pieces.
Sydney was lying across Sky's bed, his pillow clutched to her chest, the blankets pulled around her to form a cocoon. Jack caught sight of Sky's uniform jacket laying on the Blue Ranger's desk chair, suspicious stains on the front. He knew those spots were from Sydney's tears. Taking a deep breath, Jack moved over to the edge of the bed and sat down next to her.
"Syd," he ventured, his voice as calm as he could make it.
"GO AWAY!" she screamed the order at him, her face buried in the covers, which muffled the sound.
The Red Ranger reached over and put his hand on her shoulder. When her tear blue eyes looked up at him, Jack had to swallow the hard lump that had formed in his throat. She looked lost, but more importantly, it looked as if she were broken. "Come here," he whispered. In an instant, Sydney was up and in his arms, her body wracked with sobs. "Shh. I know," he whispered in her hair, holding her tightly as he could without hurting her.
"I miss him, Jack!" she hysterically cried. "I miss him so much! He's only been gone a few hours and it feels like my heart's been ripped from chest!"
Jack did the only thing he could think of, he rocked her back and forth, knowing that holding her and giving her physical reassurance that he was there was all he could offer. "Sydney, we're going to get him back. I promise."
--
"You've dealt the Rangers a blow," Vampra hissed, his eyes narrowed at her. "I'm impressed. I hadn't thought they were as intertwined as they are. For this accomplishment, you may keep the Blue Ranger, and do as you see fit with him."
"Thank you, my Lord," she responded, bowing before him.
"However," the Vampirus monster grumbled. "You failed to bring me the Dragon or the Phoenix. For that, you must be punished. VIPER!"
Anna looked on with fear but said nothing. Two of Vampra's henchmen held her still while Viper lashed out with a laser powered whip. Anna didn't cry out when the whip bit into the skin of her back, nor did she buckle under the repeated blows. Instead, she bit down on her lip until it was over.
"I'm impressed. A lesser woman would have cried and begged for mercy," Vampra hissed at her.
Anna eyed him, trying not to show that her back stung like hell. "I made a mistake, I know how to accept the consequences."
Vampra nodded. "Viper will accompany you back to Earth, to make sure you don't fail this time."
"Of course."
"Good. Then leave my sight."
--
He felt like he was dreaming. The familiar weight on his shoulder told him that Sydney was with him. Content, he sighed and tightened his arm around her shoulders.
"SHIT!" he screamed, the searing pain that rushed through his torso and back into his shoulder ripping him from his dream back to reality. Opening his eyes, he realized he was chained to a stone wall in a semi-lit room. "Damn it all," he cursed, the battle coming back to him. Anna had been poised over Sydney's body, her eyes and body glowing an unnatural red. And then he'd jumped between them, not content to sit and watch the woman he loved harmed by his former flame.
"Enjoying your stay, Schuyler?"
"Anna!" he hissed.
She came into view then. Her long brown hair seemed to float around her even as the navy blue leather skirt and halter top fit against her skin like a glove. What struck him the most was the ice blue eyes that were glowing with red power.
"What? Did you actually expect that lame brained, blonde haired, slut you like to bang to be here to rescue you already?" she taunted, sashaying toward him.
Sky's eyes narrowed in on his one time love interest. How he could have missed the evil that so obviously dwelt within her was beyond his comprehension. "Syd's going to kick your ass from here to Eltar and back, you can count on it."
"You have such confidence in the little SPD Princess," she sneered. "She couldn't have possibly changed that much since I left. She always thought she was better than everyone else, and she hated work. I highly doubt she can defeat me."
The Blue Ranger chuckled. "That's the Syd everyone saw on the outside. It's just not the real Syd. That's not the girl who's struggled to understand the death of her birth parents, and it's not the one who's kicked ass the last year and a half as the Pink Ranger."
Anna eyed him, watching the emotions on his face, and began plotting. "Oh really?"
"You don't know Sydney, Anna. You don't understand what's at the heart of the woman I love, that's why you're going to fail. She's going to come here, she's going to get me out, and she's going to kick your ass."
"That may be true, but you never understood me either, none of you did. Not my ambition, my drive, you never understood that to get what you want, you've got to take it. You should have been Red Ranger, Sky. Not that fraud Cruger put in charge. Just as I should have been Yellow Ranger, not that street rat."
Sky shook his head. At one time, he'd thought that too. That was before he knew Z, knew Jack, and saw that Z was meant to be Yellow Ranger and that Jack was the better choice as Red Ranger and leader. Jack had made them gel; he'd only pissed everyone off. "A year and a half ago, I'd have agreed with you, but not now. I was meant to be blue."
"We shall see," she told him, a wicked smile on her face.
Sky eyed her, wondering exactly what she had in store for him. Sydney! He thought, closing his eyes and focusing on the image of her even as Anna stalked out of the room.
SKY!
--
The scene before her eyes broke her heart into more pieces that it already was with the disappearance of her son. Sydney was curled in Sky's bed, the covers still wrapped around her, her arms still clutching his pillow. There were tear stains on the current Pink Ranger's face that spoke of her most recent crying jag. "Want me to come in with you?" Wes asked, his voice cracking as he got a good look at what the previous night's events had done to Sydney. If anyone had had any doubt that the Pink Ranger was in love with his son, then seeing her this way would have corrected that thought quickly.
"No," Jen's voice was breathy. "She needs a female ear. Besides, you and Sky look too much alike, it'll only make her cry more if she sees you."
Wes nodded before leaning forward. He cupped Jen's cheeks and laid his lips over hers. "I love you. We'll find him and bring him home, soon."
"I love you too," Jen sighed, her eyes going to his. "I know we will, we don't have any other choice. When Katherine gets here, send her up."
"Will do."
Turning away from her husband, the former Time Force Pink Ranger entered her son's room, and crept toward the bed where his heart and soul lay, broken and alone. "Sydney?"
There was no response. Jen saw that the petite blonde was staring off into space, eyes not focused on anything in particular. Carefully, the brunette crawled onto the bed and pulled Sydney's head into her lap. Her fingers shifted through the once bright blonde curls as she stared at the younger woman in worry. "Sydney?"
One tiny hand came up, fingers locking with Jen's. It was then that the elder Pink Ranger realized why her younger counterpart hadn't answered. Sydney was silently speaking with Sky.
Its ok, Aunt Jen. Talk to him, Sydney whispered to her own mind.
Sky? Sydney?
Mama, Sky's voice seemed to resonate in her head, making her eyes water.
How?
Ninjetti have the ability to speak to one another, mind to mind. Sky reached out to me, and because we're both in such an emotionally charged state, it made up for our lack of practice, Sydney explained to her aunt while she tried to keep the link with Sky strong.
Jen seemed to heave a sigh of relief. If Sky was talking to Sydney, then he must at least be ok for now. Honey, are you alright? She asked, though she was scared of the answer.
For now, I am. I'm sorry Mama.
For what?
Worrying you and Dad.
Jen fought back a flood of tears and smiled when Sydney squeezed her hand. Baby, don't apologize. This isn't your fault.
Tell Dad I love him.
I will.
I love you, Mama. Take care of Syd for me.
Love you too, Baby Boy. I promise, I'll watch over her.
Jen let go of Sydney's hand, knowing the connection was about to break. She saw the fresh tears on Syd's face and instinctively knew her son was telling his beloved that he loved her and that he'd find his way back to her. When Sydney's heart-rending sobs hit Jen's ears, the brunette knew the connection between lovers had been broken.
"Oh Sydney," Jen murmured, smoothing the hair from the blonde's face. "He loves you so much, he'll find his way back to you."
"I...miss...him!"
"I do too," Jen whispered, her hand continuing to stroke Syd's forehead and cheeks. The former Pink Ranger smiled sadly when Sydney drifted off to sleep, and felt her throat clog when she looked up and caught sight of the hazy pink cloud hovering next to the bed. "Oh my God!" Jen gasped, her eyes fixed on the cloud that was slowly taking on a human form.
"Hello Jen," the long unseen person greeted upon coalescing into a standing figure.
"Kimberly," Jen gasped.
The pink dressed apparition grinned. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" A quirky grin, one that was oh so achingly familiar, was shot in Jen's direction.
"Too long," Jen replied, struggling with what she was feeling. She and Kimberly had become practically best friends before the original Pink Ranger had died. If there was one thing Jen had learned during her stint as a Ranger the first time around, it was to make sure that you told the people you loved how you felt about them. "I miss you."
"I know, the feeling's mutual," Kimberly told her, moving to kneel next to the bed so that she was eye level with Sydney's sleeping form. "Is she ok? The Crane and the Phoenix told me she was distressed."
Jen just nodded, her eyes going back to Syd's face. "Sky's been taken, so she's a little freaked out."
It was Kimberly's turn to nod. "Understandable. The last time Zedd kidnapped me, Tommy just about flipped out, according to the others. I can only imagine how she's feeling, especially if she's anything like her father."
The former Time Force Ranger just stared at Kim, her face a mixture of happiness and pain. "Where's Tommy? I thought you two were attached at the hip?"
Kim chuckled. "My guess is, probably with Sky." The Pink Ninja watched Jen breath a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jen."
Jen looked startled. "For what?"
"For being there when Sydney needed help, for watching over her, for accepting that Sky loves her and vice versa." Reaching out, Jen tried to take Kim's hand. Because the Pink Ninja wasn't completely there, Jen's hand went through hers. "Here," Kim murmured quietly. Carefully, the pair moved their hands so that they were palm to palm.
"Kimberly."
"I know, Jen, I know. Take care of them."
The former Pink Ranger choked back the tears when Kim started to disappear. "Thank you, Kimberly."
"For what?" Kim asked, confused.
"For everything." Two simple words, but they conveyed so much between the two Pink Rangers that nothing else needed to be said.
"Tell the others hello for me."
Jen wiped away the tears that had fallen despite her attempt to hold them back and watched as Kim's form completely blinked away. "Goodbye Kim." Looking down, Jen noticed that Sydney still slept soundly, ignorant to what had happened just then.
--
He could see the white light even with his eyes closed. It started him enough to open his eyes to see what was going on in the cell around him. He felt shock rippled through him when he saw, standing before him, dressed in the familiar white Ninja uniform, was Tommy Oliver. "Dr. Oliver?"
"Long time no see, Kiddo," Tommy grinned down at him, kneeling quickly so Sky wouldn't have to stare up at him. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm ok," Sky responded, not phased in the least that he was talking to a ghost. "My shoulder's killing me."
Tommy nodded. "Everyone's worried about you."
Sky swallowed hard at the comment. "Syd's ok though, right?" the Blue Ranger asked nervously.
"Physically, she's just worn out. Mentally, she's numb. Emotionally, well, let's not go there."
"Uncle T?"
"Yeah?"
"They're planning something."
Tommy nodded. "Keep your head up, Sky. This is going to test you to the core.
"Wonderful."
--
"What is your plan, Anna?" Viper hissed as the pair lounged in a room off the bridge of the ship.
"I was just thinking, the Dragon and the Phoenix are much too powerful to take on, head to head, but if we weaken them..." she let the statement hang in the air while she watched Viper's face.
The minion considered the plan of action before grinning deviously. "It has merit, but how do you propose to wear them down? Rangers are not the easiest of opponents to get the better of."
"They are when you use one of their own against them," Anna grinned. "I want Sky, but as long as he remains as he is, he won't be mine, but if I can turn him, use his own insecurities and emotions against him..."
Viper laughed maniacally, his eyes taking in the leather clad woman he was with. "Then you have the perfect weapon to nab the Phoenix, and the Dragon."