(A.N. And here we are, chapter 8. We're starting at the last few scenes of Bodyguard in Blue after Lucas drops Holly off and we have some more Jen and Wes moments. These author notes are probably a pain but I just do them anyway and add in any weird anecdotes or funny notes from my planning as evidenced last chapter so yeah. It's weird being in my head sometimes so apologies haha. I completely finished chapter 13 this morning and I'm excited for you guys to read that but I know we're still a bit away. But anyway, let's get into the chapter, I hope you enjoy and feel free to let me know what you think / what you're thinking of the story :) )
Bodyguard in Blue
Lucas watched as Holly walked inside with her dad, his hand stuck in the position it had been when he waved to her. What he didn't notice was the rangers sneaking out from behind his car until Jen tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey." He quickly pulled his hand down as Jen nodded towards the front door with a knowing expression. "I thought you said she was a pain in the neck."
"Oh yeah, she was." He said dismissively, "so glad that's over so come on, let's go."
"Oh Lucas," Wes exclaimed.
"What?"
"You're just a big softy at heart." He said teasingly as he looked at the rangers.
Lucas went to walk off but he felt Katie's arms around his neck as the whole group pulled him into a hug. He played it off as though he didn't care but deep down, he wasn't upset about it. They ended up joking with him for their whole walk back to the clock tower.
Once they got back and finished analysing the battle and the strategies they'd used that day, the topic of conversation drifted to Eric. "It was strange." Trip said and Katie added to his thought.
"He was still cold like he normally is but something's definitely changed... He was almost more willing to help us, I guess?"
Wes glanced across at Jen, waiting for her usual words of wisdom but he found her looking down, avoiding their gaze. He shook his head as he said. "Well something must've got to him – or someone – because knowing Eric, he wouldn't do it on his own accord."
Trip looked at the red ranger. "Do you think he's finally got over whatever he had against you?"
"I highly doubt it, but whatever happened," he said as his gaze fell on Jen. "It definitely got him thinking."
They wrapped up the conversation rather quickly and Wes's suspicions were confirmed as Jen quickly fled to her spot on the roof. He wasn't going to let her get away that easily though, he hurried his pace and caught her just as she was about to climb out. "Not so fast Jennifer." She froze for a second – and he would've missed it had he not been watching her so intently – before she turned to him with her usual neutral expression. "You don't really think you can avoid us that easily, do you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't." He nodded his head to the roof. "Shall we?"
She glanced out before she audibly sighed, shaking her head. "No, I don't think so... How about we just talk here?"
The characteristic crease between his eyebrows returned – indicating his confusion – as he asked. "Why?"
"Because if we're going to have a conversation that could get heated, I'd rather that we're both standing on solid ground."
"Heated conversation?" He looked at her anxiously. "What? Have I done something or-"
"No, no, of course not." She quickly stopped him from falling down the rabbit hole. "You haven't done anything wrong, I just think we should have the conversation here." He wanted to ask more but chose to leave it alone for now. He nodded his head to the floor and they both sat down. "So... What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I think you know something." He said blatantly. "Whenever we have our run down after a battle, you've always got something to say and the same goes if we're talking about another mutant or in this case, Eric. You've always got something to say, some kind of leader quote or anecdote but you didn't say anything today and it was almost as if you wanted to be anywhere else except having that conversation... Why?"
She didn't want to but she admitted. "Because I knew whether I did or not, this conversation was coming next. It was just a matter of whether I was having it with one of you or the whole group."
"But why were you worried about this conversation?" When she didn't respond, he asked instead. "Jen, do you know something about what happened with Eric?"
"Yes."
His eyes widened. "What?... How?... Why?"
She looked down with a sigh as she quietly admitted. "Because I went to see him yesterday." She heard Wes's sharp intake of breath before she continued. "I was mad yesterday, and after everything you told us, I was furious at Eric... And I decided to give him a piece of my mind."
"But why?"
"Because his actions go against everything being a ranger stands for and he put you in danger." She shrugged as she said. "He was being an ass and someone had to put him in his place, I was more than happy to be that person."
"What did you say to him?"
"Pretty much what I just told you," she said rather vaguely before elaborating. "I told him he was a jerk for everything he did and how he jeopardised our mission. I told him what our duty was and how his selfish, pigheaded actions almost cost us. I told him that he'd never be as good of a ranger as yo- we are and that he needs to get over whatever spiteful reasons that were making him act like a jackass."
Wes's expression was blank for a few moments, causing the breath to lodge in Jen's throat. He shook his head before he chuckled. "I don't think I've ever heard you swear so much Jen." She let out the breath she'd been holding. "I would've paid to see you go leader mode on Eric's ass."
She still looked over at him anxiously as she asked. "So, you're not mad?"
"Mad? Why would I be mad?" He looked up to see the trepidation on her face, making him grab her hand with a squeeze, reassuring her. "No, I'm not mad, in fact, I think it was sweet that you'd go and protect us like that."
'Us, right.' Jen thought to herself.
He squeezed her hand once more. "Is that what you were worried about and why you didn't want to talk on the roof? You were worried that I was going to be mad at you?"
"A little." She reluctantly affirmed. "I knew that if I told you where I was going, you would've told me not to do it. You and Eric obviously have a history together and it's not my place to overstep but..."
"You did what you needed to do Jen, and you never have to apologise for that." The silence encompassed them as he reflected on what she'd said before he frowned, asking. "You didn't think I was going to hurt you or push you off the roof or something if we spoke out there, did you?"
Her eyes widened as she quickly grabbed both of his hands. "No, God no Wes. I know you'd never do that. That thought never even crossed my mind." She squeezed his hands as she admitted. "This is going to sound so stupid but the rooftop out there is like my safe space and every conversation I have had out there has mostly ended on a positive note... If we were gonna argue, I didn't want to do it out there."
He nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get that." His thoughts flooded for a while before he asked with thinly veiled panic. "Wait Alex never got physical when you were arguing, did he?"
"What, no of course not." She could see the apprehension in his eyes as she reassured him. "He never laid a hand on me Wes, he wouldn't do that... If anything, he'd just ignore me for a while and go to cool off before we picked up the conversation later."
Though that settled his anxieties a little, he still wasn't impressed by Alex's coping skills. Why else would Jen have been so nervous to tell him? Pushing it aside and focusing on her, his thumb rubbed over the back of her hand as he told her. "Well, I don't want you to worry about any of that with me. No matter what happens, even if you think it's going to upset me or make me mad, we'll talk through it. We'll have a rational discussion, no yelling or screaming, and we'll work through it." He squeezed her hand gently as he told her. "I never want you to be scared to talk to me."
She smiled at his words before pulling him into a hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her eyes fluttered shut as she felt his own circling her waist, holding her firmly against him. She whispered. "Thanks, Wes."
He squeezed her gently and kissed her cheek before telling her. "Contrary to what Eric thinks, rangers stick together and I'm always here for you Jen."
She exhaled softly as she quietly admitted. "Me too."
