Chapter 6: Just Like Old Times

A/N: This takes place 3 months after the last chapter.

Sky was in the gym, hitting the punching bag; a sequence of right and left jabs. Swing after swing, right after left. Becoming bored of using the punching bag after an hour straight, he decided to do the inside obstacle course. Thoroughly exhausted after completing the obstacle course a number of times, Sky had a break and a drink of water. Bridge walked in, wearing his blue S.P.D. uniform minus the jacket and a blank expression on his face.

"Want to talk about it?" Sky asked, mopping his sweaty face with a towel.

Bridge looked up, confused. "Huh?"

"Something's bothering you, Bridge. I know it." Growing up together, all the children of the Collins-Grayson-Myers family could read each other like a book, even if nobody else realised there was something troubling one of them.

"When I figure it out, you'll be the first to know. I promise," Bridge told his best friend. "You want to spar?"

"Sure." Sky replied. "If you're up to it, maybe after we can complete a few of the 'breach-and-neutralise' simulations?"

"Just like old times." Bridge grinned.

Sky grinned back at his life-long best-friend and they began to spar.

FLASHBACK
Sky, Bridge and Charlie got out of the car, ready for their first day at Space Patrol Delta. They were here to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Bridge's parents, Carter and Dana got out of the front two seats of the huge, black SUV. Charlie, Sky and Jen exited the back seats whilst Bridge hopped out of the rear door.

For the induction ceremony, they had come in formal clothes. Bridge was wearing a deep-blue dress shirt, no tie and black slacks, Sky the same; but with a dark red dress shirt. Charlie on the other hand, had worn a fluoro yellow short-shirt with a black skirt that went to mid-thigh; and heels of course.

The 3 new cadets gazed up at their new home in awe. This was where their parents had been Rangers together before leaving S.P.D. and this was where they'd be Rangers together. They were family and no-one was closer than they were. Ideally, the three of them would be joined by Brad and Sarah; and be a team together. However, Brad was already on B-Squad and would be more than likely promoted following the influx of new Cadets, as well as the recently announced retirement of the current Rangers. Sarah was more interested in the science behind Ranger powers than actually being a Ranger. Sky was apprehensive about two unknowns becoming part of their 'family.'

"You guys ready?" Carter asked the three as they turned to see their parents walking toward them. Carter wore a grey suit, with a white shirt underneath, navy-blue tie and pocket-square.

"As we'll ever be." Bridge replied. He was nervous about showing off his powers, though Charlie and Sky assured him, he needn't be worried. They'd be 'freaks' together. They always had.

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Dana asked. A few people turned toward the thin blonde at the sight of the family entering; however the members of the Collins-Grayson-Myers family were used to it. Admittedly, it may have been also because of the pink cocktail dress Dana wore that people turned; it ended at mid-thigh and was quite tight against her thin body, accentuating her 'features'.

Bridge and Charlie followed Carter and Dana inside, Sky however; was held back by Jen. He turned to face his mother. She smiled at him proudly.

"Sky, I know you wish Brad and Sarah were here, but they're not. They won't be on your squad and you need to be accepting of the other two members of your squad, okay?"

"Okay, mom." Sky responded. "I promise." Jen hugged Sky tightly. Whilst Sky may look like Wes, he was very much like her. And whilst Charlie may be the spitting image of Jen, she definitely had Wes' personality.

"Your father would be so proud of you and your sister." They smiled at one another. "Let's go find the others." Jen's yellow sundress flowed in the wind as she and Sky walked into the building after the others, Sky ready to start the next chapter of his life.

END FLASHBACK

XXX

Z had decided to spend her day off alone. She would have visited Jack, but he and Ally were out of town on vacation. Instead she had decided to go back to her and Jack's old home and spend the day there. The run-down apartment was nothing to be proud of, she knew that, but it was where she and Jack had spent a lot of time in the past few years. It was her home. She hadn't been able to let go of the apartment after joining S.P.D. so she still payed the rent for it every month.

Z sighed as she walked into the kitchen and thought about her current situation. She got a drink of water from the rusty tap and gripped the glass tightly in anger as she thought about her team. She hated Charlie; that bitch had ruined her chance at having a place to belong and had stolen her best friend. She hated Sky; he would always side with Charlie, that didn't leave room for a friendship with Z. Z hated Syd, who had abandoned her and spent all her free time with Sky, Charlie or even Bridge when he wasn't with Z. Her so called 'best friend' had never cared about her. She only cared about her image and being popular. A typical stuck up brat. She just wished things could go back to the way they used to be; before Charlie had returned.

Z screamed as she threw her glass across the apartment and it shattered into a dozen pieces upon hitting the wall. Z collapsed onto the dusty, white-brown kitchen floor and lay there sobbing, until she fell asleep.

XXX

Charlie and Syd patrolled the streets of downtown NewTech City together, the fresh air being exactly what the two needed after the last few months that they'd had. Z had continued to ignore the team, bar Bridge; and Commander Cruger had been present at every sparring session since the incident with Z and Charlie. Syd was now at the stage where she no longer cared. If Z wanted to be her friend, she had a lot of apologising to do. Especially to Charlie.

"So, I was thinking; Saturday night. You, me clubbing. Girl's night. Just like old times?"

"Sounds like fun!" Syd grinned. "We might even be able to get you laid."

Charlie laughed out loud. "I don't think so!"

Syd decided to try and pry some information out of Charlie. "When was the last time you had sex, Charlie?"

Charlie paused. It had been a long time. "Before I left and was brainwashed." Charlie responded. "You-? No, wait! I don't want to know!" She really didn't want to know the details of her twin's sex life.

"Sky and I haven't had sex yet…" Syd smiled anxiously.

Charlie was shocked. "Seriously? You guys have been together four months!"

"We want to get this right. We're both virgins and have never had a serious relationship. We don't want to mess things up."

Charlie was seriously stunned. "Syd, there's no doubt in my mind you're Sky's soul mate. You won't screw this up. He's going to love you forever." Charlie paused. "He told me, you know. When he realised he was in love with you."

"Really?" Now it was Syd's turn to be shocked. "When?"

"About 8 months into our training. He told me and then told Bridge and Brad. We all told him to go for it, but he was scared. It was the only time I've ever seen him unsure of himself. He said he'd rather have you as a friend, than lose you altogether."

Syd's eyes watered. She couldn't believe Sky had loved her almost as long as she'd loved him. No wonder he'd always been so protective of her. Sure, they'd both tried to date other people, but their hearts belonged to one another. They never got past two dates with anyone else.

"Wow." Syd sighed. "I never knew."

"Yeah. He swore us to secrecy. I really wanted to tell you."

Suddenly, Sky's proclamation that he'd always loved her made a whole lot more sense. "What about Brad?" Syd asked Charlie.

Charlie's brown eyes narrowed as she stopped walking and turned to face Syd. "What about him? I haven't spoken to him for a week. He's still off somewhere in Mirinoi, undercover for Cruger. What's he got to do with this?" Charlie stuttered, caught off guard by Syd's direct question.

Syd sighed. "Charlie, I know you're in love with him. We all know it. Sky, Bridge and I even used to have weekly meetings about it."

"You what!?"

"Don't dodge the question." Syd said sternly. "Why didn't you tell him?"

Charlie looked at the ground as they continued to walk. "I kind of did." Syd's eyes widened. "I didn't tell him, but I kissed him, the night before he left on his first undercover assignment. He kissed me back, but I panicked and ran. We haven't spoken about it since, even when he was back on Earth in-between missions. I regret it every day. It was biggest mistake of my life."

Syd was completely wowed by her best friend's revelation. "Well, when he completes his current mission, you can tell him." She squeezed Charlie in a hug.

XXX

A few days later, the Rangers were called into the Command Centre by Cruger.

They rushed in, Sky, Syd, Charlie and Bridge having been in the RecRoom together, were there before Z, who came in a minute later, her room being further away from the Command Centre.

"Sir?" Sky asked curiously. There were no alarms going off. "What's going on?"

The others were also looking at the Commander curiously. "The five of you are being promoted, to Officer Rank, a month from this Saturday." The Rangers were shocked. Although yes, they held the rank of Power Ranger and automatically outranked all Officers except for Commander Cruger and Kat, they were technically still Cadets.

"Why now?" It was Syd who asked.

"As there was no time to hold the ceremony whilst Grumm was around, Dr. Manx and I felt it was right to do so once the team was again at full capacity, even if there are some unresolved issues" He glared at Z. "Dismissed!"

"Yes Sir!" The Rangers saluted and left. Cruger hoped that this ceremony and the promotion would cause Z to stop her childish act and get on with being a Ranger. She was dividing the team and division was not something that Cruger wished a Ranger team to have.

He wondered if he'd made a mistake bringing Charlie onto the team. "Kat?" He asked his feline assistant. "Did I make a mistake bringing Charlie back onto the team?"

"No, Doggie." She replied confidently. "She's a perfect fit for the team. I don't know what's gotten into Z, but Charlie isn't the problem. I'm sure Z will get over it soon."

Cruger hoped Kat was right, otherwise one of them would need to be taken off the team.

End of Chapter 6. Please Review :)

A/N: I know this Chapter's a little shorter; and the ending's a little rushed, sorry about that!

A/N 2: The Villain of the story will be introduced in Chapter 8! Next Chapter is the Promotion Ceremony, Z and Charlie will have words, I promise ;)