You Found Me: A Story of Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Oh, I totally own Power Rangers. Yeah right. Let me tell you, if I did own PR, SPD wouldn't have ended. : )

Challenge: Pride

Timeframe: Immediately after Reflections Pt 1.

Sky was back from Gamma Orion, which was why Sydney Drew was wandering the halls at SPD. He'd probably gone to report to Commander Cruger, so Syd trooped off to the Command Centre.

Her mega watt smile crossed her face. Sky was indeed at the Command Centre, leaning against the wall just outside the door. He was still wearing the sunglasses necessary for meeting with Mirloc, and his SPD badge was neatly covered with black tape.

Syd would have loved to go and hug him, despite what she knew his reaction would be. He'd let her cling for a moment, and then he'd gently push her away.

But something in Sky's face told Syd not to initiate affectionate gestures. He looked…anguished. Syd had never seen her stoic friend so open, so vulnerable, save for one time, many years ago when they were children.

He hadn't seemed to notice her. Maybe she could just scoot off and leave him be. Later, if he wanted to talk, he'd know where she was. He always did.

Alrighty then. Sydney had an hour before her next weapons' class. She should go and fix her make-up.

"S-Syd?" Sky questioned, sounding shaky, like he'd been crying. In all the years of their friendship, Sky had only cried when Uncle Wes had been killed. Sky was the strong one, the one who always held Syd when she was upset (however reluctant he was to talk about feelings) and he needed her for a change. Well Sydney had always been given a shoulder to cry on and she sure as hell would return the favor.

"Yes, Sky?"

He took off the glasses. Syd felt saddened at the sight of his eyes, those sweet blue eyes she loved so much. They were so broken, he had to have been crying, or at the very least upset. "Mirloc…"

"What happened?" Sydney asked, her voice soft, though she knew damn well what had happened. Mirloc had tricked Sky into talking about Wes' death. Wes was the only person that could make the rock that was Sky Tate break down and cry.

"He made me promise to tell him a… memory," Sky began. "That saddest memory I possessed, to add to his collection. And when I finished, he laughed. Said it was entertaining. But Syd…it made me…"

Syd reached out and yanked him into her arms. She wasn't sure whether to be soothing or to yell at him to pull himself together. Well, a cross between the two would just have to suffice.

"We all loved Uncle Wes," Sydney said. "But he wouldn't want you to sit around and cry, would he?"

This seemed to cheer him a bit. "He wouldn't. Thanks, Syd."

"That's my boy," Sydney enthused. "Now go report to the big blue dog and let's go kick some alien scum ass."

Sky did as he was told, the old spring back in his step. Now all he'd have to do was get the red morpher…