Chapter 4: Visit from a Friend

A couple of days later, Taylor was up and about again. But she always had her time alone. She never wanted to be bothered. Princess Shayla gave her the space she needed, knowing that Taylor's having a hard time with Eric's disappearance and now she had a baby on the way.

Taylor sighed as she walked around the familiar field once more. She came to the trees and she walked to a familiar bench. She sat down and started to play with the ring that was around her neck. She wanted to keep Eric close to her heart, so his ring was close enough as well as the baby growing inside her. She let out a sigh and looked down at the ring on her left hand.

(Flashback)

Taylor was sitting by the tree reading when she heard Eric coming up behind her. She tried to keep a serious face, but failed. She looked up at him when he stood in front of her. "Is that any good?" He asked.

"It's fine," she replied.

"Fine?"

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing."

"Looks like something to me."
"It's just a book."

"It's just a book?"
"Yeah it's just a book."
"You better watch out for it."

Taylor gasped when he tickled her sides. Eric stole her book from her. "Give me that!" She demanded. She jumped at the book, but Eric threw the book up in the air so she couldn't get it and grabbed it again.

"Oh! I've read this before," he commented.

Taylor then chased after him. "GIVE THAT BACK!" She shouted. Taylor caught up with him and grabbed him from behind. "Myers, give me that back," she ordered. They both ended up on the ground and Eric hand her pinned to the ground. Taylor glared at him slightly. "Do you always have to do things the hard way?" She asked.

"Well Earhardt, I think I'm the one that's got you pinned," he replied.

Taylor tried to maneuver to get him off her. "Hmm, who has the advantage now?" He asked.

"Get off me," she ordered.

"Giving orders now?"

"What are we just going to stay here like this all day?"

"No, actually, I wanted to do this."

Before Taylor could react, he bent down and kissed her. She kissed him back despite the fact her arms were still pinned to the ground. Eric let her arms go and actually half-expected her to push him off her, but got the total opposite reaction. Taylor wrapped her arms around his back pulling herself closer to him. "Taylor…" a voice trailed off. They quickly pulled back and Eric got off her. "Sorry," Alyssa apologized, her face blushing a deep red.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked.

"Just came to tell you that the other Rangers are leaving and Wes is looking for Eric," she replied.

"We'll be there," Eric answered.

Alyssa nodded and quickly hurried off. Eric reached over and handed her the book. "Thanks," she mumbled. They stood up and Eric handed her something else. "What's this?" She asked.

"It's my number," he told her.

Taylor grinned. "Got your phone on you?" She asked. Eric gave her a quizzical look and handed it over to her. Taylor grinned as she put something in.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

Taylor handed the phone back to him. "My number's been programmed into there. Call me," she replied.

(End Flashback)

"Taylor?" A voice called. Alyssa was standing behind her. The former Yellow Ranger didn't look up, she continued to stare at the ground. "Taylor, come home," she insisted. Taylor stayed quiet for a minute.

"I'm not going back," she answered.

"What?"

Taylor shook her head. "I'm not going back," Taylor insisted. Alyssa looked at her with a quizzical look.

"Taylor…you can't stay here," she stated.

"Watch me."

Taylor was still staring at the ground. "You have to come home," Alyssa told her. Taylor stood up and looked at Alyssa.

"You don't tell me what to do," she snapped.

"What about the welfare of your baby?"

Taylor had a hand on her stomach again. "You can't raise a baby here," Alyssa insisted.

"And why not?" Taylor asked.

"This is no place for a baby."

Taylor started to walk away. "TAYLOR! ERIC WOULDN'T WANT THIS!" She shouted. Taylor stopped and felt the pain shoot through her heart once more. "Eric wouldn't want you to shut everything out of your life because of him," Alyssa added. Taylor just stood there. "Please come home, Taylor. Cole and I…we can help you out," Alyssa insisted. Taylor turned and looked at her.

"That's the difference between you and me, Alyssa. You want people to help you when you need it. I on the other hand, don't want help. I don't need it," Taylor snapped.

"Yes you do."

Taylor stared at her. "You have Cole and Elizabeth, go back to them Alyssa and leave me alone," Taylor ordered. Taylor turned and walked away. Alyssa felt the anger rise in her and she ran over to grab Taylor's arm.

"This won't help you," she insisted.

"You don't know what can help me. You don't know."

"No, but what are you going to do when the baby's due? You're going to give birth right here on the Animarium?"

"Where I want to have my kid is none of your concern. Now let go of me."

Taylor yanked her arm out of Alyssa's grasp and walked away.

Taylor stopped and sat by a river. She picked up a pebble and threw it into the water. As she watched the ripples go through the river, Alyssa's words echoed through her head. The throbbing feeling in her chest came back as she thought about it. "No…you don't need her help. You can have this kid by yourself," she mumbled. Taylor bit her lip and she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I can't do this without him," she whispered. Taylor threw another pebble into the water. "He promised he'd never leave me…and yet he did. He said he'd come home," she added. Taylor pressed her hand against her forehead and nausea hit her hard. She fell to her knees and she emptied her stomach.

Alyssa was walking around to find Taylor when she heard her retching. "Tay?" She called. She heard Taylor quiet down a bit.

"I told you to leave," Taylor answered.

Alyssa pushed a branch back to find Taylor on her knees holding her stomach. "I wasn't going to leave you like this," she answered.

"It's nothing, Alyssa. It's called morning sickness, I think you had it when you were pregnant with Elizabeth," Taylor commented.

Alyssa was about to leave her alone when she heard Taylor let out a sob. "Taylor?" She asked. She kneeled beside Taylor and wrapped her arm over her shoulders.

"I can't do this, Alyssa. Not without him. This baby is just as much his as it is mine," Taylor replied.

Alyssa sighed. "We'll help you," Alyssa murmured. Taylor remained silent and nodded her head slowly.

"Thank you," she murmured.