Disclaimer: I don't own PR nor am I making any profit!

To Help a Friend

A felina woman ran through the landing of a third floor stairwell, fear ran through as her pursuer got her against the railing. She could see down the spiraling staircase to the ground, three floors below her.

Kat Manx felt her heart pounding as her back hit the banister, there was no where else to run, except down the stairs and that ran the risk of falling down them.

'Oh gosh, what do I do now?' Kat asked herself in terror, this guy wanted nothing less than to see her dead, and he just might succeed.

Meanwhile, Commander Cruger and the rangers were oblivious to the danger Kat was in… she had gone to pick up a few parts for their computer system because they were unable to deliver them and they expected her to be back in just twenty or thirty minutes... after forty minutes, Commander Cruger started to worry because Kat had yet to return to her post.

"Commander Cruger…" Z said

"Yes, Cadet Delgado" he replied

"Sir, has there been any word from Kat?"

"No, but I will let you all know as soon as I hear from her"

"Thank you sir"

"No problem Cadet…"

Z started to leave, but Commander Cruger stopped her cold.

"Elizabeth, I'm sure your father would be proud of you" he said warmly

"M-my father… what do you know about him, sir?" she asked

"Danny Delgado was a great man, he was always putting others before himself, and you have the same way about yourself" he sighed "it's a shame that, in the end, that might have been what cost him his life"

Z didn't understand what she was hearing

"Sir, you truly believe that he would be proud of me"

"He would be as proud of you as I am… I watched you change from a girl who had been stealing to survive but longing for more, to a woman who has the power to live that dream and maybe one day teach others what you have learned" he paused "I am proud of my rangers, but none more than you and Jack, you both came from humble beginnings to show great talent, and, in your work, gratitude beyond what I had ever expected from you… yes Danny Delgado would be pleased to call you his daughter."

"You have no idea how good it makes me feel to think my dad might be proud of me"

"I'm sure he would be cadet"

Tears welled in Z's eyes and Commander Cruger figured he hadn't done the right thing by bringing up Danny Delgado at that time.

"Z, I'm sorry if I upset you" he said gently as Z showed the first signs of wanting to cry

"No, I'm really happy to know this, I just wish he were here to tell me himself" she began to cry and Cruger tried his best to comfort her, she had been through a lot, but she wasn't alone, she had teammates that could easily relate to what she was going through. Schuler Tate being the stand out in B squad, having lost his father in a similar manner, but he could remember his dad… Z hadn't been so fortunate. Commander Cruger secretly reasoned with himself that he would talk to Sky and see if he couldn't talk with Z and try to help her… he didn't, at the time, realize that Dr. Manx needed his help right that second.

Kat was surprised that she was alive after falling three floors, she was laying flat of her back in so much pain she could barely keep still, but she knew that movement could cause permanent damage to her spinal cord, and leave her paralyzed. Her terror built as she realized that Commander Cruger and the rangers had no way of knowing that there was anything wrong with her. She felt a new wave of panic strike her and she just wanted to wake up in her bed and realize it was all just a bad dream, but that would never happen, she knew she wasn't dreaming… no matter how much she wanted to be dreaming, she wasn't.

"Doggie" she whispered then closed her eyes and remembered him, her focus was on him and he began to feel something was amiss, but what he couldn't tell. He had no idea that his best friend stood a good chance of ending up paralyzed.

To Be Continued…

A/n: I know that Z would be happy to hear that her father would be proud of her, I'd like to hear that myself, I lost my dad when I was eight months old! So I know what Z and Sky would go through, but he knew his dad, I never did get that chance.

Pls. leave a review and note that all flames will be redirected at the stranger that caused Kat to get hurt