Always & Forever
Syd Tate
A/N: I've been listening to 'Photograph' by Nickelback everyday this week due to the fact that I'm moving and saying goodbye to my friends has been pretty tough. I've taken this and applied it to SPD, but after they're done their work there. So it's an AU, bear with me. And if you can't tell who the eventual couples are, I think you're a wee bit crazy lol. Enjoy
Disclaimer: Anyone that you don't recognize, DOESN'T belong to me. Stop trying to sue me Damnit! I'm a poor University student. And I dedicate this to the ever talent Blooming Violets. I wrote this due to inspiration from her fics.
Chapter One
Look at this photograph
Every time I do it makes me laugh
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey's head?
Being a ranger had topped all other things she'd ever done. She was an Olympic fencing champion, a beauty queen, a rock and roll star, a supermodel and finally a ranger. No one ever thought that she would last more than a week at the SPD Academy, but she proved them wrong. After 3 solid years of hard work, two spent with new teammates, they had all parted ways about six months after Grumm's defeat. Sky and Jack had been recruited by Anibus 'Doggie' Cruger to become the new co-commanders of the Academy and Bridge had been hired to replace Boom who had sacrificed himself during a raid on the academy. Grumm himself had gotten past security and in a last minute attempt to prevent the Troobian Forces from gaining all the information they needed to take over the world. Boom used to self destruct button to save the information and ended up killing hundreds of Krybots, Grumm, and inedibility, himself.
Syd and Z were the only two who had turned down positions to work at SPD. Z had remained in New Tech City to be with Bridge who had proposed to the former yellow the day he was promoted. Having fallen for the quirky green ranger, she had agreed. Syd was the only one of the group who had literally fled New Tech and headed down the California coast for Newport Beach. Her parents lived there and she stayed with them until she was able to secure a job working for a recording studio as a talent scout. And this is where our story begins…
"Syd! Have you found anything?" The high pitched female voice whined through the speaker of the cellular phone encased in Syd's hand. Skillfully, Syd turned the wheel of the vehicle around a corner before she spoke. "Kira, I told you, not yet. Angel Grove has a lot of talent but none of it has proved to be really good yet." The short blond female replied. The voice on the other end sighed.
"Just bring someone in soon Syd. If you don't find anything there, you're gonna have to go to your hometown. There should be some new talent then." Kira replied. Syd grumbled as she parked on one of the side streets and climbed out of her white SUV and slammed the door. "I'll keep looking Kira and I'll be in touch." Syd commented before removing the device away from her ear and snapping it shut and shoving it into her purse. Sighing and running a hand through her hair, the former pink ranger walked back out onto the main street and stopped as she saw five spandex clad people standing in the middle of the street. Blinking, Syd rubbed her eyes and looked at the stranger standing next to her. The man must have been into his late 50's. His dark hair was graying at the back and he wore a black suit, complimented by a very sharp looking red dress shirt. She side-stepped and opened her mouth.
"Who are they?" She asked. She could remember back to when she had done that. Granted it hadn't been that long ago. The well dressed older gentlemen turned to her. "Those are the SPD Rangers." He replied, smiling lightly. Syd blinked again.
"I thought SPD was only located in New Tech City..." She trailed off. He nodded. "At a time they were. The two new commanders decided that it was in their best interest to open more schools along the coast. Angel Grove doesn't have their own yet. But in order to gain the attention of those wishing to apply, we've brought down the Reefside contingent of rangers." He finished. His smile had turned into a full blown grin. He pointed at the red spandex figure.
"That's my son. He takes after me." The older gentleman laughed. Syd blinked again before it all started to make sense. "You said you're from Reefside?" She questioned. He nodded. Syd let out a low whistle. It had only been two years since she'd seen his teen aged self but he had aged. "Conner McKnight?" She questioned. The older gentleman blinked and looked at her.
"Do I know you?" He replied. Syd's mouth fell open and she shook her head. "No.. No you don't." She replied before heading away from the former ranger at a very quick speed. Conner blinked as she took off. "Figures, they always run… And she was cute too…"
This is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it up
I never knew we ever went without
Second floor was hard for sneakin' out
"Bridge honestly. Take five minutes and help me decide!" Z commented to her fiancé. Bridge poked his head out from the zord he'd been fixing. "What do you need exactly Z? I thought you had all these wedding plans under control." He replied forcing himself out of the tight space. Z threw her hands up in the air.
"Minus this one thing, I do." She replied as Bridge jumped down to where she was and kissed her cheek. "Alright what do you need?" He asked as he cleaned his hands with the cloth. Z opened a book of bridesmaid's dresses. There on the page, were about fifty dresses, all of different colors, designs and lengths. Bridge let out a whistle.
"Alright…" He prodded. Z pointed to three dresses she had marked off. "I need a dress for Syd to wear. I need you to help me pick out a design first, then length and then we'll do color." She told him. Bridge thought for a moment before pointing to one at the top of the page. It was a beautiful floor length dress that was strapless. The sides were done in a criss-cross stitch and the bottom was dressed up with tiny sequins. Z gasped slightly.
"That's an amazing dress." She murmured. Bridge nodded. "A certain person may not be able to keep his hands off her." He chuckled. Z smiled.
"So were gonna go with that one in floor length?" She asked. Bridge nodded. "It looks like it will suit Syd." He replied. Z nodded. She completely agreed that this dress would make the former pink ranger absolutely stunning. She flipped the pages over and stopped as she reached the colors of dresses. In front of them were over 100 colors. Blues, Greens, Pinks, Yellows, you name it, it was there. Z and Bridge exchanged a glance.
"Not pink." They commented together. Smiling at each other, they let their eyes scan over the page before Bridge's finger landed on one color in particular. Z nodded. It was a elegant sky blue that they both knew would compliment Syd's eyes. Z snapped the book shut and kissed Bridge lightly on the lips.
"Thanks Bridgey." She commented before heading back up the stairs out of the zord bay. Bridge grinned before climbing back into the zord hull.
And this is where I went to school
Most of the time had better things to do
Criminal record says I broke in twice
Must have done it half a dozen times
Schuyler 'Sky' Tate swiveled slowly in his chair. His normally clean desk was now cluttered with contracts and profiles of those applying to the new branches of SPD. Everything still came to headquarters, and the final decisions were left up to Jack Landors, and himself. The two new co-commanders of the Space Patrol Delta Academy. When Sky and Jack had initially been offered the position, they were inclined to turn it down. Sky wanted to take a few years off and work abroad in starting something over in Europe and Asia and Jack had wanted to start a family with his bride to be, Sophie. Cruger had reassured them that there would be plenty of time for both to do what they wished. Jack had married Sophie and already had two children, Bridge and Z were getting married, Syd hadn't been heard from in over a year, and he was shipping out the following week to go over to Germany and help get their version of SPD underway.
Sky knew that he was being selfish in saying there was someone he wanted to come along with him. She had a life now, working for a record company as a talent scout. Being a part of SPD was no longer her life, it was his. Sky had been floored when he overheard Z and Syd discussing him the one night in the rec room. That was the night that Syd had admitted to her roommate, and the only other girl on the squad, that she harbored feelings, deep feelings for the blue ranger. Unfortunately and due to stubbornness on his part, Syd had moved before he could tell her how he really felt.
Swiveling back around to his desk, Sky looked at the few pictures gracing the top of it. There was one of his father and himself. Another photo was a group shot. There were a few other individual shots, one in particular that caught his eyes. It had been taken shortly after Grumm's defeat. It was just of Syd and himself. They had their arms wrapped around each other and their cheeks were pressing together. Sky had lifted her up so that she would be his height. They were both out of uniform and looked amazing. Sky smiled as he ran his thumb over the edge of the frame before leaning back in his chair. He was going to be seeing her in a few days for the wedding. He'd tell her then. Granted he didn't chicken out first.
I wonder if it's too late
Should I go back and try to graduate
Life's better now than it was back then
If I was them, I wouldn't let me in oh oh oh
Oh god I…
Sydney groaned as her cell phone began to ring again. This apparently never ending search for new talent was beginning to take it's toll on her. She pulled her phone from it's pink case, lodged inside her purse. She flipped the top open and pressed it to her ear.
"Hello?" Came the tired voice of the former pink ranger. The voice on the other end chuckled slightly. "Hey Syd, how's it going?" The voice questioned. Syd's face lit up.
"Z!" Syd smiled as she heard the voice of her best friend. Z chuckled. "Hey, I was just checking in to make sure your heading up tonight after work." The former yellow ranger asked. Syd nodded. "Yeah actually I'm heading back to my car right now. What time are we meeting tomorrow to get me fitted?" She asked as she climbed into her SUV.
"Does 9 sound alright?" Z replied. Turning over the engine Syd pulled out of the parking spot and headed to the highway. "Yeah 9 sounds good. I'm heading up to New Tech City right now and staying at the Concord Hotel." Syd explained to her friend. Z nodded.
"Alright Syd, I'll see you tomorrow." Z commented before hanging the phone up. Syd tossed the phone onto the seat next to her.
Every memory of lookin' out the back door
Got the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to see it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbyeEvery memory of walkin' out the front door
I found the photo of a friend I was lookin' for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
Syd awoke the next morning, the bright sunlight streaming into her hotel room. She rolled over and glanced at the digital clock sitting next to her. The numbers read 8:25am. Groaning, Syd pushed herself out of the warm bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. About 15 minutes later, the blond re-emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed, her hair pinned back. She grabbed her jacket and purse and headed out the door and towards her SUV. Climbing in she turned over the engine and peeled from the parking spot. She drove down the familiar roads of the city she grew up in and watched as aliens and humans interacted. She smiled as she reminisced about the rangers pestering Piggy to no end. Of course, they had later discovered that Piggy had been betraying them, and had been sealed into containment. She pulled her jeep up to a small shop on the side of the road and climbed out of the car. She locked the door and headed over to the door. Even before her hand had reached for the door, it swung open to revel a brown haired girl who tackled the former pink ranger.
Remember the old arcade?
Blew every dollar that we ever made
The cops seeing us hangin' out
They said somebody went and burnt it down
"Z!" Syd cried as she stumbled backwards slightly, her arms falling around her friend, hugging her. Z returned the hug and pulled the short blond into the store. Standing in the dual tuxedo and bridal store, were Bridge, Jack, Kat, and Sky. Syd's face lit up as she noticed her friends in various spots. Syd let out a slight squeal before launching herself at Bridge who was facing away from her. Her slender arms wrapped around the thin, yet muscular frame of the former green ranger. Bridge let out a gasp as he stumbled forward in surprise. He turned around, his face lighting up at the sight of the shorter blond female.
We used to listen to the radio
And sing along with every song we'd know
We said someday we'd find out how it feels
To sing to more than just the steering wheel
"Syd!" He exclaimed before sweeping his best friend up into a hug. Syd laughed as the two spun around, enveloped in a hug. The commotion on Bridge's side of the room, caused the new co-commanders to stop what they were doing, and take notice of the new and very familiar face within the room. Smiling, Jack moved towards the short women. Turning slightly, Sky remained where he stood and watched as Syd hugged the red ranger tightly. He watched as the former pink and red rangers interacted for a few moments before her gaze fell onto him. A soft smile formed at the corner of her rose colored lips before she moved slowly in his direction. Sky stiffened as the skirt she was wearing swayed ever so slightly, bouncing off her hips. She stopped within a foot of him and gave him one of her beautiful smiles.
Kim's the first girl I kissed
I was so nervous that I nearly missed
She's had a couple of kids since then
I haven't seen her since God knows when
"Hi Sky." She whispered softly. The tension that had been collecting in Sky's back was released as he bent forward slightly and wrapped his arms around the shorter girl. Syd allowed herself to become enveloped within the hug, her arms instinctively curling around Sky's muscular shoulders, her chin resting gently on his should blade. Sky picked her up and they swung around. Syd's eyes closed as the air floated past her. This felt right. She was disappointed when they stopped spinning and he gently placed her back onto the ground. The two pulled away ever so slightly saying nothing. Across the room, Z elbowed Jack in the ribs slightly as she and Bridge looked on.
"This is defanlity going to be an interesting wedding." She commented.
Oh, god I...
Every memory of lookin' out the back door
I got the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
Meanwhile, in the vastness of space, a tall, black haired villainess stood upon her ship, staring down at the group gathered in the bridal shop. Her dark black hair had changed from what it had once been and was now curled tightly in a bun to the back of her head. The scar upon her left cheek remained, although somewhat fainter than before. Her black manicured nails curled into her palm before her now closed fist slammed onto the control panel.
"They will pay for what they've done." She snarled darkly before turning on her heel and exiting the room.
Every memory of walkin' out the front door I miss that town, I miss the faces If I could relive those days Every memory of lookin' out the back door Every memory of walkin' out the front door Look at this photograph
I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin' for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
You can't erase, you can't replace it
I miss it now, I can't believe it
So hard to stay, too hard to leave it
I know the one thing that would never change
I got the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin' for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye
Every time I do it makes me laugh
Every time I do it makes me...
A/N: I don't have a beta reader, so if you come across any mistakes, please feel free to let me know. I hope you guys enjoy this! Believe me, there's a twist you won't see coming!