When The Past Comes Back To Shove (Power Rangers Wild Force/Time Force Fanfic)

Anger And Frustration Make A Deadly Combination

Eric walked into Wes's office with a hand over his Quantum Defender just in case.

Wes was sitting at his desk talking with a man whom Eric assumed to be Arthur. The man's brown hair was combed and gelled to perfection and he was wearing freshly pressed gray suit and a starched white button down. Yep, definitely the knight in shining armor type.

Wes looked up with a smile. "Mr. Haarmann, this is my partner, Commander Eric Myers."

Arthur turned around in the seat. "Hello, Mr. Myers."

"Commander," Eric said gruffly.

"Commander Myers isn't exactly a people person," Wes cut in. He then turned to Eric, "have you found anything?"

"We have a lead in Mariner Bay." On the way back to Silver Hills, Eric had called Ryan Mitchell, who had happened to be with his sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Dana and Carter. After explaining what was going on, the three Lightspeed Rescue Rangers agreed to help. Anything to protect a fellow ranger, even one they'd never met, though Carter did remember the three newest reds talking about Eric's feisty blonde girlfriend during the Serpentara mission. The four had come up with a plan and, after they hung up, Eric called Wes and filled him in. He also had his co-commander send Carter the picture Alyssa took of Eric and Taylor at the picnic after their teams had defeated the mut-orgs.

It had been taken right after Taylor had gotten her book back from him, and they were walking back to where the others were. Both were laughing, and his hand was on the small of her back as she looked at him. He'd wanted so badly to kiss her then and there, but he knew she wouldn't have it. So he'd waited. He'd waited until about an hour before he and Wes would have to head back to Silver Hills.

They were walking through the jungle of the Animarium when they came up on a waterfall. The wind had made Taylor's hair blow into her face and he gently pushed it behind her ear. He'd thought she was beautiful when he first pulled her over, but didn't think anything of it. Why should he have? He thought he'd never see her again. But in that moment, when the world seemed to have disappeared and it was just the two of them, he realized that she wasn't beautiful. She was so much more. He saw the beauty, yes, but also the fire and stubbornness in her eyes. And pain. It was almost like looking in a mirror. If that mirror was a few years younger, a bit shorter, blonde, and female, that is. What shocked him, though, was that while his fingers still lingered against her ear, she kissed him. It was better than he could've imagined. Slowly, Taylor had wrapped her arms around his neck and, simultaneously, he wrapped his around her waist, holding her up and against him. Eric had never believed in sparks flying when kissing someone until he kissed her. When they'd finally pulled apart, he'd asked if she'd go out with him and she'd said yes. An hour later, it had been Princess Shayla and Alyssa who had found them. Taylor'd been juvenilely splashing him for something he'd said. Both uptight rangers had been alarmed at being caught, but the princess and white ranger had promised not to tell Wes and Max. Yet.

"Eric," Wes nearly yelled, jerking the Quantum ranger from his thoughts. "Welcome back, what's the lead?"

"Carter Grayson, Lightspeed Rescue Red, said that he's seen a young woman fitting Lt. Earhardt's description near the Aquabase."

"Then, let's go," Wes stood up. "Mr. Haarmann, would you like to accompany us?"

Arthur arose from his seat and the three men walked to Eric's SUV. Eric got into the driver's seat as Wes got into the passenger's seat where the girl they were "looking" for had been sitting not an hour before. Eric was glad for Wes to be beside him instead of Arthur. He didn't trust himself not to punch the man as it was. Eric quickly started the vehicle and they were on their way.