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

Waiting

"Eric!"

The man in question looked up to see five people running towards him.

"How is she?" Cole asked, coming to a stop in front of the other red.

Eric shook his head. "She lost a lot of blood. I haven't seen her since Dana took her back to the infirmary. Dana also called in a surgeon that went back not too long ago."

"Why didn't you call us when your found her?" Max yelled. "We could've helped you!"

"Max!" Alyssa chastised.

"Shut up, Alyssa!" Max practically screamed. "Taylor could be dead right now!" he pushed Eric backwards. "We could've helped! She's the closest thing to a sister I've ever had, and I'm not losing her!"

"Max!" Cole put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Calm down. Taylor's going to be fine."

"How do you know that? We could've done something, Cole! But he," Max pushed Eric again, "wouldn't let us!"

"Enough," Eric grabbed Max's wrists. "I didn't let any of you go because I knew none of you could handle seeing her like that."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked before Max could utter another word.

"The girl that I held last night and the girl that I carried out of that house today isn't the Taylor Earhardt you know," he explained. "It was a shell of herself. She was broken. She is broken. I've never seen anything like that. The strongest woman I know was reduced to a terrified little girl in only a few seconds. It's horrible the power he has over her. I've seen prisoners of war in better shape than she's in right now."

"He's done that to her for a long time," Alyssa admitted.

"You knew about this?" Cole asked her.

The white ranger nodded. "I grew up with her. This isn't the first time he's kidnapped her."

"What?"

"He's done this before?" Merrick spoke up.

She nodded again. "Taylor was sixteen. We were told she'd moved in with her boyfriend. We didn't see her often, but when we did, she wasn't herself. She was jumpy and only talked when she had to. After a few months, we didn't see her at all. She shut everyone out, including her dad. No one heard from her; she didn't show up to school; it was bad. Then, one day, her dad got a call. She was panicked and crying. He said that she sounded broken. But at least she was alive."

"That's more than we know for sure right now," Max grumbled.

"Eric," the six rangers turned to see the blonde doctor standing there. "You must be Taylor's team. I'm Dr. Dana Mitchell. Lightspeed Rescue Pink."

"How is she?" Cole took a step forward.

Dana sighed. "She's lost quite a bit of blood and has suffered a concussion. We're keeping her here until she gets her strength back, but she should be fine."

They all let out sighs of relief.

"Can we see her?" Danny asked.

Dana nodded and let them into the room.

Eric was by Taylor's side in an instant. It took the rest longer to take in the appearance of their teammate and second-in-command.

The young woman was deathly pale. Her blonde hair was pushed back out of her face, surrounding her head like a halo. The white blanket covered everything below her neck, aside from her left hand, which was hooked up to an IV giving her blood. The bruises on her face and around her neck, as well as her split lip, were made more evident by the pallor of her skin.

Even through this, she looks like an angel, Eric thought.

Danny was the first to recover. The iron bison pulled his small teddy bear out and set it down beside the unconscious woman.

Eric couldn't help but crack a smile at the gesture. He knew that Danny loved that bear and even slept with it. Something so simple really could mean so much.

The man's eyes went back to his girlfriend's face. It portrayed no emotion, yet all he could see was the fear that had been there only a few hours prior. He tried to remember the joy in her smiles, the melody of her laugh, but it was seeming impossible. Would he ever see that again?

Would she even be herself when she woke up? If she woke up?

A/N
I know Max seems a little OOC, but the relationship between him and Taylor has always seemed to be one of an older sister and a younger brother to me, so I think he'd get protective if something ever happened to her.
Please R&R!
As always, may the Power protect you!