Come Back Down
by
MzDaydream

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Summary: When fate steps in and takes Syd’s grandmother away from her, there’s only one person she finds comfort in.

Come Back Down by Lifehouse

As the streams of raindrops poured out from the sky, she couldn’t help but wonder what this day would bring her. Something seemed off, as if the twirl of the Earth would without a moments notice, just screech to a halt and tumble off its everyday course. As she looked around, seamlessly seeking her feelings, a smile was painted on her face as she watched the people before her, perfectly relaxed, their jacket uniforms unzipped, showing their red, yellow and green SPD undershirts, even with collars unbuttoned.

She turned to the swishing sound of the door, a grin now appearing on her face as she spotted her boyfriend of almost four months enter the common room, with a water bottle in hand, walking towards her, a tired look showing in his eyes.

Staring right back in the face
A memory can't be erased
I know, because I tried
Start to feel the emptiness
And everything I'm gonna miss
I know, that I can't hide

“What?” He quirrped, wondering what she was smirking at.

“What to you mean ‘what’?” She retorted back at him, hopping off the stool to wrap her arms around him.

“Sydney, you have that look,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“What look? I don’t have a look, and besides even if I did, you shouldn’t know that look yet,” she joked, poking him in the arm, laughing as she did so.

“The look when you have something on your mind. Syd, what is it?” He asked yet again knowing something was bothering her.

“Nothing, really. I’m fine, Sky,” She reassured him, trying to avoid his eyes.

“Hey… what’s---” He tried to say, as he got cut off when they all turned their heads to the person standing in the doorway.

“Commander, is there something wrong?” Jack asked, standing up from his seat, turning off the game he was playing with Bridge.

“Yeah, is there a disturbance? But wait… if there was one, or if there is one, why are you here and not in the command center? And why aren’t the sirens going off? And why---” Bridge babbled out.

Z put her magazine down, and put a hand on his arm, silencing him, as she took in the solemn look Cruger was giving them.

“Commander, what is it?” She asked standing up, and moving next to Jack.

“Cadets, I regret to inform you, that something severely terrible has happened. There has been no threat to the city, but Cadet Drew will you please step outside with me for a moment?” He asked, his voice less demanding, sounding more as a request than an order.

All this time is passing by
I think it's time to just move on

Syd looked at Sky, a confused expression clearly painted on her face, as with the others, and nodded her head. Sky let go of her and moved to stand beside Bridge, as they watched their Pink Ranger stand outside with the Commander.

“Cadet, I received a call from your father while you were out on patrol duty, and it’s regretful you have to hear it from me, but your Uncle Andros has just informed them your grandmother has just passed away. I’m terribly sorry Syd,” Cruger said his voice just above a whisper, as he saw tears threatening to fall from her blue eyes.

“I… I… umm… I…,” she chocked out, tears now flowing out, as she took in every word he said. She placed her newly French painted fingers over her mouth, still in disbelief.

“Syd, I know you and your grandmother were close,” he said as he placed a paw on her shoulder, hoping to comfort her somehow, feeling as helpless as she was, considering she and the others were practically like his own children, and not just his Rangers.

“Your parents will be arriving to pick you up if you wish, and they will be heading to KO-35 in a few days, to be with the rest of your family. You may take as many days as you need to be with them… I’m sure Cadet Tate and the others can manage,” He informed her truthfully.

She nodded, and said wiping her tears away, “Thank you, Commander, but that won’t be necessary. I’ll call my parents and let them know they can go ahead and that I won’t be going with them."

Cruger nodded and walked away, leaving Syd lost in her thoughts, as she re-entered the common room, eyes red evident of crying, her make-up completely wiped away.

Sky as well as the others rushed over to her side, alarmed at her current state, as she sank to the ground, a look of denial in her face, tears threatening to fall yet again.

“It was my grandmother…,” she whispered, eyes locked into Sky’s as he kneeled down beside her.

When you come back down
If you land on your feet
I hope you find a way to make it back to me
When you come around
I'll be there for you
Don't have to be alone with what you're going through

“She… she’s… Sky, Grandmamma died.”

Days had passed and Syd was found curled up on her bed, locking out everything and everyone; even Sky. He had stayed with her in the common room for hours, arms wrapped around her securely, wanting to ease her pain, but finding no words to say, until he found she fell asleep resting against him. Careful not to wake her, he had picked her up and brought her to her room, thinking maybe rest was what she needed.

It was almost seven in the evening as he was deep in thought on his bed, when a knock was heard on his door.

“Z? What’s wrong?” he questioned the Ranger in a yellow tank top and white pajama bottoms, with her hair tied in a short pony tail.

“Sky, she won’t come out, and I… and I just don’t know what to do anymore. She won’t even talk to me, but I know she wants to go with her parents to see her… I think she’s just afraid to admit it,” she said, a sense of hopelessness apparent in her voice.

Sky closed his eyes and nodded, his heart aching to wash away Syd’s pain. He looked up when Bridge whispered, “I feel her… I feel her pain… so much pain… but she’s also in some state of denial … ahh, my head is hurting…”

Z ran to his side as she said, “Bridge, put your glove back on.”

Bridge looked up at Sky and stated, worry evident in his eyes, “Sky… she’s… she’s losing her color. Her pink light is fading… and I can feel it.”

Start to breathe and fake a smile
It's all the same after a while
I know, that you are tired
Carrying the ones you lost
A picture frame with all the thoughts
I know, you hold inside

I hope that you can find your way back
To the place where you belong

Right when Sky was about to rush out and head for Syd’s room, he was stopped by Jack who was also found in his red SPD shirt and sweat bottoms.

“Sky, there’s a call for you… I think it’s Syd’s father,” he said, nodding to the Blue Ranger. “There’s a screen set up in the common room.”

“Uncle Zhane? Did he say what about?” Sky questioned, not the least bit surprised.

He had met the Karovans at a fairly young age, as when he met Syd. Even though they weren’t related, he had been accustomed into calling her parents his aunt and uncle, and same went for Syd as she called Sky’s father Uncle Wes and his mother Aunt Jen. Now that they had started dating, it was all the more ‘appropriate’, as Syd always mentioned.

“No, he didn’t actually. He just asked for you… I’m guessing it’s about Syd,” Jack said calmly.

“Thanks, Jack,” Sky replied, patting him on the shoulder, showing his gratitude.

“Sky… you’re the only one who can get through to her, and make her understand… she needs you now more than ever, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, and I think she needs to know that. Tell her… well I think you’ll know what to say. We’re all just here,” Jack added, sounding like an older brother.

Sky nodded and headed off to help figure out how to break the wall Syd’s heart had put up.

“I understand, Uncle Zhane,” Sky replied into the screen. “I’ll try my best but I don’t want to push her…”

“You don’t have to. Just tell her, we leave first thing tomorrow morning if she still wanted to come. I know my daughter… she may be stubborn, but once she let’s you in… well that’s a whole new story,” Zhane chuckled as he replied, seeing the look Sky was giving him.

“Yeah, she’s just here, but I feel like she’s been apart from me…” Sky said in a sudden, reality hitting him.

“I understand. She was extremely close to her Grandmamma… just talk to her… she’ll be fine in time,” Zhane said.

“Understood, sir,” Sky replied saluting him.

“Good seeing you, son, and tell Wes and Jen, my wife, Karone and I will be back in a few weeks,” He said.

“Yes, sir… and I’m sorry for Grandmamma, Uncle Zhane,” Sky said, his heart full of sympathy.

Zhane nodded, and with a press of the button, the link was broken. Sky closed his eyes, and sighed, as he headed for the Pink Ranger’s quarters, praying for the right words to come out.

When you come back down
If you land on your feet
I hope you find a way to make it back to me
When you come around
I'll be there for you
Don't have to be alone with what you're going through

As Sky reached her doorway, he knocked on her door, not the least bit surprised when she didn’t answer. He knocked once again, and still no answer, until finally, her door slid open, showing Syd in her long light pink silk robe, smooth legs revealed from the opening of the robe, with her hair for once, out of its wavy locks and instead straight, tied in a pony tail. She was sitting down on her bed, head bent, looking down, with a dangling object in hand.

Sky moved inside, fixing his eyes upon her still figure, leaning against her doorframe as he heard her whisper, “ She gave this to me… it was her locket.”

She added with a chuckle, “It was given by Grandpapa…it was the first thing he ever gave her. Sky, did you know they started dating when they were our age?”

While slipping one hand in hers, the other he used to cup her face, Sky smiled and said, “It’s beautiful… here, I can put it on for you if you want.”

Syd smiled at him and nodded her head, slipping the locket into his hand, adjusting her position to help him clasp it on.

“Come on, let’s take a walk,” Sky suggested.

“A walk? But it’s already past nine,” she retorted, staring at the time.

“So? I think the others won’t mind if I steal you for a bit. And besides, I think you’ll like it,” He said, grinning.

Syd chuckled and said, “Oh really?”

“Really,” Sky smiled. “Come on.”

Sky pulled her up, wrapping an arm around her waist, letting her lean on him, as he led them to the roof of the academy. As they reached the top, he went first, then held out his hand, smiling as she took it, her eyes widening as she saw New Tech City’s stunning skyline, with the stars all glittering together, lighting up the dim lit sky.

Sky led her to a small bench, and she sat down, taking every bit of the exquisite scenery, the warn summer breeze floating all around her.

You're coming back down
You say you feel lost can I help you find it
When you come around
From time to time we all are blinded
You're coming back down
You don't have to tell me what you're feeling
I know what you're going through
I won't be the one that lets go of you

I think it's time to just move on

After a few moments of silence, Sky heard her whisper, “Thank you for bringing me here, Sky.”

He smiled, and said, placing a hand under her chin to lift her gaze into his eyes, “Syd… I wanted to show you that you don’t have to hide yourself, from this… from the team, your parents… from me.”

“Sky…I---” she said, tears wanting to fall.

“Syd… Syd, I wish I could take away all the pain… but I… I can’t,” Sky said, staring into her eyes.

“I know you can’t, and I’m not asking you to,” Syd snapped at him, pulling away from the warmth his body was giving her.

“But don’t you get it? You’re hurting yourself and it’s hurting the team… it’s hurting me to see you like this,” he explained, trying to make her understand.

“I… I’m sorry you feel that way then… but I’m fine Sky, I really am,” she replied back, blinking back her tears, looking away from him, knowing it wasn’t the best excuse.

“Syd… I can’t take the pain away… and we both now that. As much as I want to, I just can’t… you have to do that yourself… but you don’t have to go through it alone. We’re all here for you…” Sky tried yet again, his heart wanting to pick up the pieces where they had left off.

He placed his hand on hers, and then whispered, “Syd… look at me… I’m here for you.”

As he moved his hand to touch the feel of her smooth skin, he saw tears streaming down her face. He searched her gaze and wiped them away, as he pulled her in his arms, much to her protest and whispered in her ear, “Don’t be afraid, Syd… just let go…”

As she tried struggling out of his warm embrace, she found herself clinging to him instead, her whole body shaking in fear, as she cried out the tears that were locked deep inside of her.

“I can’t… it just hurts too much…,” she cried out, still clinging to him. “I don’t want to.”

“You have to… just let her go,” Sky whispered.

When you come back down
If you land on your feet
I hope you find a way to make it back to me
When you come around
I'll be there for you
Don't have to be alone with what you're going through

They sat there under the stars for what seemed like an eternity, completely content in each other’s arms, and as walls were being torn down, and tears were being shed, Sky found himself looking down on a sleeping figure in pink. Her tear marks were still a little visible, and as Sky shifted his position, her grip around him tightened.

“I’m right here, Syd,” he whispered, assuring her.

As he carefully carried her into his arms, he walked back inside, towards her room and once inside, set her down, and pulled her robe off, to reveal her in a white short silk night dress, one that came to her thighs. He pulled the sheets over her and kissed her forehead, not having the courage to wake her anymore.

“Sky?” She whispered sleepily. “I…”

“It’s ok, Syd. I know,” he whispered back. “Umm, you’re Mom and Dad are leaving first thing tomorrow morning and your dad was wondering if maybe…”

“Thanks, Sky,” She smiled, wiping the stray tears she had left, as she drifted back to sleep, finally a small feeling of contentment washing over her.

“I love you, Syd, and I’ll be here waiting when you get back,” he said, as he kissed her forehead for the second time.

A few weeks had passed as Z, Jack and Bridge were gathered in the common room, after a day’s patrol. Z was heading out the door, when she saw someone enter, someone she knew all too well. She was wearing a blue denim mini skirt, and a pink tank top, with sunglasses covering her eyes, hair styled in loose waves.

“Syd! You’re back!” she cried, hugging her friend.

“Yeah… I, thanks for putting up with me…,” she said, a bit embarrassed.

“Hey, it’s alright now… just glad to have you back,” Z replied, stepping back to let the guys see her.

A few moments later, Syd found herself looking for one person, but she found no sign of the color blue anywhere.

“He’s in his room,” Z grinned.

Syd nodded, her eyes beaming with the words 'thank you', and with that she was off.

Sky had just gotten out of the shower when a knock came to the door.

The moment he opened it, a petite body in pink greeted him with arms open wide, as she reached up to pull him in an embrace.

“I missed you, Sky,” she whispered in his ear.

He pulled back, and smiled, “Are you okay now?”

Syd nodded; her head still resting on his shoulder, in his arms.

“Sky… I… thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

“For what?” he asked, slightly confused.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes melting in his, as she smiled, pulling closer to him. Without hesitation, he smiled at her and captured her in a kiss.

“Thank you, for helping me… come back down.”

When you come back down
If you land on your feet
I hope you find a way to make it back to me
When you come around
I'll be there for you
Don't have to be alone with what you're going through

Feedback

Back to Fics

Back to Main