Operation Romance
by
Taz71
Rated: T
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers (wish I did!), this is just for fun.
AN: A friend said I needed to be writing a happy fic as well as 'It's Never Too Late' so this is it. I've not written one with as much speech in as this one before, so if I've made some mistakes then I apologise beforehand. But as long as you enjoy it that's all that matters.
Just so you know, this is set after Endings and is totally AU. Jack never left SPD and I don't know whether I will be including Ally in this or not yet.
------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1- Girl Talk
Syd walked into her and Z’s room, leaving the door behind her open. She saw her team mate, sat on her bed staring across the room with a glum face. “Hey Z, what’s wrong?” she asked in concern.
Z looked up and gave Syd a small unconvincing smile, “Nothing,” was her reply.
Syd raised her eyebrows, “Yeah, right Z, that’s why you’re sitting there with a face as long as one of Bridge’s rambles,” she shot at her. A small giggle escaped Z’s lips at that. Silence followed as Syd went over to her side of the room and started looking for what she had come into the room for.
The Yellow Ranger observed her Pink counterpart for a few minutes before speaking, “Syd, can I ask you for some advice?”
The blonde girl spun around in surprise at the request, “You want advice from me?” Syd asked incredulously. Z nodded slowly. “Ok,” Syd walked over to her, “shoot.”
Z took a deep breath and blurted out, “How do you let someone know you like them more than a friend?” her face turned red as Syd looked at her with shock on her face.
“Oh Z, I am so not the right person for you to be asking that question,” Syd shook her head violently, her blonde curls whipping about, “I can’t even deal with my own love life, let alone give you advice on yours.”
“Oh come on Syd, you’ve had loads of dates; a popular gorgeous princess like you,” Syd winced at Z’s use of the word princess.
Sighing, she went and sat on the bed next to Z. “If that’s what you think about me, then this is going to totally shock you. I’ve not gone on a date with anyone ever,” her words hung heavily in the room.
Z’s mouth fell open in shock at Syd’s words. “Not one? But surely you’ve been asked out, haven’t you?”
Syd shrugged and gave a small humourless laugh, “Oh sure, hundreds of times, but I’ve always turned them down.”
A look of confusion came over Z’s face and she asked, “Uhh, why Syd?”
Syd turned her head and looked Z in the eye, “Because it wasn’t a certain man asking me,” she quietly said, a hint of sadness in her voice. Z didn’t know what to say at first, she had always thought Syd was the popular girl that always went out on dates, flitting from one guy to the next, boy was she wrong.
“Oh” Z eventually said, “so there is someone you like then?” her voice held curiosity as she asked.
Syd looked at Z as if gauging how much she should say. Something she saw in Z’s face convinced her that she had found someone she could talk to and that it wouldn’t go any further. “More than like Z. I’ve been in love with him a long time now, but he only sees me as a friend,” she finally admitted.
“So why haven’t you told him?” the brunette asked, still curious about this new discovery about her room mate.
“I’m afraid he’ll reject me; that it will spoil the friendship we have now,” Syd replied immediately.
“I can understand that,” Z agreed softly, “I feel the same way.”
Both girls sat there lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes contemplating what had been revealed so far. Syd broke the silence. “So who is it?”
“Promise me you’ll keep it to yourself?” Z asked nervously. When Syd nodded her head encouragingly Z took a deep breath and said, “Bridge.”
Syd looked thoughtful, “I could see you two together,” she smiled “you two would be great as a couple.”
“What about you?” Z quickly asked in return.
“I’m not telling, you’ll laugh and call me crazy,” Syd was quick to reply in a dry voice.
“Oh come on Syd, I won’t laugh, I promise. Please, I told you who mine was,” Z spoke in a cajoling tone.
Syd looked at her friend with doubt in her eyes. Z had a sudden horrible thought, “Oh god, its not Bridge is it? Please tell me it’s not Bridge Syd.”
“No, no,” Syd was quick to reassure her, “It’s not Bridge, he’s like my brother,” she paused and sighed, “it’s Sky.”
Z turned the threatening laugh into a cough, “Sky!” she nearly shouted in disbelief, “Shhh,” hissed Syd as she looked up and realised the door was still open. Standing she walked over and closed it as Z lowered her voice and said “You love Sky?” in amazement, “Mr-I’ve-got-a-stick-up-my-Backside-Tate!”
“He has not got a stick up his backside,” said Syd indignantly, “you just don’t know him as well as I do. He can be fun when he wants to be, as well as caring and charming,” she finished with a wistful sigh.
“Whatever Syd, I haven’t seen any of that side of him. You should tell him how you feel.” Z smiled as she voiced her opinion.
“No,” Syd looked horrified at the thought and then looked suspiciously at Z, who was trying to look innocent. “Don’t even think about it Delgado, if you do, I’ll tell Bridge,” she threatened.
“Spoilsport,” grumbled Z good naturedly as she lay back on her bed. “Hey, you know you can talk to me about it anytime you want if you need someone to listen don’t you?”
Syd went over to her own bed and flopped down on it. “Yeah, same goes for you too Z, funny I never figured you’d be one for girl talk. But lets make sure no one else finds out, ok?”
“Sure”, came the answer from over the other side, “just between us girls.”
Unbeknownst to the two girls, someone had stood outside the door and had heard every word up until Syd had shut the door.
----------------------------------------------
Chapter 2 - The Eavesdropper
Jack walked along the corridor towards Z and Syds room, intending to ask Z if he could borrow some of her music. He was very near to their open door when he heard Syd ask Z what was wrong. He frowned, something was wrong with the girl who was like his kid sister. He stopped to listen before making himself known.
He clapped a hand to his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud at Syd’s retort about Bridge to Z’s “Nothing.” Syd had a point, Bridge’s rambles could be very long. About to pop his head into the doorway, he halted as he heard Z ask Syd for advice. 'Oh this should be good,' he thought with a grin. Was Z thinking of doing something different with her hair or something, funny, he didn’t think she was like that.
Then he heard exactly what advice Z needed, and the grin disappeared from his face. His little sister was talking romance. Jack wasn’t quite sure what to make of the fact that she had asked Syd and not him. On one hand it was good how well the girls had bonded, but it always used to be him that Z turned to when she needed to talk. Being honest with himself, he acknowledged that he felt a little jealous that she was talking to Syd and not him.
All feelings of jealousy were blown away when he heard Syd’s answer. Jack has never figured that Syd was that deep. Like everyone else, he hadn’t really seen past the image she portrayed of a spoilt princess. Sometimes he’d seen there was a little more to Syd than met the eye, but nothing like this. He’d thought she would have a different man every week, not to be holding on for one particular person.
Leaning his shoulder against the wall he carried on eavesdropping, hoping he might discover who the mystery men were. This was far more interesting than listening to music any day.
“So who is it?” he heard Syd ask. Straightening up a little he waited for Z’s answer. “Bridge,” he heard, he smiled and nodded his head, Bridge and Z were perfect for each other, and the potential was there for them to make each other very happy if they ever got together.
“What about you?” Z was now asking Syd. 'Ahh, this should be interesting,' he thought in anticipation, 'just who has affected Pinkie so much, that she doesn’t bother with anyone else when they ask her.'
“I’m not telling, you’ll laugh and call me crazy,” Jack’s face fell with disappointment at Syd’s reply. Z’s response made his face tighten with worry as he heard her say “Oh god it’s not Bridge is it?” he frowned, if both of them were after the same guy, well that could cause serious problems. Syd’s next words about Bridge being like her brother calmed his fears, and then he was totally blown away by her next words, “It’s Sky.” Again he had to clap his hands to his mouth before he laughed out in shock. Syd loved Sky! Impossible, the fun loving Pink Ranger and the straight laced by the book Blue Ranger, he certainly didn’t see that one coming. Z’s shout of surprise echoed his own view on the matter.
Jack heard the door click shut after Syd had told Z to shhh. He went to his room and sat on the bed thinking about all he had just heard. So, Z fancied Bridge and Syd was in love with Sky, he mused, but what to do about it. He frowned, but before he could think anymore of it, there was a knock at his door.
Chapter 3 - Did I Just Hear You Right?
“Who is it?” Jack called out, hoping it wasn’t one of his team mates after all he’d just heard, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to keep a straight face or not. “Cruger,” came the answer in the Commander’s voice. Jack opened the door and stood to attention, saluting as Cruger entered his room.
“Relax Jack,” he was told as the Commander closed the door, “this is not an official visit.”
Jack looked intrigued as Anubis sat down; following his lead, he made himself comfortable and waited for Cruger to state the reason for this visit. He didn’t have to wait very long.
“Well, that was an interesting conversation Cadets Drew and Delgado had, don’t you think?” Cruger said with a hint of a smile.
Jack just stared for a few seconds at his Commander before answering, “You heard them Sir?” he asked in disbelief.
“I did Jack, and I saw you listening outside their door,” Cruger laughed at the surprised expression on Jack’s face. “The question is Jack, what are we going to do about it?”
“We Sir?” Jack queried, amazed that Cruger was laughing about this. He would have thought that he would have been furious that two of his Rangers wanted to ‘fraternize’ with the two other Rangers.
“Yes Jack,” Cruger spoke patiently, “We,” he carried on. “Grumm has been defeated, I have Isinia back with me, after believing she was dead all this time. Kat and Boom seem to be getting closer, and now you have Ally.”
Jack nodded and smiled when he thought of Ally. She had been his girlfriend for two months now, and he couldn’t be happier.
Cruger was still talking, “So after listening to Syd and Z, I think maybe a little helping hand wouldn’t go amiss, if you know what I mean,” he finished and looked at Jack expectantly.
“Let me get this straight DC,” Jack spoke slowly to start with, still trying to get his mind around what the Commander wanted to do, “to put it simply,” he paused before continuing, “after hearing Syd and Z talk about Sky and Bridge, you want to do some matchmaking between them. Does that about cover it?”
“Yes, things have been quiet around here lately, too quiet since Grumm’s defeat, it would be…” it was Crugers turn to pause, he was trying to find the right word, “Interesting to say the least, and would certainly liven things up around her,” he said with a smile. “Are you with me on this Jack?”
“Absolutely,” Jack responded with a devious smile. “Where shall we start?”
The two conspirators spent the next hour trying to find the perfect plan, discarding some ideas as too obvious. When finished both sat with a satisfied smile on their face. Things were certainly going to change thought Jack devilishly.
TBC.....