After Hours

by Starhawk

Chapters:

1. Dreamwatching
2. Sunrise
3. Wild Times
4. All Hallows' Eve
5. After Hours
6. Sunrise

1. Dreamwatching

"Tell me that you live for love, that forever is never enough
That you waited all your life to see, that you want so badly to believe"

Something had drawn her to the cliffs above the lake. There was someone down there, taking advantage of the moonless night to bathe privately while the others slept. Cole, no doubt--he fit in very well on the Animarium, with its thousand year old lifestyle and traditions. It was modern society he was having trouble adapting to.

She watched for a moment, knowing he would consider it no invasion of privacy. Indeed, the only reason he waited for nightfall was out of respect for the others. Cole was one of the least self-conscious people she knew, and she thought, rather wistfully, that her father would have approved of him.

He splashed water in his face and tossed his head back, shoving his hair back with both hands in a very familiar gesture. It wasn't, however, a gesture she had ever seen Cole use before. She stood, frozen, as the figure turned just enough to reveal his profile in the twilight darkness.

It wasn't Cole.

Something drew her down the path to the lakeshore, certain every time she looked away that the apparition would be gone when she lifted her gaze. He didn't vanish, though she did catch a glimpse of his companion as she made her way closer. Never far from the wolf, even when the moon hid its face.

She stood on the sand for a long time, watching the pup struggle to stay afloat in the too-deep water. Her ghost, too, kept an eye on the silver muzzle, making sure it stayed above the surface. He laughed once, the antics of his companion proving too much for his stoic facade, and she wished he would do it again.

He shook lingering droplets out of his hair as he turned, heading for shallower water. He paused, then, waiting for the tired pup to notice and follow. It did, paddling valiantly but falling farther and farther behind. Finally, in a startling display of trust, the creature allowed itself to be scooped out of the water and carried toward the shore.

He saw her.

Something would draw her forward. She moved through the water as though it wasn't there, closer and closer to this vision from the past. He had walked away from her once... would he do it again? How strong was the wolf, now? She had thought the man gone completely, buried by fur and fangs until the last echo fell silent and forgotten.

She woke alone, in her chair by the fountain, with the same heartache she had taken to sleep. There was no way to tell the others, no way to stay their hand without compromising their precarious safety. If only she could be sure...

High on a ridge, some distance away, golden eyes stared down at the figure by the fountain. They tracked her movements as she rose and saw her hesitate when the lonely howl of a wolf drifted through the night. She lifted her head, turning slowly, surely, toward the unseen gaze that flickered uncertainly under a waning moon.

"Tell me that it's not just me"

~"It's Not Just Me"~
(lyrics performed by Rascal Flatts)


2. Sunrise

7/14/02

He had never been sure that the princess slept. She was at the cliffs before him the next day, no matter that he arrived with the sun. Her back was to him, affording him a moment to study her, if only from behind. Always from behind.

"Did you bring your flute?" she asked suddenly, still facing the cliffs.

He dropped to one knee as she turned, lowering his eyes. "Princess," he greeted her softly. He should have known better than to think he could come upon her unaware.

She laughed delightedly. "You'll get tired of bowing every day, Merrick."

"I won't," he answered. He watched with interest as her bare feet came nearer. When the curse was first broken he had been unable to tolerate her closeness. But turning away had hurt more than not, and this time he had no intention of running.

She knelt gracefully in front of him, startling him into catching her gaze as her skirt fluttered around her. "I will get tired of it," she said gently. "Rise, Merrick. Or I will sing on my knees."

He couldn't help raising his eyebrows at her, and a mischievous smile touched her lips. "Don't think that I won't," she warned.

He bowed his head out of habit. "I could never mistrust you, Princess."

She flowed to her feet and held out her hand expectantly. He could only stare at such an odd gesture, but it was clear that there would be no arguing with her. He took her hand as a gentleman would, standing on his own before releasing her fingers gently.

She gave him a brilliant smile. Her eyes said more than her voice ever would, but that was the way it had to be between them. "Will you play?"

For answer, he raised his flute to his lips and waited for her indrawn breath.

8/4/02

The sun might not have risen yet, but the sky already glowed a brilliant blue. A bird of prey drifted by overhead, spiraling upward on rising currents of air. The steady chir of insects surrounded him, and warmth that bespoke intense heat by midday graced his skin. The morning was well underway even in these, the predawn hours.

A flash of white from the corner of his eye alerted him, and he rolled over onto his stomach soundlessly. The cool stone was rough and unyielding beneath his body, but his uncomfortable perch had been rewarded. Resting his chin on his arms, Merrick watched Princess Shayla traverse the field below.

Then, for no apparent reason, her gliding movement came to a halt and she lifted her head to scan the cliffs. Even sprawled out as he was, he knew the lightening sky would silhouette his figure. There was no way she could miss him.

Insolently, he lifted his right hand and waved.

He heard her laugh even from where he was, and her delighted "good morning!" echoed across the cliffs. She waved too, as though not certain he would hear her, and he felt a grin spread across his face. Her welcome turned an otherwise empty day into one worth living for.

"Good morning!" he shouted back. "You're early!"

"So are you!" she cried. The first limb of the sun had yet to breach the horizon. "Tell me you didn't sleep there!"

"You sleep in a cave!" he taunted, unable to resist. "Why shouldn't I?"

She threw up her hands, lace fluttering around her elbows as she turned her back on him. He laughed. Grabbing his flute, he rolled to his feet and headed for the path that would take him down the side of the cliffs. Whether it was dawn or not, he had already seen the sun.

9/13/02

He was moving before he was consciously aware of it. Maybe it was Ranger instinct; maybe it was something deeper, more ingrained. As his hand flew through the air, though, he had only one goal: to reach the "snooze" button before his alarm completely deafened him.

The noise ceased temporarily, and he fell back against the pillows with a groan. The next few minutes were not going to be pleasant. But what choice did he have?

He levered himself out of bed, pausing only to turn his alarm off before shuffling into the bathroom. Indoor plumbing was still something of a novelty, and he silently offered thanks for human ingenuity. Warm water flowed with just a twist of the tap, and he tried to splash some of the sleep out of his eyes. They could believe what they liked these days, but only a fool threw cold water on his face when he didn't have to.

His clothes from the night before had been flung haphazardly over the single chair, and he had to dig his leather pants and grey t-shirt out from under the mess. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing in the mirror as he crossed the room. He shook his head at his reflection, grabbed his flute from the bureau and swung his jacket off its hook, slamming the door behind him.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he wasn't surprised to find Willie still up and working on the books. The paperwork was a good sign; it meant that all the cleaning was done and it probably hadn't been too bad if the man still felt like going over balance sheets. He had offered to help more than once, but Willie insisted that he did his job and he ought to leave the rest to the owner.

"Eggs are out back," the bartender said, the voice stopping him with his hand on the door. He didn't even look up when Merrick turned. "Biscuits in the oven. Can't have the help collapsing from starvation."

He hesitated, but no matter how late it was he couldn't resist doubling back. Willie's gruff kindness made no demands on his silence, and it was a relief to be able to keep both his secrets and the bartender's good opinion. "Thanks," he called over his shoulder, slipping out the back exit before the other could reply.


3. Wild Times

"It's important to have friends you can count on..."

Had it only been yesterday that he had said those words to Cole? Yesterday, as he clasped Cole's hand with Eric at his side, the words had been sincere. Today it was Jen's hand in his and her team at his back, and the words seemed a prophecy fulfilled.

Wes didn't know exactly where they were going, and to tell the truth he didn't care. He had the woman he loved back and there was nothing that could ruin this feeling for him. Even the threat of new enemies had been nothing compared to holding Jen in his arms the night before.

Cole's shout brought him out of his pleasant daydream, and he lifted his hand to wave when he heard Katie yell a greeting. Princess Shayla and Circuit were up ahead, with the promised picnic spread and almost as much enthusiasm as the Rangers. Max darted out ahead of the group and Cole gave chase, prompting one after another to join in the rush.

"Each day when the sun rises
I hurry from my sleep"

He wasn't sure who threw the first chip, but Nadira was the one who shrieked. It must not have been her "daddy save me" shriek, because Ransik only looked on indulgently as she and Alyssa pelted Max in return. Her father caught the princess' eye as the fruit was being passed around, and, to Wes' surprise, returned the hug she offered with a grateful smile.

It was still strange to see Ransik and Nadira acting... well, like normal people. He couldn't quite get over it. He wasn't the only one, either. Wes hid a smile as the Wolf Ranger stepped in, putting a possessive arm around the princess' shoulders and leading her pointedly toward the other side of the table.

Wes grabbed a bunch of grapes from one of the fruit bowls as Katie waved it in his direction, and Jen laughed at him when he stepped out of the way too quickly and bumped into her. He held up a grape threateningly, but instead of ducking she lifted her face and opened her mouth. He dropped the grape into her mouth with a grin, ignoring the surprised look Danny gave him behind Jen's back.

"I can't wait to greet you
With my song"

Trip was arguing with Katie about what kind of apples she liked. It was a fight he was destined to lose, since Katie changed her mind about what foods were palatable several times a week, but that didn't stop him from trying. Circuit turned his head from one to the other, wisely staying out of the discussion.

Someone had started cutting into the coconuts, and Wes reached for one at the same time as Ransik did. They both paused, and he nodded once to the older man. Ransik smiled slightly. They each took half of the coconut without a word.

Jen turned away from Danny's attempt to juggle in time to see him lift the coconut to his mouth, and she laughed at his expression when the milk hit his tongue. The Wolf Ranger, whose name Wes couldn't for the life of him remember, looked a little amused as well. But who knew coconut milk would taste like coconut?

"You are every kind of flower
Every animal I meet"

Max had managed to get Katie mad at him by now as well, and somehow he had turned his avoidance of projectiles into a dance routine. The girls had started to chant his name, and Wes chuckled as Max hammed it up. Almost everyone was cheering now, and he took a moment to look around for Eric.

The Quantum Ranger wasn't at the table anymore. The last time Wes had seen him, Eric had been daring Lucas to eat one of the spiked orange fruits that only Taylor could identify. Or maybe any of the Wild Force Rangers could have done it; Taylor was just the only one he asked. It didn't escape Wes' notice that the Eagle Ranger was missing from the group as well.

Someone had called for a toast while he wasn't paying attention, and Jen grabbed his right hand and lifted his coconut along with her glass. Ransik and Danny lifted coconuts as well, Cole whooped, and Max toasted with a chip. When Katie lifted her glass too, Nadira put both her hands in the air and Wes saw the princess clap delightedly.

"You are nature
Full of grace and majesty"

The energy level was too high to sustain for long, and Ransik was the next to quietly disappear. Nadira, too, drifted a little away from the group when she realized he was gone, and Wes saw Lucas go over to rescue her from Max's attention. The Shark Ranger didn't look too upset, rejoining the group and immediately getting into a heated debate with Katie over the relative strength of their teams.

That was a mistake, and Wes might have told him so if he wasn't so busy trying to figure out what Cole was doing with all those bananas. The Lion Ranger had started out with his own bunch of bananas which had promptly vanished, had followed up with a token orange, and now he was back to bananas again. Wes hoped it wasn't true that a person was what he ate.

The princess offered to judge a "test of strength" between Rangers, and Wes knew he was in trouble when Jen and Alyssa started whispering to each other. Not as much trouble as Danny, when Max volunteered him to arm wrestle Katie, but enough. Jen beckoned to him, and he took another quick look around before getting up to follow her.

Katie and Trip were giggling together, the Wolf Ranger was positively hovering around a princess who seemed to be doing her best to ignore him, and through the trees Wes caught a glimpse of red and yellow. He wondered what his friend could possibly have done to make Taylor chase him. She didn't seem prone to flights of whimsy.

"Nature, you are everything that's free"

Speaking of flights of whimsy... Both girls had grabbed napkins from the table, and they were running--in shoes and skirts, no less--toward the other side of the field. Wes exchanged glances with Cole, and the other Red Ranger grinned. Wes grinned back when Cole shrugged as if to say, who cares why?

Jen's voice twined with Alyssa's as it echoed across the meadow, and he and Cole took off simultaneously. Jen was laughing, the sunlight in her hair and the wind tugging at her jacket--she was easily the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. He thought he could run forever if it meant being with her at the end.

He didn't know who won, and as before it turned out that he didn't care. Jen turned as he flew past, and all that mattered was the way she smiled when their eyes met. They had both tried destiny, and rejected it. Now it was time to give love a chance.

"There's other Rangers out there all right. We all fight for the same goal... it's important to have friends you can count on."


4. All Hallows' Eve

4:00

Alyssa had once asked him what it was like to listen to someone else's heart. He had told her it was like hearing an echo in a canyon and being able to point to exactly where it came from. She claimed that was impossible… but it wasn't, not for someone who had walked that canyon a million times before.

So he walked the familiar canyon of human compassion yet again, this time from a perch on the orange railing outside the Life Sciences building. Students hurried past in every direction, spilling out of this building and its neighbors to join the sidewalk traffic in the ten minutes between classes. He let them flow by, confident that he would not miss one echo among thousands even in this chaotic whirl.

A flash of white and the words "Noble Tiger" were visible for less than a second, but he had already hopped down from the railing. Pushing his way through the crush of bodies and books, he followed her heart's echo unerringly until that red-streaked brown hair came into view once more. She was alone and walking quickly, and he had to lengthen even his ground-eating stride to catch up with her.

"Hey, Alyssa!" He fell into step beside her, reaching for her books when she glanced over at him. "Where's your bike?"

Her face broke into a dazzling smile when she realized who it was, and she surrendered her armload immediately. "Hi Cole," she said, pulling her backpack over her other shoulder and hooking her thumbs through the straps as they walked. "I let Danny borrow it so he could do some errands. What are you doing here?"

"Carrying your books," he answered easily, grinning when she rolled her eyes at him. "Following you," he added. "Where are you going? I thought you got out early today, so I figured I'd walk you back."

"Normally I do," she agreed, laughing at his expression of confusion. "But I said I'd help set up the Jessie Doe Haunted House this afternoon, so I have to do that first. You can come if you want to."

"Sure," he said eagerly. Then he paused, frowning. "What's a haunted house?"

5:00

She'd parked in some strange places since becoming a Wild Force Ranger, and none of them were ever convenient. She was walking down yet another kid-infested street when she saw the flashy black emergency vehicle. She almost turned and went another way, but there was a group of overdressed and undersupervised children behind her, so she kept going.

Taylor shot a covert look at the driver as she hurried past, telling herself it didn't matter which of the Silver Guardians was on duty this afternoon. To her chagrin, though, she found the driver looking back at her, and she tossed her head as she abruptly changed course. She had planned to walk up to this vehicle all along. No matter who was in it.

"Hey," she said, pausing awkwardly beside the truck. That was as far as she got before her imagination failed her. Maybe it would have been better to keep walking and let him think that their gazes had met accidentally.

"Hey," Eric answered. He stared out of the windshield through dark glasses, for all the world as though he was watching a crime in progress. She might as well have not been there.

"I hear I got off of a speeding ticket because of you," she blurted out. She'd be damned if she went to all this trouble and didn't even get a reaction out of him.

He didn't move. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Got pulled over last week," she said, scrutinizing what she could see of his expression. "The officer wrote me up, called me in and everything. Then, like it happened everyday, he came over to give me a warning and told me I had a friend in the Silver Guardians."

"Shouldn't drive so fast," Eric told the windshield. "You wouldn't get pulled over so often."

His radio came to life, and the garbled words made him reach for his seatbelt. "Gotta go," he said, clicking the buckle into place before putting his hand on the ignition. "Halloween's a busy night for us."

"Can I come?" she asked without thinking.

He met her challenging glare with one of his own, but at least he'd looked at her. Then, to her surprise, he just shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, leaning over to unlock the passenger door.

6:00

Some people liked to listen to seashells. Danny liked to listen to plants. They were quiet and undemanding. They were patient. Most of all, they were straightforward. If a plant needed water, it wilted. There was no uncertainty there, no hidden meaning. It was what it was, and if he gave it water, the plant would be happy.

"Are you a happy pumpkin?" he asked the pumpkin in front of him. The interesting thing about pumpkins was that each one had the story of just one season in them. Non-annual plants had seen several seasons at least, and they were much more judgmental about it all. Pumpkins loved everything because they had nothing else to compare it to.

"Danny?" a familiar voice asked.

He stared down at the pumpkin, hoping he hadn't heard what he thought he'd heard. This was why he liked plants. People always wanted an answer right away. Plants would wait hours before expecting you to say anything to them.

"Danny?" the voice repeated, closer. "Are you--talking to that pumpkin?"

"Kendall!" He turned quickly, shrugging to cover his embarrassment. "Of course not! I mean…" She had someone with her, he realized belatedly. "That is--"

"That's so sweet," she interrupted, smiling at him. "This is my cousin, Lily. Lily, this is Danny. He used to work at the flower shop with me."

He was working up his courage to say "hi" to her when Lily interrupted. "Are you going to come trick-or-treating with us?"

Kendall looked a little embarrassed, and she gave him an apologetic shrug. "I--I saw you here and I thought… well, it might be fun."

"I--" It would be fun, more than fun in fact, but then his brain caught up with him. "I can't," he said, crestfallen. "I told Max I'd help with the Halloween Hayride tonight."

"But that doesn't start till later, right?" Kendall looked hopeful. "If you come trick-or-treating with us, we'll go on the hayride with you… how does that sound?"

"That…" He glanced down as Lily put her ear up to the same pumpkin he had spoken to earlier, apparently "listening" for an answer. He couldn't help smiling. "That sounds great," he told Kendall happily.

7:00

He didn't climb trees often. Well, more often than he admitted, but less often than… say, a monkey. Not every day, but enough to stay in practice. Never knew when you might have to run from a non-tree-climbing Org, after all.

He was only about ten feet off the ground, with the tree between him and the wagon track, when he heard voices coming. He froze, figuring this was the perfect chance to test how much of himself he could hide behind the sturdy trunk. His costume, unfortunately, added a certain amount of bulk that had to be concealed.

"He said he'd meet me here," an anxious voice was saying as they came within earshot. "I'm not really sure where the, uh, volunteers were going to gather."

Max grinned to himself. This was perfect. He'd get to test his hiding place and his costume at almost the same time.

He risked a peek around the trunk of the tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person Danny was talking to. As soon as he saw Kendall, he drew back and rolled his eyes. They had stopped farther down the tracks, and he'd be lucky if they got close enough to spook. Given the chance, they two of them would probably stand there debating for days.

"Let's look over here!" A child's voice interrupted their uncertain conversation, and Max took another quick look around the tree.

Kendall had a little girl with her, probably too old to be her daughter--although for all Max knew, it could have been. Kendall and Danny were each holding one of her hands, and Danny had what looked like a trick-or-treat bag in his other hand. That explained why he was late, then… but he'd forgive the kid if she led them past his hiding place.

As though she had heard his thought the girl made a beeline for his tree, hauling Danny and Kendall behind her. He crouched down as carefully as he could, adjusting his leathers so they wouldn't catch when he swung down. Gripping a second branch, he waited until he could hear their footsteps beneath the sound of Danny and Kendall's protests.

Max jumped. Kendall screamed. Danny had his fists up before Max had even landed, and the little girl shrieked with delight. Behind his Zen-Aku mask, Max grinned triumphantly. Forget the hayride, he thought, pulling the mask off before Danny got any ideas. That had been worth the entire evening.

8:00

Black leather pants laced up one side and down the other. The sleeveless leather top was just as tight, and the loose curls that fell to her waist did more to conceal her figure than her clothes did. She had drawn every eye in the room just by stepping through the door, and she knew it.

It didn't take her long to spot Merrick. He was holding up the wall by the stairs, danger written into every line despite his relaxed posture. She didn't wonder how he pulled it off--he'd been her bodyguard for more than two years. He knew the look.

Blue eyes met brown across the noisy crowd, and she would have sworn it took him a moment to recognize her. There was a catcall from the direction of the bar. Someone at a nearby table offered her a drink. She could feel the stares weighing on her, but she didn't look away from Merrick and the dawning expression of horror on his face.

There was a presence by her side, and he was on his way almost before she had noticed it. "Well, little lady," the voice at her shoulder drawled. "Are you free tonight, or is it gonna cost me?"

She turned automatically, but before she could say anything she heard Merrick growl, "Back off, Sammy."

"Why don't you let the lady make that decision?" Sammy suggested with a leer.

"She has," Merrick said curtly. "Want to take this up outside?"

Sammy held up his hands quickly, taking a step back. No matter his state of mind, he obviously didn't take Merrick's threat lightly. "You coulda just said she was your girl and saved a guy some trouble," he grumbled, but he sounded a little nervous.

Merrick paid no attention to him, his gaze fixed on her again. Her smile faded a little as she waited for the lecture on what was "proper" and not. She had expected to have to do some convincing, and she was prepared to shut him up--one way or another.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Finally he hung his head and just stared at her through silver bangs. "If you leave my sight, I'm going to come looking for you," he warned in a low voice. "Don't take drinks from anyone except me or Willie. And if there's any way you could look *less* like a temptress…"

He lowered his gaze again and just shook his head. "Never mind," he said with a sigh.

9:00

A small fire crackled, unattended, in the middle of the clearing. She slowed, frowning, as she glanced around for anyone who might be the keeper of the fire. She caught the quiet rustle only because she was listening for it, and she was sure she heard someone whisper.

Taylor stopped where she was, folding her arms. "Guys--"

Light blazed up all around her, and she flinched back in annoyance. "Very funny, guys," she said, trying to see through the glare of flashlights as her teammates emerged from their various hiding places.

Cole was the first one to turn his flashlight off. "We thought you were Princess Shayla," he offered apologetically.

"She's not here?" Taylor looked over at the fountain automatically. It wasn't like the princess to just vanish without warning… and on Halloween, too. "Where is she?"

"She's with Merrick," Danny said, as the others lowered their flashlights too.

That couldn't be right. It was Thursday, and Willie's was open Wednesday night through Saturday. "I thought Merrick had to work tonight."

"He does." Alyssa's smile was irritatingly mysterious.

There was only one thing that could mean, and Taylor didn't know whether to be aghast or impressed. "Princess Shayla's in a bar?!"

"It's not a bar," Max put in helpfully. "It's a roadhouse café."

She gave him a look. "I hate to disillusion you, kid, but they serve drinks after five. It's a bar."

He made a face at her, and Cole jumped in. "Want to wait up with us? We're telling ghost stories."

"And toasting marshmallows," Alyssa added.

Taylor surveyed the group, all attired in their pajamas by the dim glow of the fire and stars. It had been ages since she'd had marshmallows, and she couldn't quite hide a smile at the thought of confronting Shayla and Merrick by flashlight. "Sure," she agreed, stepping into the circle of firelight. "Count me in."


5. After Hours

11/01/02

"Merrick..."

There had been a time when that voice was so familiar that it wouldn't have woken him, let alone surprised him. Now it did both, and he struggled through the haze of unconsciousness to find an appropriate response. Was there any way to stay in the comforting arms of sleep?

"Merrick, wake up," she repeated. Her voice was soft but insistent, and he bit back a groan. No, there would be no arguing with that command. He had tried before... long ago. There was nothing for it but to concede wakefulness and open his eyes.

Her face swam into view, and it was almost worth the trouble it took to rouse himself. As soon as he moved, though, he decided that "almost" was the right word. Where was he? His body protested when he tried to force it into something resembling responsiveness, and he squinted at his surroundings.

"I could wake you up more quickly," she murmured, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "But you probably wouldn't thank me for it."

He grunted, shoving himself into a sitting position on the sofa before he could do something unforgivable. She had no idea what it was like to wake up with a beautiful woman hovering that close. The sofa creaked under him, and he dropped his head into his hands to scrub his eyes roughly. They were... in Willie's office?

Yes, he decided, staring through his fingers at the carpet. The office, where he had slept last night because he had been afraid to go upstairs. She had refused to leave even when her head drooped and he started to worry that she would fall asleep where she stood, so he had sent her up to his room.

Now he remembered. He remembered the way she looked in black leather, and his inevitable response to the sight. He remembered the look she had given him when he told her it was his room. He remembered Willie asking him what he was hanging around for after they had closed...

He lifted his head slowly, taking in the sight of his princess kneeling in front of him. Princess Shayla, dressed in his grey sweats and smelling of the soap he knew was in his shower. She had his flute in one hand, and he blinked quickly.

"What time is it?" He managed to make the words sound reasonably coherent, but he was afraid he already knew the answer. Dawn. Not enough time, in other words, for him to shower and change as she had.

And didn't he regret missing that, a little voice whispered rebelliously in the back of his mind. He tried desperately to suppress it, but the voice would not be ignored. Were her clothes folded neatly on the chair, or flung carelessly across his bed? Had she hung her towel up to dry, or left it crumpled on the floor? And wouldn't he like to know what she was wearing under those sweats--

"Dawn," she said, confirming his guess. Then she smiled, and he felt guilty for thinking about her like that. "I'm sure the deer can wait, if you'd like to change."

"Yeah," he muttered, trying not to sound too eager as he pushed himself up off the couch. "I would... uh, Willie--he's probably made some breakfast, if you want."

"Oh, I don't need anything," she said quickly. She rose without effort, as though she had already warmed up and run several miles this morning. He recognized her self-effacing mode when she was trying not to be the princess, and he shook his head.

"He'll have made it anyway," he told her, taking her elbow. She let him lead her out of the office, but the way she glided along on his arm reminded him that she would never be anything but royalty. No matter what she pretended, there were some things she couldn't hide. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

Willie, predictably, was still up when they emerged. He didn't even look up until Merrick stopped directly in front of him, the princess slightly behind as though she could somehow blend in here. Then he smiled, but it was a friendly smile, not a knowing one. "Morning, kids," Willie greeted them. "There's some breakfast out back, if you're hungry."

Merrick relaxed a little, smiling slightly in return. "Thanks. I'm going to get a quick shower and then we'll be out of your way."

Willie just shook his head slowly. "You're not in the way, and you know it. I'll show your lady friend where the food is. You go freshen up, or whatever it is you do before you run out of here in the mornings."

The princess looked delighted as Willie motioned her around the bar, and Merrick paused to watch the bartender hold the door to the kitchen for her. As though he'd sensed the regard, Willie glanced over his shoulder and gave him a wink. Merrick let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as he turned toward the stairs.

11/1/02

It was a different crowd tonight, and this time she didn't catch Merrick's eye right away. He had his back to the door, and although she was sure he knew someone had entered, he was involved in what looked like a private conversation with Willie. Whatever it was, it was obviously more important than monitoring the flow of traffic in and out.

Without his immediate acknowledgement, the leers and whistles that accompanied her entrance went unchecked and she couldn't help feeling slightly uncomfortable. Although she hadn't admitted it last time, her outfit was solely for Merrick's benefit. He was being typically stubborn and obtuse about their relationship, and after a year of freedom from the constraints of royalty she was no longer in a mood to put up with it.

"Hey there, gorgeous." She didn't like the look of the man that was suddenly between her and the rest of the room, but she ignored the way his eyes were wandering and gave him the benefit of the doubt. "Let me buy you a drink," he added, taking her arm without asking.

"No, thank you," she said firmly, trying to disengage herself and step away. "I'm here to see someone else."

He would have none of it. "Come upstairs and you can see all of me you want." He didn't bother to keep his voice down, and he paid no attention to her protest when he tried to draw her away from the door.

The sound of glass shattering made her flinch, and the pressure on her arm vanished. The bar went from raucous to nearly silent in seconds. Across the room, Merrick glared daggers in their direction.

"That could have been your head," he said into the ensuing quiet. "Don't touch her again."

She glanced sideways at the man who had tried to lead her off, but he was staring at the shards littering the floor with a shocked expression on his face. Shards were all that was left of the glass that had exploded against the wall beside him. She wondered distantly whose job it was to clean that up.

Then Merrick was there, asking if everyone was all right in a tone of voice that definitely discouraged negative answers, and people started to turn back to their own conversations. She saw him give the man by the door a last warning look. He put a possessive hand on her shoulder as he guided her toward the bar, and she smiled to herself.

"I hope you're not going to make a habit of coming here," he said quietly, steering her between the tables.

She refused to read anything into that without asking first. "What if I am?"

His voice in her ear was humorless. "Then I'm going to have to work on my aim."

11/2/02

"Can I get you a drink?"

She glanced up at the sound of Willie's voice, smiling at the genial man on the other side of the counter. "No," she told him. "Thank you."

"Come on," he coaxed. "It's on the house."

She shook her head again, and he frowned a little. Bracing one hand against the bar, he studied her with a puzzled expression. "You don't drink, huh? Well, then… if you don't mind me asking, why do you come here?"

She glanced over at the door involuntarily. Merrick was standing just inside, assessing the crowd without seeming to pay any attention to it. He was dressed in solid black, just as she was, but on him it looked as lethal as it did sensual.

"Because of him?" Willie's voice interrupted her covert contemplation.

She turned back to the bar, looking down at her hands awkwardly. It was a little embarrassing to admit, even to herself, that she was doing something so completely against her nature for the sake of someone who had told her not to try. But it was the truth.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Willie trailed off, waiting until she looked up at him to continue. "How do you know him? He hasn't told me that much about himself, and I have to admit I'm curious."

She smiled a little. That didn't surprise her at all, yet she felt nothing but sincerity from the bartender. "He used to work for me," she answered honestly. "He was my bodyguard for years."

Both his eyebrows shot up. "Bodyguard?" Willie repeated.

She didn't respond, and there was silence for a moment. He stared at her until she looked away, and at length he concluded, "'Princess' isn't just a nickname, is it."

She shook her head wordlessly, not questioning how he knew. Merrick had always said it was obvious enough to get her killed. And what harm could the knowledge do now, really? Animaria was gone.

"Well," he said at last. "What should I call you, then?"

She looked up, surprised. No one had asked her that since… no, not even Taylor. Upon learning of her title, the Eagle Ranger had used it without question and the others had followed her lead. "My name is Shayla," she offered, a little uncertain.

Willie nodded once, as though that was perfectly acceptable. "Name's Willie," he replied, holding out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Shayla."

11/3/02

She wasn't sure which was more distracting: the awkward angle at which this game was played, or the way Merrick was watching her manage it. He had offered to teach her so she would "have something to do" at Willie's, but she was beginning to suspect him of showing off. His pool game was enhanced by the Power, after all.

"Put your hand flat on the table," he said suddenly, propping his cue against the table and coming around the corner toward her. She laid her palm on the table obediently and let him spread her fingers out, arranging them around her cue in a way quite different from his own example. "That'll help steady your shot some."

"Don't listen to him," Willie advised, sweeping out from under a nearby table. The doors had been locked for the night and the jukebox was in "constant play" mode. Until now, the bartender had been politely ignoring them while he cleaned. "He's got the loosest bridge I've ever seen."

The hint of a smile graced Merrick's face but he didn't reply. Instead, he put his right hand over hers and adjusted the angle of her cue gently. "Try it now," he suggested, staring down at the table.

She did manage to hit the cue ball into one of the colored ones, and they bounced around the table in a very satisfying way. Unfortunately, neither of them rolled into any of the pockets, and she was pretty sure they were supposed to. At least one of them, anyway.

"Nice shot," Merrick told her, deadpan.

She gave him a look, and he broke into a grin. "Well, it wasn't a good shot, but it was a nice one. Here--" He motioned for her to precede him around the table. "Try again."

He hadn't teased her like that in a long time. She resisted the temptation to skip to the other side of the table, settling for an elated smile that wouldn't be suppressed even when she caught Willie's amused glance. He had teased her!

This time he leaned down with her, his left hand settling over hers as he helped her line up her cue. His breath was warm on her cheek and his gaze was intent when she glanced sideways at him. His eyes flickered to hers just then and he stood up abruptly, clearing his throat. "That looks fine."

It must be true that one could try too hard, because this time, when she was thinking about anything but the cue ball, it struck one of the colored balls solidly and knocked it into the middle pocket. She jumped, half in surprise, half in delight. "I did it! Did you see that?"

Merrick chuckled, and she threw her arms around him impulsively. She let him go when he stiffened, too quickly reminded of the last time she had tried that. Turning away, she studied the table in an effort to hide her disappointment.

11/6/02

It wasn't that she hoped for some sign of Org activity. They had been in a lull lately, one of the quiet periods during which everyone regrouped and waited for the other side to make the next move. It was a welcome reprieve, if an uneasy one, but it also meant that the Rangers… drifted.

She didn't begrudge them their lives, certainly. They put their strength and soul into a battle that had been passed down through the millennia; a fight they had inherited, not begun. But she missed them when they weren't around--one of them in particular.

As she entered Willie's for the first time since last weekend, she decided that it hadn't taken her long to become ridiculously spoiled. She had gotten used to seeing him every night. He was always there in the morning, of course, but somehow that wasn't enough anymore.

"Evening, Shayla." Willie nodded to her as she slid into an empty spot at the bar. "The usual?"

She couldn't help smiling. "Thanks, Willie."

Glancing around for Merrick, it occurred to her that she had made it to the bar without being hassled for the first time. He hadn't even been here, and still she was left alone. She looked again, just to make sure, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"He's out back," Willie said, setting a glass of ice water on the counter in front of her. "Give him a few minutes. Doing one of his circuits of the building."

She had opened her mouth to reply when someone settling next to her jostled her arm. "Sorry 'bout that," the man apologized, taking a second look as he made himself comfortable. "Willie," he added, sidling a little closer. "Another drink for the lady, to make up for my clumsiness."

Someone on his other side elbowed him, and she overheard their whispered warning: "She's the bouncer's girl, asshole!"

He backed off quickly, giving her a slightly more respectful smile. "Sorry," he repeated, bobbing his head once. "Enjoy your drink."

She caught Willie's gaze, and she fought the urge to giggle as he rolled his eyes. He procured another ice water for her, setting it beside her first glass, and she wondered what the man beside her would think when his tab came back clear. Or maybe Willie would charge him, just for the fun of it?

The "bouncer's girl"… she couldn't keep her thoughts from wandering back to that phrase. Once, Merrick had had the respect of others because of who she was. She chose him, she listened to him, and so others did too. Now she was accorded respect because of who he was? It was a novel idea.

11/7/02

She knew she was violating his "line of sight" rule, but she needed some fresh air. Although she liked Willie, she wasn't that fond of his bar. It was noisy and crowded and artificial. But Merrick was there, and short of kidnapping him or outright demanding that he visit her, there were only so many ways she could see him.

The night was mild, and she took a few steps away from the door to let the breeze move around her. The sliver of a crescent moon hung just above the horizon. She gazed at it for several moments before she realized she wasn't the only one: a familiar shadow lurked down the road, so still that she wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been one of her own charges.

The door swung open behind her, and she turned her head automatically. She didn't need to, of course; she knew who it was. He paused as he caught sight of her, then let go of the door carefully as he paced over to her.

"Are you all right?" Merrick's tone was hushed, deferring to her reverence for the night. She smiled a little but didn't answer.

Instead, she nodded out at the road. "Does he come every night?"

He followed her gaze, and his sharp eyes picked out the same shadow that had drawn her attention. "Not always," he said at last. "He likes the waxing moon."

She counted ahead quickly, then murmured, "Ten more days."

She felt him look over at her. "Until the full moon," he agreed. "Yes." It was a small thing, but she could tell he was pleased that she had known.

As though it had heard them, the wolf zord lifted its muzzle and howled toward the sky. The sound was more distant than usual and somehow wistful. She wished she knew what was troubling it. The wolf turned her away whenever she tried to talk to it now. Much like its chosen warrior...

The animal spirit howled again, and she shivered a little. Moving closer to Merrick was instinctive, and to her surprise she felt his arm settle lightly across her shoulders. She hardly dared to breathe as he drew her to his side. After a moment, she laid her head against his shoulder and they stared out at the moon together.


6. Sunrise

11/12/02

Oh, that was funny. Very amusing. Someone had a sense of humor. And he couldn't even blame Animus, now that Kite had gone and the powerful being had left them to their own devices.

It was raining outside. He lay there listening to it for several minutes. The sound of rain against the window was a pleasant one, really, and not one he heard often. But it was better enjoyed from the comfort of one's own bed, with the knowledge that one had nowhere more important to be.

With a sigh, Merrick rolled out of bed and cast about for appropriate secondhand clothes. No leather pants today, and he liked his jacket too much to risk ruining it for the sake of a single morning. He didn't bother taking his flute, either, since the wood wouldn't tolerate dampness without warping.

Which led him to the question of why he was doing this. As he stood at the base of the cliffs, already soaked to the skin and wondering if it was even worth finding shelter at this point, he tried to remember why he was there at all. He knew there were more comfortable ways to be spending his mornings.

Then the wind chilled his face and tugged at his water-laden hair, and he tensed involuntarily. With the wind came no knowledge of Orgs, however, but rather the sure sense of his princess somewhere up ahead and to the right. Somewhere dry up ahead and to the right.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," he muttered, knowing she would hear. He wasn't accustomed to feeling her on the wind anymore, and the communication was disconcerting.

The wind tapered off, but he followed its directions obediently, almost passing by the ledge before he realized it was there. The rock overhang diverted the worst of the rain, though the acoustics of such a place were probably terrible. That was all the logical part of his brain had time to notice before rational thought deserted him.

The princess had not bothered to dress for the weather, and there was no way not to stare. There were many things that could be said about white clothing, but "concealing when wet" was not one of them. Her dress, flattering enough under normal circumstances, was certainly… moreso, now. Her hair glittered with raindrops and her cheeks were flushed as she beckoned for him to join her.

"Is it too wet for you to play?" she asked innocently.

Several inappropriate responses crowded into his mind, so he settled for nodding.

Her smile alone was brilliant enough to clear the clouds away. "I'm glad you came anyway."

Not taking his eyes off of her, he folded his arms. "My pleasure," he replied, not bothering to hide a smirk.

The look she gave him in return was amused and not at all puzzled. And now he remembered: that was why he did this. Rain or not, deer zord or not, she was here, and that was why he came.

11/12/02

There were any number of bad things about rain, and all of them involved the fact that it was wet. It was wet and cold. It was wet and uncomfortable. It was wet and grey, wet and raw, wet and just plain soaking wet.

Merrick was not happy. Rain had always been his least favorite kind of weather. He didn't care how many people told him it was a necessary and beneficial part of nature, or the ecosystem, or whatever they called it in the twenty-first century. Anyone who said that rain was good for all living things had never stood outside in it for days at a time.

He still wasn't sure how he'd let himself be talked into staying on the Animarium. He should be back at Willie's, changing into dry clothes and hiding under a nice, solid roof for the rest of the day. Yet here he was, following the princess back to the magically protected haven at the center of the Animarium.

She paused at the edge of the haven, turning her full attention to him for the first time since they'd left the cliffs. "You look half drowned," she said frankly, and he could see a smile tugging at her lips.

He was about to retort that she didn't look much better, which was of course untrue, though for different reasons, when she glanced down at herself. Catching her skirt up in her hands, she gave it a gentle shake. Golden sparkles fell off of her and faded into the damp air, taking the water with them.

He stared at her as she darted forward, ducking between the trees before the rain could touch her again. He hadn't even known she could do that. Some of the leftover magic from the creation of the Animarium must have found a home in its guardian... they had never considered that possibility. They had never had time to consider that possibility.

"Come on, Merrick!" she called, and he followed slowly. The abrupt cessation of rain as he stepped past the invisible boundary barely registered. He was busy worrying about the more serious implications of her action: she hadn't told him. And that made him wonder...

She had been awake for more than a year before Zen-Aku had been freed and the curse was ultimately lifted. How much had happened in that time? Were there other side effects of the Animarium's creation that they hadn't anticipated?

What else hadn't she told him?

12/1/02

Neither of them had been to bed yet. The sun had already begun to tint the eastern horizon with light and the night was waning fast. The darkness slipped away across the sea, and still sleep was far in the future.

After the pool game that had become a ritual once the bar closed, he had walked her to the door. They had stood there talking until the night seemed more inviting than the stale air of the indoors. So they sat on the stoop while the moon rose, and finally she had laughed and said that they would end up spending the entire night together at the rate they were going.

He still didn't know what had possessed him to admit that wouldn't be such a bad thing. It wasn't as though the words hadn't been there, in his mind, since the first night she had slept at Willie's. But he had promised himself he wouldn't say them, because it was dangerous enough to be around her under normal circumstances.

The hills were shadowed, and he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the predawn vista that stretched up to meet the sky. At his side was the person to whom he had given his life, and the one to whom he didn't dare turn. Behind him stood the monument that symbolized everything he fought for, and ahead hung a sign that the old ways of the earth still persisted.

The light of the lion lay just above the hills. Slightly south and west was the condor, less spectacular but just as steady as the pair converged on the crescent moon. They called those lights planets, now, but the idea of other earths in the sky was too incredible to accept. To him they had and always would represent the spirits of the first wild zords.

To her as well, he suspected. She had changed since he knew her, but the spirit of the earth still found its voice in her. The animal spirits still spoke to her. She still honored the lights of those who had gone before on mornings like this.

"Princess," he said softly. He felt the whisper of air as she turned, and he kept his eyes on the sky with an effort. "The animal spirits chose you well."

Her answer was quietly reverent, but he heard the element of teasing in it nonetheless. "They haven't chosen poorly yet," she murmured.


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