Last Revised: September 7, 2005

Summary: Sky and Syd have been sworn enemies ever since they could remember. Bridge, Z and Jack are tired of their constant arguments and hatch a plan to get them to at least be civilized to each other. However, along the way, Sky and Syd discover for themselves the true sides and good qualities of each other.

Disclaimer: We don’t own Power Rangers. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.

Pairing: Syd/Sky with undertones of Bridge/Z

AN: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the prologue. The responses completely blew us away! This story is obviously AU –so Sky’s dad isn’t dead. White Time Ranger came up with the idea of using Wes and Jen as Sky’s parents so we’re borrowing that little idea. Etcetera Kit has been kind enough to give us permission to use her idea of Syd being Dana and Carter’s daughter, so thank you very much!

Btw… there was no mention of Kat’s home planet to our knowledge so we decided to make one up!

-x-x-x-

Dr. Katherine Manx was just sitting down at her computer console to go over some data for one of the many new weapons she had been developing for the B Squad Rangers when three figures rushed through the door.

“KAT!” Jack called out in greeting.

One thin eyebrow arched in question as two very cat-green eyes narrowed in on the three Rangers huffing and puffing right before her desk. “Cadets, what can I do for you?”

Z was the first to step forward, having finally regained her breathing. “You’ve been here a long time, haven’t you Kat?”

“Yes, Z. I’ve been here since my home planet of Alsciaukat, was destroyed by Troobian forces.” Rising from her desk, Kat moved toward them. “Why do you ask?”

Bridge looked sheepish as he stepped forward. “Well, you see, Kat...uh...Ms. Manx...I mean Dr. Manx...”

Jack shook his head and silenced Bridge with a wave of his hand. “Kat, what Bridge wants to know is, do you know how we can get in touch with Sky and Syd’s parents?”

The Feline doctor frowned at them. “That depends. What exactly are you three planning to do with the information when, or better yet, IF I give you it?”

“We’re going to use it to get Syd and Sky to be civil to one another,” Z shot back, her voice leaning toward sarcastic and fed up.

Kat chuckled. “Trying to accomplish that will be like knocking your heads against a brick wall. Commander Cruger and I have tried everything, including putting them on B Squad with Cadet Carson in hopes that they’d be able to work out their differences. It hasn’t worked so far.”

The three Rangers nodded in understanding. “You’ve tried, but we haven’t. Can you at least give us some help?” Jack asked.

“I suppose I could get the information for you, but not a word to anyone where you got it, do I make myself clear?” Kat smirked when the three Rangers nodded innocently and smiled. “Give me an hour; I have something to finish first. I’ll call you down here when I have it.”

-x-x-x-

“I wonder what caused them to hate each other so much,” Jack mused as they headed back toward the lounge.

“Syd told me that she and Sky have been enemies most of their lives,” Z spoke up, remembering what the pink ranger had mentioned that morning.

The red and green rangers exchanged incredulous looks. “You mean they were childhood friends?” Bridge asked.

“Well,” the yellow ranger shrugged. “Syd used the term ‘mortal enemies’. But I think their parents knew each other.”

As they neared the lounge, the three rangers paused outside the door as they heard shouting come from inside. Bridge sighed. “It hasn’t even been an hour since their last argument. I can’t believe they’re already arguing again.”

“I wonder if we can lock them in a closet somewhere,” Jack mused, thoughtfully. “It might solve their problems if they talk… err… scream it out.”

“Or,” Z interjected, “they might end up killing each other.”

“True,” Jack nodded. “Yeah, it’s probably a bad idea.”

The doors slid open with a whoosh and they entered the room cautiously. The sight before them was somewhat of a surprise. The top half of Syd’s uniform was covered with pink stuff. A quick glance at the floor showed a broken glass. Clearly, Syd had been drinking a strawberry smoothie when she and Sky had collided.

“You did that on purpose!” Syd accused, glaring daggers at the blue ranger.

Sky returned the glare with the same intensity and snorted. “Hardly. If you recall, you tripped and fell!”

“I wouldn’t have tripped if it hadn’t been for your foot being in the way!” The pink ranger shouted.

Sky was about to retort when Jack intervened. “That’s enough! Break it up, you two!”

The blue and pink rangers shot each other murderous stares and simultaneously pointed at each other. “He/she started it!”

“What are you?” Z inquired. “A bunch of three-year-olds?”

“Only Syd is,” Sky muttered under his breath.

Syd looked beyond angry. “Sky’s being a pompous ass!”

“Wow, Sydney said the word pompous,” Sky mocked. “That’s a big word for you, have you been studying the dictionary in your spare time?”

“Shut up, Tate,” the pink ranger hissed venomously.

“Okay,” Jack yelled loudly. “That’s enough! Syd, I think you should go change, we’ll clean up the mess for you and get you a new smoothie, okay?”

Instantly, the pink ranger’s attitude changed. “Thanks Jack,” she cooed. “You’re such a sweetie!”

Sky rolled his eyes as Syd turned and headed toward her room. Z crossed the room and headed toward the closet and pulled out a broom and dust pan. Jack headed toward the sink, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. He handed the glass to the green ranger. “You okay Bridge?”

“Thanks Jack,” Bridge accepted the glass. “I’m fine, all the negative residue is starting to fade now.”

“Good, go rest for a bit,” Jack smiled reassuringly to Bridge before turning towards Sky. “Sky, you need to treat Syd a little nicer.”

The blue ranger looked offended. “Me? She’s the one that drives me up the walls!”

“Maybe so, but all this arguing has got to stop,” Jack gave Sky a hard look. “It’s starting to affect the team.”

The expression on the blue ranger’s face hardened. “Why are you giving me the third degree? This is partly her fault too!”

“I know that,” Jack said. “And I’m planning on talking to Syd too. But if you guys can’t try to get along, can you at least ignore each other?”

“Gladly,” Sky nodded. “But if she says one thing that pisses me off, I’m not going to just sit there and take it. Something about her just makes me so angry that I just lose it.”

The red ranger shrugged. “Just keep the fighting down to a minimum, okay? Save your energy for Gruumm.”

The blue ranger nodded and turned to sit on the couch. Jack slowly let out a relieved sigh. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Sydney coming back into the room. Quickly, before Sky could spot her, Jack grabbed her by the arm and hauled her out of the room and back into the Pink Ranger’s quarters.

“Jack!” Syd gasped in surprise. “What on earth are you doing?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, this thing between you and Sky has got to stop. We’re all sick and tired of hearing you guys argue all the time.”

Sydney looked indignant. “He always starts it!”

“That’s bull, and you know it Syd,” Jack replied. The red ranger held up a hand when he saw the pink ranger begin to open her mouth to protest. “Don’t deny it. You provoke Sky and Sky provokes you. That’s what always starts the arguments. You say one thing, he retaliates. He says one thing, you retaliate.”

Syd closed her mouth and sighed.

“All I’m asking is that you guys try to treat each other a little nicer. And if you can’t do that, can you at least ignore him?”

Sydney sighed again. “Fine, I’ll try. But that’s the best I can do.”

The red ranger held up his hands. “That’s all I can ask.”

“CADETS LANDORS, CARSON AND DELGADO, PLEASE REPORT TO THE COMMAND CENTRE!”

The Pink Ranger looked at Jack with curiosity. “I wonder what Kat wants you guys for.”

Jack shrugged, feigning innocence. “No idea. Catch you later Syd.”

“Bye.”

-x-x-x-

Kat was quietly sitting behind her desk, a data pad sitting in front of her, when Jack, Bridge and Z came in. She looked up at them and smiled. “I’ve talked this over with Commander Cruger. He agrees that something needs to be done about the problem between Cadets Tate and Drew. He gave me the go ahead to get you the classified information you asked for.”

“Thanks Kat,” Jack told her, taking the data pad when she handed it to him.

“You’ve also got the rest of this afternoon off, starting now. You may want to go visit Sky’s parents first; they live not too far from here, in a small town called Silver Hills.”

The three nodded, and turned to leave. “And Cadets?”

“Yes Kat?” Z responded.

“Tell Wes and Jen, Commander Cruger and I said hello.”

Again, the Rangers nodded, though this time they were confused by Kat’s request. Turning, the three of them headed into the hallway and down to the garage.

-x-x-x-

When Z stopped the jeep, three jaws dropped at the sight of the house before them. It was large, with a well kept lawn and a huge driveway not to mention it sat on a large piece of property.

“Mother of... this place is huge!” Jack muttered.

“Sky did say his dad was a wealthy businessman once,” Bridge commented as Z moved the vehicle to the gate, and pressed the button on the speaker box.

“Can I help you?” a man’s voice sounded, with a formal tone.

“Um, yes, I’m Cadet Delgado, with Space Patrol Delta. We’re here to see Mr. and Mrs. Tate.”

“I’m afraid there is no one here by that name.”

Bridge chuckled softly. “Sky’s last name is Collins,” he told her, looking up from the data pad.

“My apologies, I meant Mr. and Mrs. Collins. It’s about their son, Schuyler.”

There was silence for a moment before the gate swung open with a creak and Z pulled the jeep forward toward the door. “Next time, Bridge, tell me the important information before I make an idiot out of myself, please?” Z sarcastically told the Green Ranger, who grinned and nodded.

Cautiously the trio climbed out of their vehicle and proceeded up the steps to the door, which swung open before they could knock. An elderly gentleman in a butler’s uniform was standing there to welcome them in.

“Will you come?” Phillips asked, gesturing for the cadets to enter. “Wait here one moment, Mrs. Collins will be with you momentarily.”

Jack nodded, finally having recovered himself enough to take the lead. Phillips disappeared down a hallway, leaving the Rangers to look around in shock.

“Who knew Sky was so loaded?” Z commented in awe of her surroundings. There were antique tables lining the foyer, paintings hanging on the walls by artists Z had never heard of, and there were vases of pink, white, and red roses on most every available surface.

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise,” a voice called out, causing the Rangers to look up at the staircase. A beautiful brunette in her late thirties, dressed in a pair of tight jeans, a light pink t-shirt, and sandals, was walking down the stairs, a smile on her face. “You must be Sky’s teammates, am I right?”

“Yes Ma’am,” Jack answered, stepping forward. “I’m Cadet Jack Landors, and these are Cadets Elizabeth Delgado and Bridge Carson.”

The woman nodded her head. “I’m Jennifer Collins, Sky’s mother. Follow me. We’ll go sit on the terrace by the pool and you can tell me why you’re here. Phillips?” Jen called as she led the trio toward the pool.

“Yes, Mistress Jennifer?”

Jen rolled her eyes playfully at him. “Would you bring four glasses and a pitcher of lemonade, and maybe some of those chocolate chip cookies you made this morning? I’m sure the Rangers are thirsty after their trip.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

Once they were seated in chairs near the pool, Jen started. “So, what brings you three out here? I’m assuming nothing’s wrong with Sky, or Cruger would have come himself.”

“You see, Mrs. Collins...” Z started.

“Please, Elizabeth, just call me Jen.”

“Okay, and you can call me Z, everyone does.” Jen nodded. “You see, Jen, we wanted to talk to you about Sky and Sydney Drew?”

Jen’s laughter rang out softly, startling the three Rangers. “Oh boy, the stories I could tell about those two. I’m guessing they’re still at each other’s throats?”

The group nodded in unison. “We’re trying to find out what started it, and how we can get them to be civil to one another,” Bridge spoke up.

Jen shook her head. She smiled up at Phillips as he sat the lemonade and cookies down on the table. Taking a sip from her glass, Jen sighed. “Kids, I’m not even sure what started the whole thing, to be honest with you. Sky’s dad and I have known Sydney’s parents for a long time...”

“How long?” Jack asked.

A serious expression crossed Jen’s face. “Since we were Rangers.” When Jen saw their startled looks, she chuckled. “Sky’s father and I were Rangers before Wes was ever at SPD, and Sydney’s parents were Rangers before we were. We met them when they came to Silver Hills to assist us in a fight against the demons they were battling and the mutants we were trying to capture.”

“Wow!” Bridge gasped.

Jen smiled. “Ever since then, we’ve been really good friends with them. Wes actually worked with Carter, whose Sydney’s dad, on another ranger mission not long after they worked with us the first time. It was a gathering of ten of the eleven Red Rangers of the time.”

Jack grinned, thinking how cool that must have been. “That was about three years before Sky was born, and about five before Sydney came along.”

Jen nodded. “Right.”

“Jen, where they ever friends?” Z blurted out.

The former Pink Ranger giggled. “Actually, when they were younger they were sort of friends, at least they would talk nicely to one another, but then it changed, and they started sniping at each other and traded insults... now that I think about it, I think it might have had to do with a visit to the Academy when they were little, but the best person other than Sydney or Sky to ask would be Sydney’s mother, Dana.”

“Do you think Mrs. Drew would be available to talk to us today?” Z asked.

Bridge elbowed the Yellow Ranger. “Syd’s middle name is Druscilla. Her real last name is Grayson.”

Z blushed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she hissed.

“I just did,” Bridge grinned cheekily.

The former pink ranger laughed. “As a matter of fact, Dana is home today. You’re lucky, Dana’s a doctor and is usually very busy but you caught her on a rare day off.”

They all stood up. “Thank you for the lemonade and cookies Ma’am,” Jack said politely.

Jen smiled. “It’s no problem. Make sure you all come by again soon! And please, let us know your progress, Wes and I want to see Sky and Sydney get along more than anyone. Good luck!”

-x-x-x-

They all stood on the Grayson’s doorstep and rang the doorbell.

“Bridge?”

“Yeah, Z?”

“Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about Syd’s family before we go in? I don’t want to make a fool of myself again.”

Bridge thought for a moment. “Nope, I don’t think so.”

“Good.”

The door opened and a woman with shoulder length blonde hair appeared in the doorway. Surprise was clearly evident on her face. “Can I help you?”

Bridge stepped forward. “Mrs. Grayson?”

“Yes?”

“Hi, I’m Bridge Carson and these are my friends, Elizabeth Delgado and Jack Landors. We serve at SPD with your daughter Sydney.”

Dana’s expression changed and a warm smile appeared on her lips. “I knew those uniforms looked a bit familiar,” she pushed open the door wider, “Please, come in!”

The rangers stepped inside and immediately felt at home. Sydney’s house was… cozy. There was just no other word to describe it. As Dana led them along the hallway, they briefly took a few moments to observe the photographs that were hanging on the walls. Most of them were Sydney as a little girl, but there were a few family photos here and there. At the end of the hallway, hung a large picture featuring six figures, all wearing bright matching jackets. A closer look at the photo showed a younger version of Syd’s mother. Jack, Bridge and Z stopped and stared.

“Wow,” Jack stated softly.

“That was my ranger team.”

The three of them jumped, momentarily forgetting where they were. Dana grinned and moved to stand next to them. She began pointing out the various figures. “This right here, is my brother Ryan. He was the titanium ranger,” her finger moved to the next person. “Here you have Joel, he was our green ranger, and Chad, blue ranger, and Kelsey, my best friend and the yellow ranger.” Dana’s figure moved to the final person, “And this is my husband, Carter.”

“Wow,” Jack said again.

“Now, sit down and make yourself at home,” Dana gestured toward the living room, “I’ll be right back with some drinks.”

“Oh that’s not necessary, Mrs. Grayson!” Z piped up. “We just came from Mrs. Collin’s house and she fed us. You don’t need to go to all the trouble.”

Dana looked startled for a moment, before letting out a soft chuckle. “So you came from Jen’s house hmm? I think I know what this is about. Tell me kids, just how badly have things gotten between Sky and Sydney?”

“Pretty bad,” Bridge answered truthfully.

Dana laughed again. “Are you kids sure you don’t want anything to eat or drink?”

“No Ma’am, we’re fine,” Jack answered.

“Alright, let’s sit down and you kids can ask me anything you want.”

Within minutes the four of them were seated comfortably.

“We’ve gotten most of the story from Mrs. Collins,” Jack began, “But we want to know why Syd and Sky hate each other so much.”

“We just want them to get along,” Bridge added. “They don’t have to be friends, but we need a little peace and quiet.”

Dana nodded. “Understandable. Now let’s see… I believe Syd and Sky began arguing around the time Syd had her first visit to SPD.”

“First visit?” Z asked, intrigued.

Sydney’s mother nodded. “Yes. Carter and I are very good friends with Wes and Jen. As you know, Wes was SPD’s first red ranger. It was because of Wes that Carter became involved with SPD,” Dana leaned back on the couch, thinking thoughtfully. “Goodness, now that I think about it… it was shortly after Sydney’s first time at the Academy, that she began having nightmares.”

“Nightmares?” Bridge asked.

“Yes,” Dana nodded. “There were times when she would wake up screaming in the middle of the night about a spider-monster. Sydney never told us why she was so frightened.”

Bridge frowned and exchanged glances with Z and Jack.

“Carter mentioned that Sydney had accidentally gotten locked into one of the simulation rooms, but Wes had rescued her minutes later. Ever since then, Syd has always been afraid of very dark places,” Dana continued.

“But what does that have to do with Sky?” Jack asked, looking a bit confused.

“That’s the thing, none of us know,” Dana shrugged. “The door was stuck and he couldn’t get it open, so he ran to get Wes. Sydney didn’t want to tell us.”

“I think we’ve gotten pretty much all the information we need,” Z spoke up. The yellow ranger stood and grinned. “Thank you for your time Mrs. Grayson!”

“Oh, call me Dana,” the blonde woman replied. “Good luck kids, I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

“Thanks Dana!” They chorused before heading out the door.

They piled into the SPD jeep, discussing what they had learned as they headed back toward the Academy.

“Syd was locked into the simulation room, during her first visit to the Academy?” Bridge mused. “Something must’ve happened.”

“You think Sky locked her in there?” Jack asked.

Z shook her head. “I don’t know guys; Sky doesn’t seem like the type of person that would do something like that.”

“Yeah, but you’re forgetting something. Sky and Syd were kids when then happened,” Jack reminded her. “Kids don’t know any better at that age.”

“Yeah,” Bridge agreed. “Sky wasn’t always uptight. Remember Dru? Didn’t he ask if Sky was wild and wacky once?”

“Yeah, he did,” Z shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

-x-x-x-

“Did you get your answers?” a voice called out as the three Rangers slowly made their way through the base toward their rooms. Turning, they saw Kat just coming out of one of the conference rooms.

Bridge shrugged, Jack made a face, and Z shook her head. “We got some answers, but not many. Kat, where you here when Mr. Collins was the Red Ranger?”

Kat nodded. “Yes, why?”

Bridge and Jack immediately saw where Z’s train of thought was headed. “When did you first meet Syd and Sky?”

The feline looked slightly taken aback by the question but pondered her answer just the same. “I met Sky shortly after Wes joined us. I believe I met Sydney during her first visit to the Academy. She got locked in one of the simulation rooms and Wes brought her to me, because at the time I was in charge of the infirmary, to have her checked out,” Kat told them.

“Other than being a little shaken up, she seemed fine...that is until Sky came in with Sydney’s father. She had a fit when Sky walked in; wouldn’t talk to him, she wouldn’t even look at him.”

Once again, the Rangers exchanged glances. Now they knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, something had happened in that simulation room that had scarred Syd, and it had to do with Sky.

-x-x-x-