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rivulet027 Nov. 18th, 2010 10:18 am)
rivulet027 Nov. 18th, 2010 10:18 am)Title: Reaching an Understanding
Fandom: Power Rangers post Zeo, pre-Turbo
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When the rangers take the kids from Little Angel’s Haven on a zoo trip Justin goes missing and Rocky volunteers to find him.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. It’s not my toy box, I’m merely playing.
A/N: Happy Birthday totsukino_akume. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!
A/N2: Also written for pr_bingo prompt unmorphed unexpected surprise
Reaching an Understanding:
Rocky took in the tension in Adam’s shoulders and the worried look on his friend’s face. He glanced over the group of kids in Adam’s care and had a feeling he knew what was wrong or rather just who had gone missing. He got his own group to stop at a bench and moved quickly over to Adam, “What’s with the trying not to panic look?”
Adam shot him an annoyed look, “They swarmed me in the amphibian house. I should’ve known then.”
“Justin?” Rocky asked.
“Justin,” Adam confirmed, eyes sweeping over the kids in his care again.
“What has he done now?” Tanya asked.
“Found a way to disappear on me,” Adam frowned.
“If I get doused again…” Tanya started.
“I’m pretty sure he ran off,” Adam reassured.
“Sure,” Tanya groused, unconvinced, “that kid has it in for me.”
Adam wrapped an arm around her in a sideways hug.
“So much for having another zoo trip,” Rocky frowned as he began searching nearby crowds with his eyes, trying to spot the blue shirt Justin had been wearing.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” Adam sighed, “that he’s going to ruin this for the rest of them.”
“So we find him,” Rocky said.
“And then what?” Tanya asked, “Bring him back kicking and screaming? Cause the last time I tried to be friendly to him...well, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten how ruined my clothes were.”
“But you’re not scared of him like Tommy,” Adam offered.
“Do we even have any idea what he said to Tommy?” Rocky asked.
“Beats me,” Tanya shrugged, “All I know is that Tommy won’t go anywhere near him.”
“And now he’s pulled a disappearing act on me,” Adam tallied.
“Think this might mean you and Kat are next,” Tanya told him.
“He’s twelve,” Rocky pointed out.
“Exactly,” Kat said as she joined him, “He’s old enough to know what he’s doing is wrong.”
Rocky glanced over at her, “We need a plan then.”
“We could split up,” Adam suggested.
“Or you guys could watch my kids and continue the trip while I go find Justin,” Rocky tried.
Tanya frowned, “Are we sure he’s not setting up a prank.”
“No idea,” Adam shrugged as he gave her another hug.
“Rocky’s idea might be better,” Kat said, “At least then the rest of the kids won’t miss anything.”
Rocky watched as they gathered the kids and went to catch up with Tommy. He debated going back to the amphibian house, but decided to start with the beginning and backtrack. He left the zoo, careful to get his hand stamped for re-entry and went back towards the bus. He passed the driver under a pavilion reading a book just outside the parking lot. He paused and almost asked, but wasn’t sure what Caroline would’ve seen if she’d been engrossed in book or what she would say about them losing Justin later. Instead he continued on. The bus door was open.
“Well that’s promising,” Rocky decided as he made his way into the bus.
Justin’s head peeked up over a seat to frown at him.
“You know you nearly gave Adam a heart attack running off like that,” he joked.
“I don’t care,” Justin told him, ducking back down.
Rocky made his way back and sat across from where Justin was curled up on a seat.
“I don’t think we’d be allowed to go on another trip if we’d lost one of you,” Rocky tried.
Justin opened an eye to peek at him, yawned and told him, “These trips aren’t exactly the highlight of my existence.”
“Some of the other kids look forward to them.”
“You’re point would be?” Justin shot back.
“Why are you being so mean?” Rocky asked.
“Maybe I just want to be left alone.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Rocky told him.
“Look I just want to go to sleep, so why don’t you leave?”
“Justin,” Rocky complained, “that’s all you ever want to do.”
Justin sat up to glare at him, “Maybe that’s because I’m depressed.”
Rocky frowned, “It’s still not good for you to sleep all the time.”
“Oh and going to see these stupid animals is going to make me feel better?” Justin asked, “That’s got to be the lamest cure I’ve ever heard of.”
Rocky remained silent for a moment, considering his words before he said, “We used to be friends.”
“Friends?” Justin repeated, “We were never friends. I’m just some stupid kid that used to follow you three around when I was younger. I used to hero worship you when I was four, that doesn’t make us friends.”
“Then why do you hate us now?”
“I’m tired,” Justin glared, “I want to be left alone, but ever since you five started volunteering it’s been nothing but annoyance after annoyance.”
“We’re trying to be your friend,” Rocky pointed out.
Justin rolled his eyes, “Yeah, we’ll keep Tanya away from me. She creeps me out.”
Rocky frowned. Justin had loved Aisha when they were younger, but no one except the rangers seemed to remember that it was Aisha who had lived in Angel Grove, all they remembered was Tanya. Except Justin had looked confused the first time he’d seen Tanya and then the pranks had started. Maybe Justin didn’t like Tanya because he could tell she wasn’t Aisha?
“Why does she creep you out?” Rocky asked.
Justin frowned, glanced out the bus window, then settled back down on the seat, resting his head on his arms. His answer was too soft for Rocky to make out.
“Huh?” Rocky asked.
“I don’t know,” Justin ground out.
Rocky sat there a moment, not sure what to say, “Are you mad at us for leaving?”
“Are you stupid?”
“What?”
“I asked if you were stupid,” Justin repeated as he raised his head to frown at Rocky. He sat up as he continued, “You didn’t do anything that contributed to my mother dying. You weren’t the one who wasn’t paying attention.”
Justin’s mouth snapped shut and he frowned, closing his eyes tightly. Rocky leaned forward, reached out and touched his shoulder, “Not paying attention to what?”
Justin took a slow breath.
Rocky waited.
“I thought he was going to work so I went to school. I forced myself to get through my day, thinking we’d get through this together. I didn’t realize he was just putting on his work clothes until I left. Then he lost his job and…we were supposed to get through this together.”
Rocky gave Justin’s shoulder a squeeze.
Justin pulled back sharply and glared, “Don’t hug me. I’ve had enough people think that’s going to fix everything.”
“I wasn’t trying to,” Rocky reassured, wanting to get Justin off the bus, wondering if he
could find a way to take him back to Little Angel’s Haven, let him have the sleep he wanted.
Justin stilled, regarded him silently a moment before he asked, “Why would you think I was mad at you?”
“We left?”
“I barely knew you at that point,” Justin reminded as he laid head back down, voice turning back to annoyed, “and I just want to be left alone. Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“We’re kinda responsible for you today,” Rocky reminded.
“What’s your excuse for annoying me every other day?” Justin groused.
Rocky frowned, “You really don’t want to be here do you?”
“What was your first clue?”
“What do you want to do?” Rocky asked.
“I told you, I’m tired. I want to go to sleep.”
“Would you stay here if I found a way to take you back to…”
“If you even say that’s my home then I…” Justin interrupted.
“Will you stay?” Rocky reiterated as he interrupted.
Justin stared at him silently a moment, then laid his head back down, “Right sure, you’re going to drag me back to look at some stupid tiger or something.”
Rocky shook his head, almost ruffled Justin’s hair and thought better of it, “Just stay here.”
It didn’t take long to convince Zack he needed help, or Zack to show up. They gathered up a reluctant Justin, found their group easily since it was lunch time and thankfully everyone was where they’d agreed to have lunch. Rocky introduced Zack to the kids he was responsible for watching, thanked Zack and gratefully borrowed Zack’s car to take Justin back to Little Angel’s Haven. They were greeted with questions, but Rocky quickly explained that Justin hadn’t been feeling up to the trip so they’d found a way to bring him back.
Rocky wasn’t sure what to make of them shoving a thermometer at him and them telling him to make sure Justin was tucked in bed, but he went with it. He found Justin already hidden under his covers.
“They want your temperature,” Rocky told him. Where were Justin’s shoes?
Justin’s hands peeked out of the covers a moment and then disappeared back under once Rocky gave him the thermometer. Rocky frowned at the lump on the bed and shook his head. He reached for the covers at the bottom of the bed. Justin gave a noise of protest.
“Just getting your shoes,” Rocky explained before he untied Justin’s shoes and laid them at the bottom of the bed before he tucked Justin back in.
The thermometer was handed back to him.
“Well you don’t have a fever,” Rocky said as he set the device on Justin’s night stand, “Anything I can get you or are you just gonna sleep for the rest of the day?”
Justin peeked slowly out from under his covers to blink at Rocky, “Thanks.”
Rocky nodded, not sure what to do next. He could go back to the zoo and let Zack go home. They hadn’t even gone past the monkeys yet. Rocky glanced towards the door, feeling awkward just standing there. Then he noticed Justin was still watching him, looking conflicted. Rocky grabbed a chair and settled in next to Justin’s bed.
Justin pulled the covers back over his head. Rocky ran a hand through his hair, this was going to get boring fast and he probably should get back to his friends, it wasn’t like Justin needed him to sit here and…
Justin’s hand worked out from under the covers and reached for him. Rocky reached over and gave Justin’s hand a squeeze, surprised at the grip he got in return. Well, that was unexpected.
“I’m still your friend,” Rocky told him, “even if it’s been years.”
Justin gave his hand a squeeze in return and Rocky settled back in his chair as he started thinking about ways to show Justin they were still friends.
Fandom: Power Rangers post Zeo, pre-Turbo
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When the rangers take the kids from Little Angel’s Haven on a zoo trip Justin goes missing and Rocky volunteers to find him.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Power Rangers. It’s not my toy box, I’m merely playing.
A/N: Happy Birthday to
tsukino_akume. Hope you have a wonderful birthday! A/N2: Also written for pr_bingo prompt unmorphed unexpected surprise
Reaching an Understanding:
Rocky took in the tension in Adam’s shoulders and the worried look on his friend’s face. He glanced over the group of kids in Adam’s care and had a feeling he knew what was wrong or rather just who had gone missing. He got his own group to stop at a bench and moved quickly over to Adam, “What’s with the trying not to panic look?”
Adam shot him an annoyed look, “They swarmed me in the amphibian house. I should’ve known then.”
“Justin?” Rocky asked.
“Justin,” Adam confirmed, eyes sweeping over the kids in his care again.
“What has he done now?” Tanya asked.
“Found a way to disappear on me,” Adam frowned.
“If I get doused again…” Tanya started.
“I’m pretty sure he ran off,” Adam reassured.
“Sure,” Tanya groused, unconvinced, “that kid has it in for me.”
Adam wrapped an arm around her in a sideways hug.
“So much for having another zoo trip,” Rocky frowned as he began searching nearby crowds with his eyes, trying to spot the blue shirt Justin had been wearing.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” Adam sighed, “that he’s going to ruin this for the rest of them.”
“So we find him,” Rocky said.
“And then what?” Tanya asked, “Bring him back kicking and screaming? Cause the last time I tried to be friendly to him...well, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten how ruined my clothes were.”
“But you’re not scared of him like Tommy,” Adam offered.
“Do we even have any idea what he said to Tommy?” Rocky asked.
“Beats me,” Tanya shrugged, “All I know is that Tommy won’t go anywhere near him.”
“And now he’s pulled a disappearing act on me,” Adam tallied.
“Think this might mean you and Kat are next,” Tanya told him.
“He’s twelve,” Rocky pointed out.
“Exactly,” Kat said as she joined him, “He’s old enough to know what he’s doing is wrong.”
Rocky glanced over at her, “We need a plan then.”
“We could split up,” Adam suggested.
“Or you guys could watch my kids and continue the trip while I go find Justin,” Rocky tried.
Tanya frowned, “Are we sure he’s not setting up a prank.”
“No idea,” Adam shrugged as he gave her another hug.
“Rocky’s idea might be better,” Kat said, “At least then the rest of the kids won’t miss anything.”
Rocky watched as they gathered the kids and went to catch up with Tommy. He debated going back to the amphibian house, but decided to start with the beginning and backtrack. He left the zoo, careful to get his hand stamped for re-entry and went back towards the bus. He passed the driver under a pavilion reading a book just outside the parking lot. He paused and almost asked, but wasn’t sure what Caroline would’ve seen if she’d been engrossed in book or what she would say about them losing Justin later. Instead he continued on. The bus door was open.
“Well that’s promising,” Rocky decided as he made his way into the bus.
Justin’s head peeked up over a seat to frown at him.
“You know you nearly gave Adam a heart attack running off like that,” he joked.
“I don’t care,” Justin told him, ducking back down.
Rocky made his way back and sat across from where Justin was curled up on a seat.
“I don’t think we’d be allowed to go on another trip if we’d lost one of you,” Rocky tried.
Justin opened an eye to peek at him, yawned and told him, “These trips aren’t exactly the highlight of my existence.”
“Some of the other kids look forward to them.”
“You’re point would be?” Justin shot back.
“Why are you being so mean?” Rocky asked.
“Maybe I just want to be left alone.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Rocky told him.
“Look I just want to go to sleep, so why don’t you leave?”
“Justin,” Rocky complained, “that’s all you ever want to do.”
Justin sat up to glare at him, “Maybe that’s because I’m depressed.”
Rocky frowned, “It’s still not good for you to sleep all the time.”
“Oh and going to see these stupid animals is going to make me feel better?” Justin asked, “That’s got to be the lamest cure I’ve ever heard of.”
Rocky remained silent for a moment, considering his words before he said, “We used to be friends.”
“Friends?” Justin repeated, “We were never friends. I’m just some stupid kid that used to follow you three around when I was younger. I used to hero worship you when I was four, that doesn’t make us friends.”
“Then why do you hate us now?”
“I’m tired,” Justin glared, “I want to be left alone, but ever since you five started volunteering it’s been nothing but annoyance after annoyance.”
“We’re trying to be your friend,” Rocky pointed out.
Justin rolled his eyes, “Yeah, we’ll keep Tanya away from me. She creeps me out.”
Rocky frowned. Justin had loved Aisha when they were younger, but no one except the rangers seemed to remember that it was Aisha who had lived in Angel Grove, all they remembered was Tanya. Except Justin had looked confused the first time he’d seen Tanya and then the pranks had started. Maybe Justin didn’t like Tanya because he could tell she wasn’t Aisha?
“Why does she creep you out?” Rocky asked.
Justin frowned, glanced out the bus window, then settled back down on the seat, resting his head on his arms. His answer was too soft for Rocky to make out.
“Huh?” Rocky asked.
“I don’t know,” Justin ground out.
Rocky sat there a moment, not sure what to say, “Are you mad at us for leaving?”
“Are you stupid?”
“What?”
“I asked if you were stupid,” Justin repeated as he raised his head to frown at Rocky. He sat up as he continued, “You didn’t do anything that contributed to my mother dying. You weren’t the one who wasn’t paying attention.”
Justin’s mouth snapped shut and he frowned, closing his eyes tightly. Rocky leaned forward, reached out and touched his shoulder, “Not paying attention to what?”
Justin took a slow breath.
Rocky waited.
“I thought he was going to work so I went to school. I forced myself to get through my day, thinking we’d get through this together. I didn’t realize he was just putting on his work clothes until I left. Then he lost his job and…we were supposed to get through this together.”
Rocky gave Justin’s shoulder a squeeze.
Justin pulled back sharply and glared, “Don’t hug me. I’ve had enough people think that’s going to fix everything.”
“I wasn’t trying to,” Rocky reassured, wanting to get Justin off the bus, wondering if he
could find a way to take him back to Little Angel’s Haven, let him have the sleep he wanted.
Justin stilled, regarded him silently a moment before he asked, “Why would you think I was mad at you?”
“We left?”
“I barely knew you at that point,” Justin reminded as he laid head back down, voice turning back to annoyed, “and I just want to be left alone. Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“We’re kinda responsible for you today,” Rocky reminded.
“What’s your excuse for annoying me every other day?” Justin groused.
Rocky frowned, “You really don’t want to be here do you?”
“What was your first clue?”
“What do you want to do?” Rocky asked.
“I told you, I’m tired. I want to go to sleep.”
“Would you stay here if I found a way to take you back to…”
“If you even say that’s my home then I…” Justin interrupted.
“Will you stay?” Rocky reiterated as he interrupted.
Justin stared at him silently a moment, then laid his head back down, “Right sure, you’re going to drag me back to look at some stupid tiger or something.”
Rocky shook his head, almost ruffled Justin’s hair and thought better of it, “Just stay here.”
It didn’t take long to convince Zack he needed help, or Zack to show up. They gathered up a reluctant Justin, found their group easily since it was lunch time and thankfully everyone was where they’d agreed to have lunch. Rocky introduced Zack to the kids he was responsible for watching, thanked Zack and gratefully borrowed Zack’s car to take Justin back to Little Angel’s Haven. They were greeted with questions, but Rocky quickly explained that Justin hadn’t been feeling up to the trip so they’d found a way to bring him back.
Rocky wasn’t sure what to make of them shoving a thermometer at him and them telling him to make sure Justin was tucked in bed, but he went with it. He found Justin already hidden under his covers.
“They want your temperature,” Rocky told him. Where were Justin’s shoes?
Justin’s hands peeked out of the covers a moment and then disappeared back under once Rocky gave him the thermometer. Rocky frowned at the lump on the bed and shook his head. He reached for the covers at the bottom of the bed. Justin gave a noise of protest.
“Just getting your shoes,” Rocky explained before he untied Justin’s shoes and laid them at the bottom of the bed before he tucked Justin back in.
The thermometer was handed back to him.
“Well you don’t have a fever,” Rocky said as he set the device on Justin’s night stand, “Anything I can get you or are you just gonna sleep for the rest of the day?”
Justin peeked slowly out from under his covers to blink at Rocky, “Thanks.”
Rocky nodded, not sure what to do next. He could go back to the zoo and let Zack go home. They hadn’t even gone past the monkeys yet. Rocky glanced towards the door, feeling awkward just standing there. Then he noticed Justin was still watching him, looking conflicted. Rocky grabbed a chair and settled in next to Justin’s bed.
Justin pulled the covers back over his head. Rocky ran a hand through his hair, this was going to get boring fast and he probably should get back to his friends, it wasn’t like Justin needed him to sit here and…
Justin’s hand worked out from under the covers and reached for him. Rocky reached over and gave Justin’s hand a squeeze, surprised at the grip he got in return. Well, that was unexpected.
“I’m still your friend,” Rocky told him, “even if it’s been years.”
Justin gave his hand a squeeze in return and Rocky settled back in his chair as he started thinking about ways to show Justin they were still friends.