Disclaimer: This story was inspired and adapted from season 1 of the TV show, "One Tree Hill. Neither "One Tree Hill" nor "Power Rangers" belongs to me. Some parts of "Saving Me" may be slightly AU at points, but the story's intent is to remain true to the spirit of the Mystic Force series.
Paired videos have not been made specifically to go along with story, but are ones that I happen to come across on the site that I think fit the action and/or mood of that specific fan fic well.
Chapter 11: Saving Me
Paired YouTube video: "Everytime We Touch" by NickMadisonFan (Maddick, Vander)
(A half hour later)
"XANDER!!!" Nick and Madison shouted simultaneously with equal concern when they finally caught sight of their friend on one of the many hospital beds lining the corridor.
"Hey guys," Xander greeted his friends with his usual Aussie charm, though notably sounding a little more weary-ridden than usually.
"Your friend is very lucky he only broke his arm," said the nurse who was checking over the cast on Xander's left arm before fitting it into a shoulder sling. "With the fall he took trying to go down that handrail on his skateboard, he could have ended up a lot worse."
"Xander, what were you thinking?!?" asked Madison, throwing her hands up in the air with exasperation.
"I don't want to get into it," mumbled Xander, not eager to talk about how the missed trick had been the result of his preoccupation from wondering why he still felt awful about going on his pre-arranged date that night when he and Vida were just hooking up. Ironically, his accident had made the whole issue null and void since he had already called his date to tell her his only dinner plans tonight would be a tray of hospital food.
"Come on X, let's just get you home," said Nick. "We've already told the doctors were driving you back since your parents are out of town."
"Wait, where's Vida?" asked Xander, hoping she hadn't decided not to come because she wasn't still steaming from their spat earlier over his date. "Didn't see come with you guys?"
"No, she was at the record store, and I took our car to drive to Nick's house when I got the call from the hospital here that you had been hurt and …" started Madison, growing more uncomfortable with each word as she recalled arriving at Nick's house what now seemed like hours ago to tell him she wanted to be with him, only to find him there shirtless with a scantily-clad Leelee by his side.
"Eh, Maddie, you were at Nick's house huh?" teased Xander knowingly, winking at the pair.
"It wasn't like that," muttered Nick under his breath.
"Yeah, I wonder why," mumbled Madison sarcastically, just thankful that Leelee for once had the good sense not to tag along to the hospital with them. "Anyway, I kept calling Vida's cell to try to tell her what happened to you, but only got her voicemail. So let's just get you home for now, OK Xander?"
"Home right," repeated Xander somewhat distractedly, partly because his home was not the first destination he had in mind.
(Meanwhile)
"Hey, it's me," began Vida awkwardly upon getting Xander's voicemail, getting up and pacing around her bedroom. "I got a message on my cell from Maddie, telling me you were in the hospital. I wanted to come over too, but Maddie had the car, and she didn't say what hospital you were at. Um, I guess I'm just worried about you. I really hate the way we ended things…" "So do I," she suddenly heard a male voice interrupt.
Instantly recognizing Xander's voice, Vida let out a gasp. She then spun around to see the Aussie strangling her windowsill and wincing as he held his clearly injured arm that being supported by a sling. Vida no longer registered the muffled sounds of her parents drifting through the wall that separated their back-to-back bedrooms as all her previous resentment toward Xander for still having wanted to go on his pre-arranged date prior their hooking up melted away upon seeing not only the pain, but also the regret, written on his face.
"How are you?" asked Vida with great concern as she put down her phone.
"Not so good," replied Xander softly. "Can I…"
He gestured toward her room, and Vida moved over to help him over the windowsill. Landing unsteadily inside her room, Xander half fell into Vida's arms and gave a half-yelp of pain as his injured arm smashed against her stomach. Steadying him, Vida pulled Xander into a deep embrace. They stood there hugging each other for a long time, neither wanting to leave the comfort of each other's arms. Finally, they both sat down on Vida's bed.
"I made a lot of mistakes, Vida," began Xander solemnly; his rare moment of modesty causing Vida's eyes to widen in surprise. "And I just can't do it anymore."
"It's OK…" Vida started to reassure him, completely won over by his honesty.
"No. No, it's not OK! I'm not OK," exclaimed Xander with such force, it caused them both to be silent for a few moments. "I was in so much pain after the skateboard accident, but it was nothing compared to the pain I felt when I realized how much I hurt you today by telling you I was still going to go on that date I had set up before things happened between us."
"Xander…" Vida tried to interject again.
"No, let me get this out," beseeched Xander, looking at her urgently. "Lying in that hospital bed, I was so scared I was never going to get to tell you all this. But I promised myself that if I could just get up, and get over to you, and tell you how much I need you, and how much I want you, then nothing else mattered."
Stunned, Vida moved to run her hand through Xander's short brown locks while trying to soak in all that he had just said. Then it hit her. Xander really did care about her. Vida's eyes shined with happiness as she gazed at Xander, who still looked worried sick with concern as to whether she had actually forgiven him. Wanting to reassure him that despite all that had happened earlier in the day she still felt the same way, Vida slowly leaned forward to kiss him. Afterward, she let her lips linger on his as her hand gently stroked his cheek. Smiling up at Xander, she grinned even broader as she saw his expression of worry change to one of wonderment and then joy.
It was at that moment that certain parts of her parents' conversation on the other side of her bedroom wall drew Vida's attention away.
"I'm so happy we can finally tell the girls that you got a new job in Briarwood, Honey," Vida heard her mom say.
"And I'm so happy we'll never have to tell the girls we almost had to move halfway across the country if I didn't," chuckled her father.
"Xander, did you…" began Vida; so excited by the good news that voice practically squeaked.
"Yeah, I did!" cut in Xander, sounding equally as excited.
"I'm saved!" sighed Vida blissfully as she threw her arms around Xander's neck with such force that their noses end up bumping.
"No, I am," whispered Xander softly, grinning slightly before kissing Vida passionately again.
(Meanwhile)
"You think if Xander and Vida were going to kiss, they would have at least closed the curtain," commented Nick as he watched the scene that was in plain view in front of him from where Madison's car was parked on the Rocco driveway.
"I couldn't agree more," answered Madison, squirming down in the front seat of the jeep so that she couldn't see.
"Awww, I think Vander is pretty cute together," joked Nick.
"I don't know. It's weird for me to watch my sister kissing anyone," grimaced Madison. "Almost as weird as… as you and Leelee being a couple."
"WHAT?!?" exclaimed Nick, doing a double-take. "Me and…" stuttered Nick, so grossed out by the idea he was unable to repeat the words. "Maddie, what are you talking about?!?"
"When I came over earlier, you were there with Leelee shirtless," reminded Madison, trying hard to sound nonchalant. "And as I recall, she wasn't wearing much on her top either. Look, if being with Leelee makes you happy, then I'm happy…"
"Hold on, Maddie," interrupted Nick quickly. "Let me explain. Leelee was only over at my house 'cause she wanted to look at my motorcycle magazines and get my advice 'cause she wants to lease her mom a used one for her birthday. And the air conditioning has been broken at my house all week. That's why we… well, why we looked the way we did."
"Oh," was all Madison could muster, ducking her head away in embarrassment.
"Come on, I just told you earlier in the day that I was still in love with you," recollected Nick, sounding slightly resentful at the memory of being rejected by Madison. "Do you really think I'm the type of person that would use those words with such little care? That I could just move on with some other girl a few hours later?"
"So, you haven't moved on, then?" asked Madison intently, sitting up in the driver's seat. "You… you still love me?"
"When you were at my house earlier," began Nick, ignoring Madison's question. "Before Leelee came out and interrupted, you told me you realized you wanted all the same things I did. And that you wanted them with me. Is that still true?"
"I guess we're both alike then, 'cause I can't move on from you that quickly either." remarked Madison softly. "I… I love you, Nick," she stammered, seeing the boy's eyes widen in surprise. "I think I knew it from our conversation under the tree that first day you came to Briarwood. And I think I still have this entire time, even when I was with Ben."
"Wow," grinned Nick, now the one speechless.
"So, you still love me, too? You want us to be together?" asked Madison; urgency in her voice.
"How's this for my answer?" murmured Nick, looping a finger around her chin and drawing him toward her.
Nick and Madison met in a gentle kiss at the center of the car. The blissful happiness that instantly overtook Madison left her practically senseless. Kiss after deep kiss, she wondered if Nick was feeling the same intense butterflies that she was now.
"Wow," repeated Nick again breathlessly when they finally came apart. "We've been through so much that I've gotta admit there were times I thought this would never happen."
"Me too," grinned Madison as Nick kissed her fingertips.
"I've wanted this for so long," admitted Nick bashfully, stroking her hand. "I can't believe you've felt this way about me the whole time, too."
"How could I not be completely in love with the guy who is always saving me?" replied Madison adoringly. "From abusive boyfriends. From monsters with sniper guns. From monsters trying to turn me into a stone statue forever…"
"No, you got it all wrong," cut in Nick, giving a little laugh. "You're the one that's always saving me."
"What do you mean?" asked Madison in confusion.
"When we were battling the Master, I wanted to give up until your words gave me the strength and courage to go on fighting," said Nick. "Remember that?"
"I did that?" smiled Madison sheepishly.
"But you had already saved me even before that. Under that tree the first day in Briarwood," continued Nick. "Hearing that you wanted me to stay helped me find a place to call home for the first time in my life. Not to mention my real parents. And my real friends."
"How about this?" started Madison as she hoped across the car onto Nick's lap and snuggled into his arms. "I'll always be there to save you if you're always there to save me?"
"That would mean we would have to be together for a very long time to come," commented Nick, brushing back a strand of her dark hair before kissing her softly.
"I like the sound of that," answered Madison; her eyes sparkling as she gazed up at him adoringly.
"So do I," smiled Nick before leaning down to kiss her again.
The End
A/N: Well, that's all folks! For those who I promised another Mystic Force story to after "Under Your Spell," I hope "Saving Me" lived up to your expectations!
Thank you to all who read this story and especially to those of you who reviewed, including LiLiAnKa, fire dragonheart, yellow power, myeveryday1993, CindyRussell27, Pink-Ranger-Mode, Blue Eyed Dragon Girl, Dark Romance Writer, Toffy, Kelly101, welleg, Ambermist-29Down, christina, Tyjet Ansatsu, Ambermist-29Down, thikle, MaddieandNick, Lethal Weapon954 and to anyone I left out by accident.
Finally, a special thanks to Enigmaforum, Overdrive Red and angel17712 for always listening to me ramble on about writing and everything else and for always being such good friends no matter where this fan fiction stuff or the PR series goes!
In the meantime, I hope y'all will check out my latest story, "Scavenger Hunt" featuring a Kira/Conner pairing from PRDT. And I look forward to seeing y'all around the site! Happy Thanksgiving, and happy fan fic writing!