Through it All

By

Nicole

Summary: Two former Rangers' paths collide again.

Through it All

Chapter 1: The Date

It was another calm day in Silver Hills, to Commander Eric Meyers, it has been way too quiet for his liking. He turned another corner and Wes glanced at his partner. "Don't we have Ryan and Bryers on this route?" he asked. Eric scoffed.

"As if I trust them to actually keep an eye on this road," he replied.

Wes just smirked as he sat back in his seat, but then he realized what road they were on. "We have been going on this road at least once every day," he commented.

"So?" Eric asked, "Too many people speed around this corner."

"Like a certain yellow ranger from Turtle Cove?" Wes suggested.

Eric kept his eyes on the road. "I doubt it," he answered.

"Ah ha! You look for her though," Wes replied.

"I am not," Eric said firmly.

Wes just smirked and sat back. "You're looking for her," he teased lightly.

"I am not," he replied, "She's in Turtle Cove, shouldn't I be in Turtle Cove searching for her?"

"You're still hoping to have a repeat," Wes insisted.

Instead of letting his friend's words annoy him more, he turned on the radio and turned it up. All the while, Wes was just smirking and laughing to himself.

It had been two years since the Time Force Rangers teamed up with the Wild Force Rangers to stop the MutOrgs. Now that their dangers were gone, they had gone on with their normal lives. Well, as normal as they could be.

Two days later, Eric was walking down the street heading over towards his car with a plastic shopping bag with food for his birds. He was checking the meter to see how much time he had to decide if he had time to make another stop, not noticing a group of women walking in his direction. "I don't know why you are being so stubborn Taylor Lynn," a woman scolded angrily.

"Let's keep in mind that I haven't worn a dress since my senior prom and since I have to wear a dress, I would rather have one that doesn't make me look like a cake topping," a familiar voice said angrily.

Recognizing the voice, Eric looked up and he saw a person he hadn't seen in over two years. She looked annoyed, walking with a group of women and she had her arms crossed over her chest. "That dress looked beautiful on you, with the right hairstyle you'll look like…" the woman started to say.

"A china doll," Taylor said sarcastically.

Eric tossed the bag into his car. "Earhardt!" he called out, making her stop.

Taylor froze when she heard that voice, she hadn't heard it in over two years and she slowly turned to look. There he was, Commander Eric Myers, standing there wearing dirty ripped jeans, and black shirt. She was quite aware that her mother, sister, and their friends staring at her. "Myers? What are you doing here?" she asked. She glanced at her mother and saw her glaring dagger at Eric before her piercing blue eyes landed on her daughter.

"You know this man?" she demanded.

Taylor's mind was racing, glancing at Eric as she rushed up to him. "Play along," she told him. Before he could ask, Taylor turned back to her mother.

"Mom, this is Eric Myers, he's going to be my date for Henry's wedding," she replied.

Her mother looked at Eric with narrowed eyes. "Him?" she asked, "Is this some sort of joke?"

"No," Taylor replied.

Eric moved his arm around her waist. "You didn't tell me Henry was getting married," he commented.

"Well you have been out of town," Taylor replied.

"Yeah, well, you know, my chicks needed attention," he commented.

"Ah ha, always the charmer," she commented before elbowing him in the stomach.

"So, dinner tonight? You on?" he asked.

He saw the relief in her face. "Right! Mom, I completely forgot, but Eric and I had a date set up tonight," Taylor told the woman.

"A date?" Carol Earhardt asked.

"Yes," Taylor replied.

"While he's dressed like that?" Carol asked.

Eric cleared his throat and Taylor just shrugged her shoulders. "It's casual," she replied.

"You guys go have fun," Camilla, the bride, put in smiling.

Camilla tugged on Carol's arm. "We have an appointment remember?" she asked her will-be-mother-in-law.

"Yes, we shouldn't be late," Carol replied reluctantly.

Camilla gave Taylor a wink before walking away. Once they were out of their sight, Taylor stepped away from Eric. "Hungry?" he asked.

"Starving," she replied before they walked down the street.

They ended up finding a diner and sat down at an open table. "Thanks for playing along," she commented. Eric shrugged his shoulders.

"I had a minute," he answered, earning a glare from the blond.

"And all your chicks don't mind?" she asked.

"Real chicks, Earhardt, the feathered kind." He replied.

Taylor stared at him curiously. "You have birds?" she asked.

"A couple of them," he replied.

She was intrigued, but then she sighed. "Look, I was just trying to get my mom off my ass. She has been bugging me since my brother got engaged because she's been wondering who I will bring as my guest to the wedding," she explained, "So, don't think you're obligated to come." Eric sat back with his arm resting on the back of the chair next to him.

"Nah, I'll go, it beats just sitting at home staring at my wall," he replied.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "So dramatic," she commented.

"No I mean staring at my wall, I'm in the middle of putting up a wall in my place because I had added an extra room," he explained.

Eric gestured to his clothes. "Hence why I look like a homeless person," he added.

"You remodel?" she asked.

"Just my trailer, don't think I do that for a living," he replied.

Taylor frowns. "You live in a trailer?" she asked. Her expression annoyed him.

"I live there by choice," he replied, "I like my trailer, no one bothers me."

The waitress came over with water and they nodded to her and she left them alone again. "What's with your mom? She walks like she has a stick up her ass," he commented. Taylor almost choked on her water and laughed behind her hand.

"That's just how she is, she's all about "the best"," she replied.

"Ah, and I am obviously not "the best" to her and she only talked to me for a few minutes," he commented.

"She'll grill me about you later," she answered.

Eric just smirked before the waitress came back and they ordered their food.

Later, they were leaving the diner together when Taylor started looking through her phone. "What are you looking for?" he asked.

"The number to call a cab," she replied.

"Why? I'll just give you a ride home, it's not far," he insisted.

Taylor frowned. "At least let me pay for your gas," she answered. Eric waved his hand as they walked towards his truck.

"It's a company truck, Mr. Collins reimburses gas payment son it," he assured her.

She followed him to his truck, they climbed in, and Eric drove off towards Turtle Cove.

Throughout the ride, they were able to catch up a little more about what they were up to. He was glad to hear that she was a pilot again and she wasn't surprised that he was still all about his job. They pulled up to her apartment complex and Taylor got out of the truck. "Thanks, Myers," she called out before closing the door. Eric waved at her and watched as she turned and walked away.

Taylor entered the apartment and looked around. "Alyssa?" she called out, closing the door. The apartment was silent, which meant Alyssa was out on another date with Cole. She sat down on the couch and reached for her book when her phone rang. "Why do the heavens hate me?" she muttered. Taylor flipped open her phone. "Hello?" she answered.

"You didn't think I was going to let you go off with a guy like that and not ask questions did you?" Camilla answered.

Taylor let out a sigh. "I was hoping to avoid them," she admitted. Camilla chuckled on her end of the phone.

"Who's Eric?" she asked teasingly.

The blond rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "He was just a guy that I worked with once," she replied.

"And he's your plus one to the wedding?" Camilla asked.

"Well, it was something to tell my mom," she replied, "She's just looking for Mr. Billionaire Future Son-In-Law for me."

"Oh I know, it's all she talks about," Camilla agreed.

Taylor rubbed her forehead. "He's cut," Camilla added. The other woman scoffed.

"Please, he's a stubborn son of a bitch," she muttered, "And a hothead and has the biggest ego I had ever seen in a person."

"Yeah, I wonder who that is," Camilla answered sarcastically.

Taylor sat up. "I am not a hothead," she insisted.

"So you're a stubborn son of a bitch and have a big ego," Camilla quipped.

"Shut up!" Taylor answered.

Camilla was laughing on her end on the phone. "I hear wedding bells in Lieutenant Earhardt's future," she teased. Taylor scoffed again.

"Not if I can help it," she replied.