[Still Love]

Mariner Bay's clean-up efforts were tremendous. The fires had scorched downtown; Quakemon's spikes had severely damaged the dyke and several of the Rangers' vehicles would need heavy repairs. The task would have seemed daunting to anyone but the citizenry of Mariner Bay, who by then were quite used to catastrophe striking at any given moment.

"These repairs will take awhile, Rangers," Angela Fairweather admitted. "But I'll get on it right away."

It had been two full days since the invasion. The Rangers stood in the briefing room, awaiting Captain Mitchell for further orders. As Ms. Fairweather bustled out, the team began chattering.

"I want a break," Chad admitted. "Quakemon nearly crushed me."

"We do whatever the Captain orders," Carter reminded him. "We are, first and foremost, public servants."

As usual, he was standing near the table, arms crossed. The girls sat across from their fearless leader; Kelsey had her head resting in on her arms. Joel massaged his shoulder, sitting backward on one of the chairs.

"I'm with Chad, man," he mumbled. "I know it's selfish but…"

"We need to be realistic," Dana cut in. "If we don't, who else will?"

Ryan stood near Carter, an arm around his waist. He leaned close and whispered something in the Red Ranger's ear. Whatever it was, Carter blushed a deep crimson nearly the same shade as his uniform. He hissed something back and swatted Ryan away. The Titanium Ranger stepped away, palms up in submission.

"Rangers," it was Captain Mitchell. He stood in the doorway, arms behind his back. "We are, quite frankly, walking a thin line with the city government right now."

Kelsey's head shot up and a poisonous scowl crossed her strong features. Dana laid a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head.

"What does that mean, sir?" Carter asked, voice soft.

"The presence of the demons here makes this a hard city to live in," Mitchell admitted. "As it stands, we lose several hundred people each year; they move out because these attacks are simply too much to bear. It is our job to protect these people and if they're leaving, that means they don't feel safe here…"

"With all due respect, Captain Mitchell," Joel started, setting his cowboy hat aside. "But that, sir, is bullshit and we all know it."

"At ease son," Mitchell said. "I'm just repeating what the city officials are saying."

"It'd be asinine to argue with them," Ryan finally spoke. "They won't give in."

"So we do some serious PR, right?" Joel offered. Mitchell nodded.

"Precisely," he replied. For the next hour and a half, he debriefed the Rangers on upcoming public appearances and charity functions. When their Zords were repaired, they would be able to physically assist as well.

"You're dismissed for one more day of R & R," the Captain said finally. "Carter, Ryan…I'd like a word."

Since that day Ryan had kissed Carter in the middle of the only partially-empty city, the entire team had been anticipating this 'word'. For the first time in his long career of death-defying bravery, he had never once been scared. When Ryan's father had asked for 'a word' however, he felt his prodigious heart leap into his throat and his breath catch.

"Please, have a seat," Mitchell gestured. He closed the heavy door to the debriefing room as the Lightspeed team leader did as he was told. Ryan remained standing; he laid both hands on Carter's shoulders to relax him. Captain Mitchell returned to the table and sat down opposite the Red Ranger. He looked Carter hard in the eyes and then closed his own.

"You are both adults," he started. "So I can't stop you…"

Ryan squeezed Carter's tense shoulders. The Red Ranger's hands sat in his lap, clenching and unclenching. He pursed soft, full lips and then met Captain Mitchell's eyes.

"I understand, sir," he replied. "Discretion will be our top priority."

Ryan's jaw clenched visibly and he gripped Carter's shoulders rather tighter than he had meant to. Carter winced, eyeing the Titanium Ranger over one shoulder. He stayed silent but all parties in the room sensed the pent-up rage and no one wanted a confrontation. Without another word, Captain Mitchell stood and strode out of the room.

"I'm sorry Ryan," Carter whispered, hanging his head. "I owe your father my life; doing as he asks to keep this organization running smoothly is the least I can do."

Ryan's hands slid off Carter's shoulders and he retreated to the wall, leaning there. A deep frown creased his face.

"I hate hiding," he muttered, voice laced with bitterness. Carter stood, pushing his chair in dutifully. He smoothed his jacket and locked eyes with Ryan. Without a word, he headed for the exit.

"Orders are orders," Carter mumbled dejectedly. Without warning, Ryan grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, a fist connecting with an already bruised jaw. Carter stumbled sideways, hips catching on the table and pitching him forward. Ryan was right there, weight pressing down on Carter's backside. His breath was hot in the other Ranger's ear.

"You're okay pretending, to keep up appearances?" Ryan hissed. His mouth closed on Carter's ear as their shared heat multiplied. Ryan was aware his attack on Carter had been completely unfair and that if anyone deserved criticism, it was his father…who really didn't, either. Nevertheless, beating up Carter turned him on and he was fairly certain it did the same for the other man.

"I have to," Carter growled. "I am this team's leader; I have the integrity—"

"Of the entire organization to think about," Ryan finished, hissing. "I know; I've heard it before. You sound just like my dad."

Part of Carter was proud and happy to hear that. All his life, he had striven to be like the firefighter who saved him as a child. Little did he know he had far surpassed the Captain in bravery, strength and the ability to lead under pressure. Carter Grayson was far too humble a public servant to see himself as anything but. To his friends and the people of Mariner Bay however, he was a hero. The part of Carter that knew and loved Captain Mitchell's son however, knew the statement was meant as a scathing insult. Ryan did not hate his father as he had before coming over to the side of good, but he still held something of a grudge.

"Let me up, Ryan."

The Titanium Ranger hauled Carter back to his feet, hanging tightly to his collar. He forced their lips together, bruising them. Instinctively, Carter's hands found Ryan's waist. The younger man forced Carter's rear-end up onto the table. He forced himself between the firefighter's legs, their mouths never breaking contact. Alarms were going off in Carter's head. He knew this would end badly; someone would walk in and they would be in deep shit. The feeling of Ryan's chest and groin pressed to his severely impeded his judgment, however. Ryan's hands were braced on the table on either side of where Carter was perched. When their mouths finally separated, Ryan moved only inches away to speak.

"You like it when I rough you up," he surmised. "And I like roughing you up…"

"I can't lie to you; you're right," Carter admitted. "Realistically, this won't work."

"We're not normal people, Carter," Ryan muttered, mouth on the other's throat. Carter tilted his head back and closed his eyes, instinctually squeezing Ryan's hips between his thighs. The briefing room was quiet but for the men's heavy breathing and the whirring of monitors half-on. Ryan's lips worked quickly and were soon to Carter's. Their mouths battled heavily for dominance, though Ryan had the advantage, grinding their groins together.

"We could fuck right here," Ryan offered, an eyebrow going up. Carter shook his head.

"I don't think that's a good idea," the Red Ranger replied. "It's…unadvisable, at best."

"You're right," Ryan amended. "Someone'll walk in for sure."

With that, he hoisted the other man in a koala hold and simply walked for the exit of the debriefing room. Carter was far past having enough energy to tell Ryan to put him down and simply laid his head on the other's shoulder. It was nice to be babied once in awhile.

"Is that how you want it?" Ryan whispered, hands otherwise occupied with Carter's throbbing member. His own was rock hard but he was saving it. The older man chewed his lower lip and whimpered, unable to stop the humiliating sound. Ryan grinned, grabbing Carter's face and forcing their lips together, stroking the other roughly.

"I-I'm…!" stuttered the Red Ranger. "Please…!"

Ryan jerked Carter off hard, muffling the yelp with his lips. He used his cum-slick fingers to probe and tease the other man's tight hole. Carter gasped, clutching Ryan's shoulders hard.

"Good thing I put a sock on the door 'cause you make a lot of noise," the Titanium Ranger muttered huskily.

"Joel and Chad are going to hate us…" Carter huffed. Ryan kissed him again, stretching his hole. Carter moaned into the kiss, finely muscled back arching acutely. His hands found their way into Ryan's hair, curling and uncurling with the pain and pleasure. As Ryan added another finger, tears escaped the Red Ranger's eyes. He gasped and whimpered, not yet used to being fingered so roughly. Ryan was doing his best to be gentle but he simply couldn't help himself. The sounds coming out of Carter's soft, shapely lips hardened him to an unbearable, throbbing limit. He couldn't take it any longer and positioned himself between the other's legs.

"I can't wait any longer," Ryan growled. He positioned himself at Carter's slick entrance and pushed. Ryan put a hand over Carter's mouth to stifle the gasp, his own lips going to work on an erect nipple. The thrusts came slowly at first; it was an attempt at gentleness. When Carter began to react however, Ryan couldn't hold back. He slammed into the other over and over. Stars exploded before the Red Ranger's eyes with each pounding thrust.

"It's hard to believe this is your first time," Ryan managed between thrusts. "But you're so tight."

The heat built steadily between his legs, his balls aching with the impending orgasm. He moaned, panting wantonly. He'd never been so helpless; he'd never felt so good. When Ryan finally released hotly inside him, Carter came once more, grunting and clutching Ryan close. They kissed, mouths molding gently together, Ryan draped over Carter.

"You'll stay at Lightspeed awhile?" the Red Ranger whispered. Ryan looked up.

"Probably not," he replied honestly. "I usually do more harm than good."

"That's a shame," Carter said. "We're always glad to have you."

Ryan wished nothing more than to stay close to Carter and Dana, Captain Mitchell and the rest of the team. He felt he'd come to rely on them for stability too much, though and needed to strike out on his own.

"You don't have to prove yourself," Carter whispered, guessing Ryan's thoughts. "Friends are meant to help one another; relying on us is far from weak."

Again, the boyscout-superman attitude was coming out and Ryan was enchanted. He remembered why he fell for this man in the first place. Their yin-yang relationship complimented the Lightspeed team in a way no other subsequent Ranger team ever would.

"Maybe not to you," Ryan's voice was bitter. "But I still have to convince myself…"

"What? That you're human?"

"Maybe…"

Carter ran a hand through Ryan's hair, mouth leaning up to kiss the other's forehead. The Titanium Ranger tasted of sweet perspiration. Carter's mouth curled into a small smile.

"I wish I could give you an official order to stay here, but that would be selfish, right?" Carter's hands were on either side of Ryan's face. "You have to go on some kind of vision quest to discover your inner self…? Fine, I can live with that; come back, though. You cannot leave for good, that's an order."

Ryan seemed surprised at Carter's sudden firmness. Rarely would the Red Ranger pull rank on anyone in Lightspeed. The sixth Ranger seemed to sense Carter's sincerity and couldn't help but agree.

"Of course I'll come back," Ryan agreed. "I can't just leave you guys to fend for yourselves; you wouldn't stand a chance."