The Tainted and the Broken- Part 8, The End
Author: dream-edge
Title: The Tainted and the Broken
Summary: In an effort to protect Ziggy, Dillon is thrown into te future. A future where everything he knows is drastically different. During his struggle to get home, he finds himself drawn into the twisted, broken mess his best friend has become.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy, Doctor K/Tenaya
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise.
Notes: Yes, sadly, this story is now finished. I had a lot of fun writing it and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read it and review. On another note, I have decided that the chances of me writing a sequel to this story are very, very small. It just would not feel right. However, I will probably write a prequel detailing the two years between when Dillon went evil and the time he arrived in the future because I was never quite able to show how they worked as a team like I wanted to. But I will probably not write it for a very long time.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
The Tainted and the Broken
Chapter 8
Kat slowly walked down the stairs into the garage as the team entered. The sky was dark, the sun having set a long time ago. Despite the late hour, there were proud smiles on nearly every face. Ziggy stopped in front of her, looking down at her. "Done. I think we got everything." he said. She didn't say anything, just stared up at him with sad, dark eyes. She watched as his brow furrowed and he slowly started to look around. Finally he looked back at her, his eyes concerned. "Where's Dillon?" he asked.
"Medi-lab." she told him. His eyes widened and shot up to the upper level. He glanced at her again then back up and he ran past her, taking the stairs two at a time. She turned to watch him enter the medi-lab, closing the door behind him. Her heart went out to him. Tenaya's hand fell on her shoulder, making her look over at her lover. Tenaya's dark eyes were concerned. "What happened?" she asked.
She turned to face the team, taking a deep breath. "He fainted earlier. The temporal energy holding him to our time is nearly gone. He's fading away; returning home." She whispered.
"How soon?" Tenaya asked. She shrugged. "Who's knows? The energy is chaotic. He could disappear in five minutes or five days."
"Let's hope for the latter." Gemma whispered. "Give Ziggy time to say goodbye."
Tenaya turned to the Silver Ranger, frowning slightly. "I thought you hated Dillon." she accused.
Gemma shook her head. "I never said that." She said. At every one's confused looks she continued. "I can never forgive him for everything he's done. But he makes Ziggy... happy." A small, sad smile crossed her lips. "How could I hate him?"
Later that night, Tenaya gently pushed the door to the medi-lab open, staring inside. Ziggy had drawn a chair next to the bed Dillon was resting on and was just sitting there, staring at him. "Ziggy?" she called. The man turned his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Shouldn't you be in bed Ziggy?" she asked, approaching him. He didn't say anything, just returned to looking at Dillon. She sighed slightly and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Just don't stay up all night okay?" she requested.
Ziggy nodded his head minutely. She sighed again and, deciding she wasn't going to get any more out of him, left the room. She jogged quickly down the stairs to the bottom floor to see Kat waiting for her. They stared at each other for a minute then Kat held her arms open. Tenaya quickly stepped into the embrace, letting the smaller woman wrap her arms around her. "I hate seeing him like this 'Rine." she muttered, using the affectionate nickname she never used around anyone else. "I worry that he's never coming back when he gets like that."
"I know." Kat whispered, her breath ruffling her hair. She dropped a gentle kiss into Tenaya's dark hair. "Me too."
---
Ziggy waited a few minutes until he was sure the two women were occupied with each other then he stood up. He silently shrugged out of his jacket and toed off his shoes before climbing into the bed next to Dillon. He sighed shakily, resting his head against the Black Ranger's shoulder. "Please don't leave me alone again." He pleaded softly, even though he knew the older man didn't have a say in the matter. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into a restless sleep.
---
Dillon came awake slowly. He groaned slightly, his eyelids fluttering. The first thing he was aware of was a light weight resting on his chest. The second thing was an almost comforting heat, and then a soft, rhythmic breath washing across his neck. He tilted his head to the side to see Ziggy laying next to him, his head laying against his shoulder. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was sleeping. Rather peacefully to.
He blinked at the boy, trying to remember how he had gotten like this. A quick look around revealed that he wasn't in his or Ziggy's room but the medi-lab. Then he remembered. Being in the garage waiting for the team to get home. Seeing through his hand. Running to Kat's lab. Fainting.
He shifted minutely but it was enough to rouse the boy sleeping next to him. Ziggy moaned softly, his eyes flickering open. He stared up at him for a long moment. Finally Dillon raised the hand Ziggy wasn't laying on and waved. "Morning Zig." he greeted.
Ziggy's eyes widened and he pushed himself up off his shoulder. Before Dillon could do anything, the younger man leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Dillon blinked in shock, his breath catching in his throat . He slowly pushed back, one of his hands falling to the small of Ziggy's back. For a long moment Dillon let himself enjoy the simple, chaste contact and the feel of Ziggy's body laying on top of his. Then Ziggy pulled back, his eyes wide. "Dillon, I'm sorry. I didn't... even think." he whispered.
A small smirk twisted his lips upwards. "What happened to never apologizing?" he asked.
Ziggy paused, blinking down at him. Then a small smile twitched at his lips. "Moron." he whispered fondly. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. Dillon groaned softly at the loss of weight on his arm, turning onto his side and staring up at him. "What's going on?"
The small smile he'd manage to coax into existence disappeared, leaving Ziggy looking horribly sad. "You're leaving." he muttered. "The energy's disappearing. You're going home."
He frowned but before he could say anything, Ziggy stood up. "Come on." he said. "Kat wants to run a diagnostic now that you're awake." Dillon stared up at him for a minute then realized he wasn't being given a choice. He stood slowly, feeling exhaustion settle into his limbs like lead. His vision swam once he was upright and he swayed slightly. Ziggy caught him immediately and waited until he found his footing before he let go.
"Are you okay?" Ziggy asked. Dillon nodded. "Yeah. Lets get this over with."
---
Ziggy watched as Kat ran her examination, his arms crossed over his chest. He felt rather than saw Tenaya approach him. "How are you doing?" she asked softly. He looked over at her, a twisted smile on his lips. "I've been better." he whispered.
They were silent for a moment then Ziggy spoke up, "One week."
She looked over at him in confusion. He met her questioning gaze, his lips pressed together. After a minute he looked back at Dillon. "I've been waiting for my Dillon to come back for two years. Two damn long, lonely years. And then I get him, right here in front of me, and I'm loosing him. One week. I've been waiting for two years and all I get is one damn week." He smiled darkly, shaking his head slightly. "I must be Fate's favorite punching bag."
Tenaya closed her eyes tightly against the agony in his voice, her heart aching. They all hated seeing him like this but there was nothing any of them could do. She reached forward, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him close. He didn't respond to the comforting gesture but he didn't pull away either so she let him rest there. They stayed like that for a long minute then Ziggy did pull away, just as Kat finished her examination.
The young doctor approached them, her eyes sad. "How is it?" Ziggy asked.
"He's fading fast." she told them. "At best, I give him an hour. But its probably less. A lot less."
They were all silent for a minute, then Ziggy requested. "Can you give us a minute?" They nodded and ushered Gem and Gemma out of the room. Before Kat left she turned and looked at Ziggy. "It's ready." She told him before leaving him and Dillon alone. The two stared at each other silently, neither wanting to say anything, neither wanting to admit the situation was happening. Finally Dillon whispered, "So, I guess I'm going home."
Ziggy nodded, letting another silence echo hollowly through the room. Dillon shifted uncomfortably, looking torn. Before he could speak again, Ziggy walked forward quickly and grabbed a very small disc off of Kat's desk. "This is for you." he said, handing it to him. Dillon took it in confusion, slipping it into his pocket. Ziggy kept talking. "I had Kat make it. She fit every file she's ever created these last two years onto it. Or, well, most of them. It's got the specs for the new morphers and the shifts, along with the basic drawings of the new shield modifier. And the anti-virus she was working on."
Dillon's eyes shot up to his. "I thought it wasn't complete." he muttered. Ziggy nodded. "It's not." he agreed. "But, maybe, your K can finish in time... to avoid all of this." he whispered, spreading his arms wide. "Change the future. Change the world."
Dillon pressed his lips together and nodded. "I will." he whispered. "I won't hurt you again."
Ziggy nodded sharply, looking away. There was a long moment of silence then Dillon glanced down when he felt his limbs start to go numb. He was disappearing again. "I guess its time." he muttered, stepping back. Ziggy's head snapped up at his whisper, his eyes going wide. He looked stricken as he ran forward, trying to close the distance between them. Dillon reached out for the boy but a wave of dizziness swept through him as he did so.
Ziggy ended up falling right through him. Dillon closed his eyes tightly, pressing his lips together. Ziggy took a deep breath, tears pressing at his eyes. Slowly, he pushed himself back to his feet, feeling his throat start to close up. He couldn't loose him again. He fought back against the tightness in his throat and whispered out three little words, a single tear slipping down his cheek.
"I love you."
Dillon froze briefly as the words registered then spun around to stare at him, his eyes wide. Ziggy remained turned away from him as he told him, "I always have. I never stopped." His words hitched in his throat briefly but he forced himself to continue, despite the way his voice cracked. "I love you Dillon."
Dillon starred at him for a long moment, his heart aching. Then he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders. It wasn't a true hug because he was quickly starting to fade away but he hoped it would give him some comfort. Ziggy started to cry when he felt the weight of his arms but not his warmth. After a long moment of just standing there Ziggy couldn't take it any more. He stepped forward, hating the fact that he could go right through the circle of Dillon's arms. He turned to look at his friend and former-lover.
Then he smiled. Wide and bright and familiar. And it was real. "Thank you Dillon." he whispered. There were still tears pouring down his cheeks but he was sincere. "Thank you for teaching me how to smile again."
Ziggy's soft smile was the last thing Dillon saw before he disappeared.
---
The first thing Dillon felt was pain, a very familiar pain. Then the sensation of flying followed quickly by hitting the ground again. He rolled to a stop and laid there, slowly taking in the realization that he was back, he was home. He slid his eyes open to look around. He felt tired, really tired, but he managed to look around. Tenaya was staring at him in shock, the sphere of energy next to her slowly dissipating. The other Rangers were also staring at him. And laying on the ground across from him was Ziggy. His eyes were wide and filled with horror but there was something innocent about them, something comforting in them.
He smiled weakly, letting his eyes drift shut. He was home.
---
When he woke up again, he was in his room. His old room, the one at the garage. He sighed softly, closing his eyes. Just as he was about to let himself drift off again, he heard the door to his room open. He opened his eyes again to see Ziggy leaning against the door staring at him. "Ziggy." he whispered.
The younger man's eyes widened and he walked forward quickly. "Did I wake you?" he asked, stopping next to his bed. Dillon shook his head, pushing himself into a sitting position. "No, I was already awake." he assured.
Ziggy breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good." He paused, wringing his hands together. "Thank you for saving me." he whispered, making Dillon remember that he had been thrown through in order to protect Ziggy. "No problem." he whispered, suddenly really glad he had done it. He did not want Ziggy to see that future at all.
Silence descended between them. After a minute, Ziggy sat down next to him on the bed, looking at him with wide eyes. "Are you okay? I asked the Doc but she just said something about temporal portals and weird energy readings and I didn't get it at all." he said. Dillon smiled slightly in amusement. "I'm fine."
Ziggy smiled widely, "That's good." he whispered. Dillon stared at him, taking in the sunny smile he was getting. He had missed it. He looked into Ziggy's dark brown eyes, holding a new appreciation for the innocence in them. Ziggy's eyes were bright and happy and, above all, they were alive. He leaned forward quickly, pulling Ziggy into a tight hug. Ziggy blinked in surprise but easily returned the tight embrace. "Dillon, what's going on?"
Dillon smiled into Ziggy's short, curly hair. "Do me a favor Zig?" he asked. When he felt Ziggy nod he pulled back just enough to look the younger man in the eyes. Ziggy looked so very young right now and there was so much trust and faith in his eyes. "Don't change Ziggy. Not ever." He requested. Ziggy smiled slightly, his eyes bathed in confusion. But he didn't question him. "I don't plan to." he told him.
He just smile at his friend, looking at him closely. Ziggy was his friend and he cared about him greatly. The attraction he'd felt towards the other Ziggy was still there, just below the surface like it had always been. He reached forward, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Ziggy's face. He could learn to love Ziggy. He was already half way there.
---
Ziggy led him down into Doctor K's lab where he immediately had the attention of all the other Rangers. Dillon frowned, slowly looking around. This lab was so much smaller than Kat's and the team was so much bigger, it made him feel slightly crowded. He felt a small thrill flow through him when he saw Scott, Flynn, and Summer standing there, safe and unharmed. He felt almost giddy when he noticed Gem and Gemma staring at him with identical looks of concern, seeming to be in full twin mode. He stopped on Doctor K, taking in the short hair and black school-like uniform. "And I'd just gotten used to calling you Kat." he muttered.
K's eyebrows shot up as she stared at him. Her expression was quizzical but still slightly blank and her eyes were closed off. Yep, he was defiantly home. "Are you feeling well Series Black?" she asked. He looked around again and smiled slightly. "Yeah." he whispered. "Never better."
He then frowned slightly. "Where's my jacket?" he asked, remembering the small disc he'd placed in his pocket. Doctor K arched an eyebrow and held up said small disc. "Were you looking for this?" she asked.
He nodded, "That is for you." he told her. Ziggy started to bounce next to him in curiosity. "What is it?" he asked. Doctor K gave him a baleful look that made Dillon smirk slightly. Kat would never try that, not with the other Ziggy.
K slid the disc into computer and pulled up a random file. Lines upon lines of code immediately started to scroll down the larger screens. "This code is unlike anything I have ever seen." K told them. "Who ever wrote this is a genius. Beyond genius."
Dillon smiled slightly, wondering if she'd still say that if she knew it was probably Tenaya who had wrote it. "What is-
"It?" The twins asked. Gem was squinting at it and Gemma's head was tilted to the side. Doctor K shrugged, an unusual action for this version of her. "I have... absolutely no idea. And what's stranger is that I know I had a hand in writing it." she said, making them all look at her. "I recognize my own work and I can see it in there. Someone obviously helped me but I have no recollection of who it was or what this is. I wrote it but i do not remember doing so."
"You shouldn't." Dillon told her, making everyone turn to stare at him. "Because you haven't yet."
Now everyone was defiantly staring at them. "I was thrown through a temporal distortion." He told them, merely conveying what Kat had told him. Ziggy turned to him fully, giving him a disbelieving look. "What?!"
"A time portal." Doctor K translated. "You were thrown through time?" she asked him, staring at him. He nodded. "Oh yeah." he agreed. "I was in the future."
Doctor K glanced at the data still pouring down the screen. "Work like this would take months, even years. How far were you thrown?" she asked.
"Two years." he told them. "You were in the future?" Ziggy asked excitedly. "What was it like?"
He frowned, looking around. Doctor K had gone back to looking at the files curiously but all the Rangers were staring at him, waiting for information. But he refused to tell them the truth. "I'm not saying." he told them. Ziggy pouted slightly but didn't argue. Dillon looked down at him and smiled softly. "Don't ever change Zig." he whispered again.
---
Two Years Later
Sunday. August 24th, 2062. It was the day Dillon had first arrived in the future. Now, it marked the start of a whole new one. Dillon smiled slightly to himself as he sat on the roof, staring out at the city. Doctor K had managed to finish the anti-virus in time. He had never lost to Venjix, had never killed his friends, had never hurt Ziggy beyond repair. The world was as it should be. And he wouldn't trade it for the world.
Two years later and Venjix was holding onto its rein by its fingertips. If it had fingertips. The team had systematically destroyed nearly all of its posts, leaving the virus on the brink of destruction.
Many things were different. The team had never gone on whatever training mission outside the dome they had before, so they had never gained any gifts. Ziggy had never become a telepath or gained the seal on his arm. Scott was still in control of the team and was in the starts of a tentative relationship, although no one was sure if it was with Summer or Gem. Flynn and Gemma were finally engaged, after a long but peaceful courtship. Summer had actually gained a medical license a year ago.
Tenaya had joined the team just over a year ago. She wasn't engaged to Doctor K yet but Dillon could see the beginnings of that loving relationship in every interaction between them. It had taken everyone a long time to trust her but after a while she had joined the team once again as Ranger Series Violet. No one had ever seemed to regret the decision to trust her with that power for a single moment.
Ziggy was as he should be, whole and happy and alive. He didn't quite have the amazing strength and skill he did before, having never been able to meet the man who had taught him to fight, but Dillon had tried to teach him the basics of harnessing his inertia. The younger man had then taken the style and went with it. And they were completely in love with each other.
He looked up when he heard foot steps approach him. Ziggy was standing before him, two glasses of gold wine in his hands. The younger man smiled brightly and held out one of the glasses for him. Dillon took it thankfully, motioning the boy to sit down next to him. Ziggy did so, his smile warming. Dillon thought briefly then held out his glass. "To us." he said. "And the people we could have been."
Ziggy didn't question the strange toast, merely touched the rims of their glasses together then linked their arms through each other's. Dillon smiled at the familiar move, shifting closer so he could drink his wine. Once that was done, Ziggy drew back. His smile was still warm. Dillon placed his glass down and tugged Ziggy's away from his hand before pulling him into a kiss. Ziggy melted into the contact, his arms wrapping around his neck and his lips parting invitingly.
Dillon smiled slightly into the kiss and pushed the boy onto his back, sweeping his tongue through the moist cavern of Ziggy's mouth. When he pulled back, Ziggy was flushed and panting but there was a smile on his face. "To us." he echoed.
Dillon nuzzled into the boy's neck, his words ghosting across his skin. "To us; the Tainted and the Broken."
Title: The Tainted and the Broken
Summary: In an effort to protect Ziggy, Dillon is thrown into te future. A future where everything he knows is drastically different. During his struggle to get home, he finds himself drawn into the twisted, broken mess his best friend has become.
Rating: T
Pairings: Dillon/Ziggy, Doctor K/Tenaya
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or anything related to the franchise.
Notes: Yes, sadly, this story is now finished. I had a lot of fun writing it and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read it and review. On another note, I have decided that the chances of me writing a sequel to this story are very, very small. It just would not feel right. However, I will probably write a prequel detailing the two years between when Dillon went evil and the time he arrived in the future because I was never quite able to show how they worked as a team like I wanted to. But I will probably not write it for a very long time.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
The Tainted and the Broken
Chapter 8
Kat slowly walked down the stairs into the garage as the team entered. The sky was dark, the sun having set a long time ago. Despite the late hour, there were proud smiles on nearly every face. Ziggy stopped in front of her, looking down at her. "Done. I think we got everything." he said. She didn't say anything, just stared up at him with sad, dark eyes. She watched as his brow furrowed and he slowly started to look around. Finally he looked back at her, his eyes concerned. "Where's Dillon?" he asked.
"Medi-lab." she told him. His eyes widened and shot up to the upper level. He glanced at her again then back up and he ran past her, taking the stairs two at a time. She turned to watch him enter the medi-lab, closing the door behind him. Her heart went out to him. Tenaya's hand fell on her shoulder, making her look over at her lover. Tenaya's dark eyes were concerned. "What happened?" she asked.
She turned to face the team, taking a deep breath. "He fainted earlier. The temporal energy holding him to our time is nearly gone. He's fading away; returning home." She whispered.
"How soon?" Tenaya asked. She shrugged. "Who's knows? The energy is chaotic. He could disappear in five minutes or five days."
"Let's hope for the latter." Gemma whispered. "Give Ziggy time to say goodbye."
Tenaya turned to the Silver Ranger, frowning slightly. "I thought you hated Dillon." she accused.
Gemma shook her head. "I never said that." She said. At every one's confused looks she continued. "I can never forgive him for everything he's done. But he makes Ziggy... happy." A small, sad smile crossed her lips. "How could I hate him?"
Later that night, Tenaya gently pushed the door to the medi-lab open, staring inside. Ziggy had drawn a chair next to the bed Dillon was resting on and was just sitting there, staring at him. "Ziggy?" she called. The man turned his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Shouldn't you be in bed Ziggy?" she asked, approaching him. He didn't say anything, just returned to looking at Dillon. She sighed slightly and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Just don't stay up all night okay?" she requested.
Ziggy nodded his head minutely. She sighed again and, deciding she wasn't going to get any more out of him, left the room. She jogged quickly down the stairs to the bottom floor to see Kat waiting for her. They stared at each other for a minute then Kat held her arms open. Tenaya quickly stepped into the embrace, letting the smaller woman wrap her arms around her. "I hate seeing him like this 'Rine." she muttered, using the affectionate nickname she never used around anyone else. "I worry that he's never coming back when he gets like that."
"I know." Kat whispered, her breath ruffling her hair. She dropped a gentle kiss into Tenaya's dark hair. "Me too."
---
Ziggy waited a few minutes until he was sure the two women were occupied with each other then he stood up. He silently shrugged out of his jacket and toed off his shoes before climbing into the bed next to Dillon. He sighed shakily, resting his head against the Black Ranger's shoulder. "Please don't leave me alone again." He pleaded softly, even though he knew the older man didn't have a say in the matter. He closed his eyes and let himself fall into a restless sleep.
---
Dillon came awake slowly. He groaned slightly, his eyelids fluttering. The first thing he was aware of was a light weight resting on his chest. The second thing was an almost comforting heat, and then a soft, rhythmic breath washing across his neck. He tilted his head to the side to see Ziggy laying next to him, his head laying against his shoulder. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was sleeping. Rather peacefully to.
He blinked at the boy, trying to remember how he had gotten like this. A quick look around revealed that he wasn't in his or Ziggy's room but the medi-lab. Then he remembered. Being in the garage waiting for the team to get home. Seeing through his hand. Running to Kat's lab. Fainting.
He shifted minutely but it was enough to rouse the boy sleeping next to him. Ziggy moaned softly, his eyes flickering open. He stared up at him for a long moment. Finally Dillon raised the hand Ziggy wasn't laying on and waved. "Morning Zig." he greeted.
Ziggy's eyes widened and he pushed himself up off his shoulder. Before Dillon could do anything, the younger man leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Dillon blinked in shock, his breath catching in his throat . He slowly pushed back, one of his hands falling to the small of Ziggy's back. For a long moment Dillon let himself enjoy the simple, chaste contact and the feel of Ziggy's body laying on top of his. Then Ziggy pulled back, his eyes wide. "Dillon, I'm sorry. I didn't... even think." he whispered.
A small smirk twisted his lips upwards. "What happened to never apologizing?" he asked.
Ziggy paused, blinking down at him. Then a small smile twitched at his lips. "Moron." he whispered fondly. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. Dillon groaned softly at the loss of weight on his arm, turning onto his side and staring up at him. "What's going on?"
The small smile he'd manage to coax into existence disappeared, leaving Ziggy looking horribly sad. "You're leaving." he muttered. "The energy's disappearing. You're going home."
He frowned but before he could say anything, Ziggy stood up. "Come on." he said. "Kat wants to run a diagnostic now that you're awake." Dillon stared up at him for a minute then realized he wasn't being given a choice. He stood slowly, feeling exhaustion settle into his limbs like lead. His vision swam once he was upright and he swayed slightly. Ziggy caught him immediately and waited until he found his footing before he let go.
"Are you okay?" Ziggy asked. Dillon nodded. "Yeah. Lets get this over with."
---
Ziggy watched as Kat ran her examination, his arms crossed over his chest. He felt rather than saw Tenaya approach him. "How are you doing?" she asked softly. He looked over at her, a twisted smile on his lips. "I've been better." he whispered.
They were silent for a moment then Ziggy spoke up, "One week."
She looked over at him in confusion. He met her questioning gaze, his lips pressed together. After a minute he looked back at Dillon. "I've been waiting for my Dillon to come back for two years. Two damn long, lonely years. And then I get him, right here in front of me, and I'm loosing him. One week. I've been waiting for two years and all I get is one damn week." He smiled darkly, shaking his head slightly. "I must be Fate's favorite punching bag."
Tenaya closed her eyes tightly against the agony in his voice, her heart aching. They all hated seeing him like this but there was nothing any of them could do. She reached forward, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him close. He didn't respond to the comforting gesture but he didn't pull away either so she let him rest there. They stayed like that for a long minute then Ziggy did pull away, just as Kat finished her examination.
The young doctor approached them, her eyes sad. "How is it?" Ziggy asked.
"He's fading fast." she told them. "At best, I give him an hour. But its probably less. A lot less."
They were all silent for a minute, then Ziggy requested. "Can you give us a minute?" They nodded and ushered Gem and Gemma out of the room. Before Kat left she turned and looked at Ziggy. "It's ready." She told him before leaving him and Dillon alone. The two stared at each other silently, neither wanting to say anything, neither wanting to admit the situation was happening. Finally Dillon whispered, "So, I guess I'm going home."
Ziggy nodded, letting another silence echo hollowly through the room. Dillon shifted uncomfortably, looking torn. Before he could speak again, Ziggy walked forward quickly and grabbed a very small disc off of Kat's desk. "This is for you." he said, handing it to him. Dillon took it in confusion, slipping it into his pocket. Ziggy kept talking. "I had Kat make it. She fit every file she's ever created these last two years onto it. Or, well, most of them. It's got the specs for the new morphers and the shifts, along with the basic drawings of the new shield modifier. And the anti-virus she was working on."
Dillon's eyes shot up to his. "I thought it wasn't complete." he muttered. Ziggy nodded. "It's not." he agreed. "But, maybe, your K can finish in time... to avoid all of this." he whispered, spreading his arms wide. "Change the future. Change the world."
Dillon pressed his lips together and nodded. "I will." he whispered. "I won't hurt you again."
Ziggy nodded sharply, looking away. There was a long moment of silence then Dillon glanced down when he felt his limbs start to go numb. He was disappearing again. "I guess its time." he muttered, stepping back. Ziggy's head snapped up at his whisper, his eyes going wide. He looked stricken as he ran forward, trying to close the distance between them. Dillon reached out for the boy but a wave of dizziness swept through him as he did so.
Ziggy ended up falling right through him. Dillon closed his eyes tightly, pressing his lips together. Ziggy took a deep breath, tears pressing at his eyes. Slowly, he pushed himself back to his feet, feeling his throat start to close up. He couldn't loose him again. He fought back against the tightness in his throat and whispered out three little words, a single tear slipping down his cheek.
"I love you."
Dillon froze briefly as the words registered then spun around to stare at him, his eyes wide. Ziggy remained turned away from him as he told him, "I always have. I never stopped." His words hitched in his throat briefly but he forced himself to continue, despite the way his voice cracked. "I love you Dillon."
Dillon starred at him for a long moment, his heart aching. Then he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders. It wasn't a true hug because he was quickly starting to fade away but he hoped it would give him some comfort. Ziggy started to cry when he felt the weight of his arms but not his warmth. After a long moment of just standing there Ziggy couldn't take it any more. He stepped forward, hating the fact that he could go right through the circle of Dillon's arms. He turned to look at his friend and former-lover.
Then he smiled. Wide and bright and familiar. And it was real. "Thank you Dillon." he whispered. There were still tears pouring down his cheeks but he was sincere. "Thank you for teaching me how to smile again."
Ziggy's soft smile was the last thing Dillon saw before he disappeared.
---
The first thing Dillon felt was pain, a very familiar pain. Then the sensation of flying followed quickly by hitting the ground again. He rolled to a stop and laid there, slowly taking in the realization that he was back, he was home. He slid his eyes open to look around. He felt tired, really tired, but he managed to look around. Tenaya was staring at him in shock, the sphere of energy next to her slowly dissipating. The other Rangers were also staring at him. And laying on the ground across from him was Ziggy. His eyes were wide and filled with horror but there was something innocent about them, something comforting in them.
He smiled weakly, letting his eyes drift shut. He was home.
---
When he woke up again, he was in his room. His old room, the one at the garage. He sighed softly, closing his eyes. Just as he was about to let himself drift off again, he heard the door to his room open. He opened his eyes again to see Ziggy leaning against the door staring at him. "Ziggy." he whispered.
The younger man's eyes widened and he walked forward quickly. "Did I wake you?" he asked, stopping next to his bed. Dillon shook his head, pushing himself into a sitting position. "No, I was already awake." he assured.
Ziggy breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good." He paused, wringing his hands together. "Thank you for saving me." he whispered, making Dillon remember that he had been thrown through in order to protect Ziggy. "No problem." he whispered, suddenly really glad he had done it. He did not want Ziggy to see that future at all.
Silence descended between them. After a minute, Ziggy sat down next to him on the bed, looking at him with wide eyes. "Are you okay? I asked the Doc but she just said something about temporal portals and weird energy readings and I didn't get it at all." he said. Dillon smiled slightly in amusement. "I'm fine."
Ziggy smiled widely, "That's good." he whispered. Dillon stared at him, taking in the sunny smile he was getting. He had missed it. He looked into Ziggy's dark brown eyes, holding a new appreciation for the innocence in them. Ziggy's eyes were bright and happy and, above all, they were alive. He leaned forward quickly, pulling Ziggy into a tight hug. Ziggy blinked in surprise but easily returned the tight embrace. "Dillon, what's going on?"
Dillon smiled into Ziggy's short, curly hair. "Do me a favor Zig?" he asked. When he felt Ziggy nod he pulled back just enough to look the younger man in the eyes. Ziggy looked so very young right now and there was so much trust and faith in his eyes. "Don't change Ziggy. Not ever." He requested. Ziggy smiled slightly, his eyes bathed in confusion. But he didn't question him. "I don't plan to." he told him.
He just smile at his friend, looking at him closely. Ziggy was his friend and he cared about him greatly. The attraction he'd felt towards the other Ziggy was still there, just below the surface like it had always been. He reached forward, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Ziggy's face. He could learn to love Ziggy. He was already half way there.
---
Ziggy led him down into Doctor K's lab where he immediately had the attention of all the other Rangers. Dillon frowned, slowly looking around. This lab was so much smaller than Kat's and the team was so much bigger, it made him feel slightly crowded. He felt a small thrill flow through him when he saw Scott, Flynn, and Summer standing there, safe and unharmed. He felt almost giddy when he noticed Gem and Gemma staring at him with identical looks of concern, seeming to be in full twin mode. He stopped on Doctor K, taking in the short hair and black school-like uniform. "And I'd just gotten used to calling you Kat." he muttered.
K's eyebrows shot up as she stared at him. Her expression was quizzical but still slightly blank and her eyes were closed off. Yep, he was defiantly home. "Are you feeling well Series Black?" she asked. He looked around again and smiled slightly. "Yeah." he whispered. "Never better."
He then frowned slightly. "Where's my jacket?" he asked, remembering the small disc he'd placed in his pocket. Doctor K arched an eyebrow and held up said small disc. "Were you looking for this?" she asked.
He nodded, "That is for you." he told her. Ziggy started to bounce next to him in curiosity. "What is it?" he asked. Doctor K gave him a baleful look that made Dillon smirk slightly. Kat would never try that, not with the other Ziggy.
K slid the disc into computer and pulled up a random file. Lines upon lines of code immediately started to scroll down the larger screens. "This code is unlike anything I have ever seen." K told them. "Who ever wrote this is a genius. Beyond genius."
Dillon smiled slightly, wondering if she'd still say that if she knew it was probably Tenaya who had wrote it. "What is-
"It?" The twins asked. Gem was squinting at it and Gemma's head was tilted to the side. Doctor K shrugged, an unusual action for this version of her. "I have... absolutely no idea. And what's stranger is that I know I had a hand in writing it." she said, making them all look at her. "I recognize my own work and I can see it in there. Someone obviously helped me but I have no recollection of who it was or what this is. I wrote it but i do not remember doing so."
"You shouldn't." Dillon told her, making everyone turn to stare at him. "Because you haven't yet."
Now everyone was defiantly staring at them. "I was thrown through a temporal distortion." He told them, merely conveying what Kat had told him. Ziggy turned to him fully, giving him a disbelieving look. "What?!"
"A time portal." Doctor K translated. "You were thrown through time?" she asked him, staring at him. He nodded. "Oh yeah." he agreed. "I was in the future."
Doctor K glanced at the data still pouring down the screen. "Work like this would take months, even years. How far were you thrown?" she asked.
"Two years." he told them. "You were in the future?" Ziggy asked excitedly. "What was it like?"
He frowned, looking around. Doctor K had gone back to looking at the files curiously but all the Rangers were staring at him, waiting for information. But he refused to tell them the truth. "I'm not saying." he told them. Ziggy pouted slightly but didn't argue. Dillon looked down at him and smiled softly. "Don't ever change Zig." he whispered again.
---
Two Years Later
Sunday. August 24th, 2062. It was the day Dillon had first arrived in the future. Now, it marked the start of a whole new one. Dillon smiled slightly to himself as he sat on the roof, staring out at the city. Doctor K had managed to finish the anti-virus in time. He had never lost to Venjix, had never killed his friends, had never hurt Ziggy beyond repair. The world was as it should be. And he wouldn't trade it for the world.
Two years later and Venjix was holding onto its rein by its fingertips. If it had fingertips. The team had systematically destroyed nearly all of its posts, leaving the virus on the brink of destruction.
Many things were different. The team had never gone on whatever training mission outside the dome they had before, so they had never gained any gifts. Ziggy had never become a telepath or gained the seal on his arm. Scott was still in control of the team and was in the starts of a tentative relationship, although no one was sure if it was with Summer or Gem. Flynn and Gemma were finally engaged, after a long but peaceful courtship. Summer had actually gained a medical license a year ago.
Tenaya had joined the team just over a year ago. She wasn't engaged to Doctor K yet but Dillon could see the beginnings of that loving relationship in every interaction between them. It had taken everyone a long time to trust her but after a while she had joined the team once again as Ranger Series Violet. No one had ever seemed to regret the decision to trust her with that power for a single moment.
Ziggy was as he should be, whole and happy and alive. He didn't quite have the amazing strength and skill he did before, having never been able to meet the man who had taught him to fight, but Dillon had tried to teach him the basics of harnessing his inertia. The younger man had then taken the style and went with it. And they were completely in love with each other.
He looked up when he heard foot steps approach him. Ziggy was standing before him, two glasses of gold wine in his hands. The younger man smiled brightly and held out one of the glasses for him. Dillon took it thankfully, motioning the boy to sit down next to him. Ziggy did so, his smile warming. Dillon thought briefly then held out his glass. "To us." he said. "And the people we could have been."
Ziggy didn't question the strange toast, merely touched the rims of their glasses together then linked their arms through each other's. Dillon smiled at the familiar move, shifting closer so he could drink his wine. Once that was done, Ziggy drew back. His smile was still warm. Dillon placed his glass down and tugged Ziggy's away from his hand before pulling him into a kiss. Ziggy melted into the contact, his arms wrapping around his neck and his lips parting invitingly.
Dillon smiled slightly into the kiss and pushed the boy onto his back, sweeping his tongue through the moist cavern of Ziggy's mouth. When he pulled back, Ziggy was flushed and panting but there was a smile on his face. "To us." he echoed.
Dillon nuzzled into the boy's neck, his words ghosting across his skin. "To us; the Tainted and the Broken."