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For Love, No Joy
Summary: Making plans doesn't mean you believe wholeheartedly in them.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Saban, not me.
Spoilers: Takes place during "Undercover Rangers". Minor references to events in previous stories.
For Love, No Joy
by Estirose
copyright 2001
Katie watched as Jen secured the wig onto her head. Wes had found it in some thrift store, and it and the glasses made quite a difference in their leader's looks. As if unaware of her teammate's attention, Jen started walking around in the imitation of some of the characters in the tape that Wes had rented. She had to admit that Jen was a good actor.
From the other side, Wes emerged. Katie hadn't been sure about either's ability to pull off being 'geeks', the kind of person who would be attracted to the Super Strong gym like bees to honey, but the two of them could easily pass off as what they pretended to be.
Oddly enough, even with his hair pulled back like Alex's, Wes didn't seem like Alex at all. Katie wasn't sure enough to say if it was the extra-thick glasses or his whole demeanour.
Unfortunately, jarring the whole image of the hopeless pair of geeks was the sight of the morphers sitting there plain as day. Normally undercover officers would take anything distinctive off, but Jen had vetoed that, saying that the risk of being discovered was far less than finding themselves without the ability to morph if this happened to be a plan of Ransik's or Frax's. And since Jen was heading up the team, the rest of them had given in. There was time later to talk to her about unwise command decisions.
The pair examined each other for what seemed like a few minutes before Jen looked at the rest of the team. "We're going in."
With that, the two of them left. She could see Trip staring at them, as if he had been denied the opportunity to go out for his favourite sweet instead of someone who had wisely been left off a mission. While Trip was the right type of person who would go for such a scheme, his hair was very distinctive and she didn't trust the chemicals people used in the twenty-first century to dye hair.
Trip chose to start whining at that moment. "Lucas, why couldn't have I gone?"
Inwardly she sighed. Well, Lucas would tell him, all right. Trip might get sulky because of what Lucas said, but at least eventually he would recognize the truth.
"Because I was tired of listening to the two of them," Lucas answered. "And if you'd been here, you'd be pushing them to go out, too!"
It wasn't quite what Katie expected, and from his expression, she knew that it wasn't an answer that Trip had expected, either.
"What happened?" she asked. "Did they have another fight?"
But as soon as the words had left her mouth, she knew that they were wrong. Given the many times that Jen or Wes had irritated the other, the rest of the team should know the symptoms of another fight by now. And Wes and Jen hadn't been acting in any such way.
Lucas snorted. "That would have been easier. It's just like right now they turned into a pair of lovestruck teens. I can't get either to admit this to the other's face, and this pussyfooting around the issue is driving me nuts! Jen's too proud to admit she's fallen for Wes, and Wes can't seem to admit he's in love with Jen. If I thought it would do any good, I'd say it for them."
"I could say it," Trip offered. "They would believe me."
"Wouldn't do any good," Lucas told their other teammate. "I've seen this kind of thing before. Somebody's got to get those two to admit things to each other. We either need to lock those two together in a room until they come clean with each other, or leave them alone long enough. I don't know which would be better."
Katie shook her head. "Maybe leave well enough alone. I mean, remember what Wes is?"
Looking at her two teammates' faces, she knew that it didn't make a dent of difference to them. Trip was too close to his friend to see the problem, Lucas too adamant about Wes being any different. It seemed that she alone knew what pitfalls lay ahead for this particular romance. Wes and Jen were doomed, it was just that nobody here knew that yet. Even if Wes was willing to return to the thirtieth century with the rest of them, how would he adapt? And how would the century take him?
She knew how certain parties in her home century would take him. They'd never leave the two in peace.
"I still say that we should get the two of them together," Lucas replied, though he looked at Trip, the incurable romantic where Wes was concerned. "Or do the two of you want to suffer through the mission having to watch Jen and Wes act like teenagers too afraid to ask for a date? I mean, they're Time Force officers. They're supposed to be mature!"
"I don't think Wes believes that Jen could ever be in love with him," Trip said softly. "I visited him when Alex was here, and I don't think he wanted to be in love with Jen and not have her love him in return. I mean, can you imagine how that feels? He thinks he's got this puppydog crush on her."
"As I said, we need to get the two together," Lucas stated firmly. "Until the two of them realize they're being stupid, we're not going to get any peace."
Heart sinking, she realized that Lucas was right. She may not wish for Wes and Jen to get together, not under these circumstances, but there may not have been a choice in the matter. She, like the two others, had seen the way the two had started to act towards one another. Who was she to block them?
Besides, Wes had stated that he wasn't going back with them. Not for Jen, not for Trip, not for anyone. Jen and Wes would have their fling, and then Jen would go back and leave Wes behind. She couldn't imagine by-the-book Jen refusing to return, or rebelling to stay with him. And if Jen did, she'd be there to talk sense into her.
"Are you guys in?" Lucas demanded.
Trip nodded, looking entirely too happy for his own good. She could see a hundred schemes running through the relatively innocent Xybrian's mind. Katie turned her head, noticing that Lucas had that stare which meant that he was waiting for an answer. Waiting for her.
"I am," she said finally, finding no joy in the matter, for what was the joy in bringing two people together when you only had to bring them apart again? Still, maybe, despite everything, Jen and Wes deserved a few moments of happiness.
"Good," Lucas said. "Now, here's what we do...."
With a heavy heart, Katie bent slightly towards Lucas and Trip, and listened.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Saban, not me.
Spoilers: Takes place during "Undercover Rangers". Minor references to events in previous stories.
For Love, No Joy
by Estirose
copyright 2001
Katie watched as Jen secured the wig onto her head. Wes had found it in some thrift store, and it and the glasses made quite a difference in their leader's looks. As if unaware of her teammate's attention, Jen started walking around in the imitation of some of the characters in the tape that Wes had rented. She had to admit that Jen was a good actor.
From the other side, Wes emerged. Katie hadn't been sure about either's ability to pull off being 'geeks', the kind of person who would be attracted to the Super Strong gym like bees to honey, but the two of them could easily pass off as what they pretended to be.
Oddly enough, even with his hair pulled back like Alex's, Wes didn't seem like Alex at all. Katie wasn't sure enough to say if it was the extra-thick glasses or his whole demeanour.
Unfortunately, jarring the whole image of the hopeless pair of geeks was the sight of the morphers sitting there plain as day. Normally undercover officers would take anything distinctive off, but Jen had vetoed that, saying that the risk of being discovered was far less than finding themselves without the ability to morph if this happened to be a plan of Ransik's or Frax's. And since Jen was heading up the team, the rest of them had given in. There was time later to talk to her about unwise command decisions.
The pair examined each other for what seemed like a few minutes before Jen looked at the rest of the team. "We're going in."
With that, the two of them left. She could see Trip staring at them, as if he had been denied the opportunity to go out for his favourite sweet instead of someone who had wisely been left off a mission. While Trip was the right type of person who would go for such a scheme, his hair was very distinctive and she didn't trust the chemicals people used in the twenty-first century to dye hair.
Trip chose to start whining at that moment. "Lucas, why couldn't have I gone?"
Inwardly she sighed. Well, Lucas would tell him, all right. Trip might get sulky because of what Lucas said, but at least eventually he would recognize the truth.
"Because I was tired of listening to the two of them," Lucas answered. "And if you'd been here, you'd be pushing them to go out, too!"
It wasn't quite what Katie expected, and from his expression, she knew that it wasn't an answer that Trip had expected, either.
"What happened?" she asked. "Did they have another fight?"
But as soon as the words had left her mouth, she knew that they were wrong. Given the many times that Jen or Wes had irritated the other, the rest of the team should know the symptoms of another fight by now. And Wes and Jen hadn't been acting in any such way.
Lucas snorted. "That would have been easier. It's just like right now they turned into a pair of lovestruck teens. I can't get either to admit this to the other's face, and this pussyfooting around the issue is driving me nuts! Jen's too proud to admit she's fallen for Wes, and Wes can't seem to admit he's in love with Jen. If I thought it would do any good, I'd say it for them."
"I could say it," Trip offered. "They would believe me."
"Wouldn't do any good," Lucas told their other teammate. "I've seen this kind of thing before. Somebody's got to get those two to admit things to each other. We either need to lock those two together in a room until they come clean with each other, or leave them alone long enough. I don't know which would be better."
Katie shook her head. "Maybe leave well enough alone. I mean, remember what Wes is?"
Looking at her two teammates' faces, she knew that it didn't make a dent of difference to them. Trip was too close to his friend to see the problem, Lucas too adamant about Wes being any different. It seemed that she alone knew what pitfalls lay ahead for this particular romance. Wes and Jen were doomed, it was just that nobody here knew that yet. Even if Wes was willing to return to the thirtieth century with the rest of them, how would he adapt? And how would the century take him?
She knew how certain parties in her home century would take him. They'd never leave the two in peace.
"I still say that we should get the two of them together," Lucas replied, though he looked at Trip, the incurable romantic where Wes was concerned. "Or do the two of you want to suffer through the mission having to watch Jen and Wes act like teenagers too afraid to ask for a date? I mean, they're Time Force officers. They're supposed to be mature!"
"I don't think Wes believes that Jen could ever be in love with him," Trip said softly. "I visited him when Alex was here, and I don't think he wanted to be in love with Jen and not have her love him in return. I mean, can you imagine how that feels? He thinks he's got this puppydog crush on her."
"As I said, we need to get the two together," Lucas stated firmly. "Until the two of them realize they're being stupid, we're not going to get any peace."
Heart sinking, she realized that Lucas was right. She may not wish for Wes and Jen to get together, not under these circumstances, but there may not have been a choice in the matter. She, like the two others, had seen the way the two had started to act towards one another. Who was she to block them?
Besides, Wes had stated that he wasn't going back with them. Not for Jen, not for Trip, not for anyone. Jen and Wes would have their fling, and then Jen would go back and leave Wes behind. She couldn't imagine by-the-book Jen refusing to return, or rebelling to stay with him. And if Jen did, she'd be there to talk sense into her.
"Are you guys in?" Lucas demanded.
Trip nodded, looking entirely too happy for his own good. She could see a hundred schemes running through the relatively innocent Xybrian's mind. Katie turned her head, noticing that Lucas had that stare which meant that he was waiting for an answer. Waiting for her.
"I am," she said finally, finding no joy in the matter, for what was the joy in bringing two people together when you only had to bring them apart again? Still, maybe, despite everything, Jen and Wes deserved a few moments of happiness.
"Good," Lucas said. "Now, here's what we do...."
With a heavy heart, Katie bent slightly towards Lucas and Trip, and listened.