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estiroseThis is a ficlet set in the same universe as "Dreamt-of Call" and may or may not fit in with part five when I write it. It features Angelie Robinson, who is a possibly slightly AU version of a very minor canon character (to be more specific, the woman at the orphanage in "Ranger Green"). I may yet be writing the canon version of her a fic.
To Smile, Stealing Him Away
By Estirose
C 2011
Angelie Robinson looked down at her injured helper, lying in his hospital bed. Ziggy had been caught by a tree while saving one of the kids; it looked like he'd live.
"I guess I just really bruised," he was telling her. "They want to keep me in to treat the bruising and make sure there's nothing wrong, though, because the doctor says that there could be a lot of complications from this level of brusing. But I'll be okay, really!"
She wished she could share his optimism. Yes, he'd probably heal from the bruises and everything, but what about everything else? Ziggy needed protecting, just as her young charges did. True, he hadn't completely gone straight, if he did they'd be in trouble. The orphanage needed his less-than-legal skills, needed what he could do for the kids.But he was as straight as she could make him, and someday, he'd be away from the life of crime he'd practiced so long.
"Of course you will, Ziggy," she said, giving him a smile, just as she would one of the kids.
"Not that I'm complaining, mind you," Ziggy continued. "I just had the Yellow Ranger come and visit me an hour or two ago."
She struggled to keep her gentle smile up for Ziggy. She knew why the Rangers were visiting Ziggy; they had a vested interest in him, in seeing if he was one of them. She had no clue on how Ziggy had come to their attention - it had apparently been weeks, according to what she'd heard, long before he'd rescued Arcie. Maybe he was just unlucky.
"You know why they're here, right?" she asked.
He nodded. "She told me. And I guess they kind of told me before the ambulance arrived. They want to test me, but there's no way I'd pass any tests. Nothing to worry about."
If this had been anybody but Ziggy, she wouldn't have worried. But Ziggy was so young, so vulnerable. To risk tossing him into a war that he was ill-prepared to fight! He deserved a quiet life, a good one, not one where he was thrown on the front line to defend the human race when he could barely defend himself. And he was unlucky enough to be just what the Rangers needed.
Despite his confidence, she couldn't feel hopeful. She felt like to keep him in the hospital, to let the Rangers have him, was a death sentence for Ziggy. He'd heal, and he'd test, and he'd become a Ranger, even when he couldn't fight.
Ziggy had stolen things for her, for her charges. He'd kept them in one piece when they shouldn't be, with his cheeriness, with his shadow puppets, with his love and his skills. Was it any less than fair to save him, keep him in one piece, by stealing him away, taking him to the Rangers and the military couldn't find him? Once he was healed enough to be discharged, she'd have to take him away.
She knew the law. She knew that she would be breaking it. She knew that stealing was wrong, and yet she would do it. For her people. For Ziggy.
"Nothing to worry about," she echoed, still smiling, as she would when she stole him away. Giving his hand a squeeze, she prepared to leave. "There's nothing to worry about."
And, indeed for him, there would be nothing to worry about. She'd see to that.
To Smile, Stealing Him Away
By Estirose
C 2011
Angelie Robinson looked down at her injured helper, lying in his hospital bed. Ziggy had been caught by a tree while saving one of the kids; it looked like he'd live.
"I guess I just really bruised," he was telling her. "They want to keep me in to treat the bruising and make sure there's nothing wrong, though, because the doctor says that there could be a lot of complications from this level of brusing. But I'll be okay, really!"
She wished she could share his optimism. Yes, he'd probably heal from the bruises and everything, but what about everything else? Ziggy needed protecting, just as her young charges did. True, he hadn't completely gone straight, if he did they'd be in trouble. The orphanage needed his less-than-legal skills, needed what he could do for the kids.But he was as straight as she could make him, and someday, he'd be away from the life of crime he'd practiced so long.
"Of course you will, Ziggy," she said, giving him a smile, just as she would one of the kids.
"Not that I'm complaining, mind you," Ziggy continued. "I just had the Yellow Ranger come and visit me an hour or two ago."
She struggled to keep her gentle smile up for Ziggy. She knew why the Rangers were visiting Ziggy; they had a vested interest in him, in seeing if he was one of them. She had no clue on how Ziggy had come to their attention - it had apparently been weeks, according to what she'd heard, long before he'd rescued Arcie. Maybe he was just unlucky.
"You know why they're here, right?" she asked.
He nodded. "She told me. And I guess they kind of told me before the ambulance arrived. They want to test me, but there's no way I'd pass any tests. Nothing to worry about."
If this had been anybody but Ziggy, she wouldn't have worried. But Ziggy was so young, so vulnerable. To risk tossing him into a war that he was ill-prepared to fight! He deserved a quiet life, a good one, not one where he was thrown on the front line to defend the human race when he could barely defend himself. And he was unlucky enough to be just what the Rangers needed.
Despite his confidence, she couldn't feel hopeful. She felt like to keep him in the hospital, to let the Rangers have him, was a death sentence for Ziggy. He'd heal, and he'd test, and he'd become a Ranger, even when he couldn't fight.
Ziggy had stolen things for her, for her charges. He'd kept them in one piece when they shouldn't be, with his cheeriness, with his shadow puppets, with his love and his skills. Was it any less than fair to save him, keep him in one piece, by stealing him away, taking him to the Rangers and the military couldn't find him? Once he was healed enough to be discharged, she'd have to take him away.
She knew the law. She knew that she would be breaking it. She knew that stealing was wrong, and yet she would do it. For her people. For Ziggy.
"Nothing to worry about," she echoed, still smiling, as she would when she stole him away. Giving his hand a squeeze, she prepared to leave. "There's nothing to worry about."
And, indeed for him, there would be nothing to worry about. She'd see to that.
