In the Line of Sight

[Red Ranger 1]

Thanks for all the comments, hope you like this one.

CHAPTER 11

“Miles, have we got a computer?”Rabbit asked.

Miles looked hard at her for a moment then pointed to the computer standing prominently in the corner of the room.

“Oh, I wonder what that was.”Rabbit stared hard at it.“It’s not as easy to carry around as Dexter’s.”

“That’s because it’s a desktop and…Why do you need a computer anyway?”

“Well…now that we’ve got rid of Nicole and Ben-I mean, found them and Lucas somewhere to live-I was wondering if I should find a flat for Xavier and April.”

“Are they looking for one?”

“They might be when I’ve finished with them.”Rabbit shook her head, dismissing the idea.“Nope, one operation’s enough to be getting on with.I need to meet Lily and VJ and synchronise our watches.See you later.”

“Rabbit, hold up!”Miles called,“I need to ask you about something.”

Rabbit paused.“Yeah, what?”

Miles thought for a moment.“Actually…you’d probably call me an idiot or something.See you later.”He watched Rabbit flounced off then turned round to see Gypsy coming in.“Gypsy!”He grabbed her by the arms and manoeuvred her towards the sofa.

“Miles, I’ll be late for my shift at the Diner,”she protested.

“I’ll just tell Irene you were delayed by your insane boyfriend.I need to ask you something.”Miles took a deep breath.“If I asked you to marry me, what would you say?”

Gypsy thought for a moment.“I’d say…it’s something I can see happening at some point in the future but we haven’t been together long enough and I’ve only just moved in, so we shouldn’t be thinking about it yet.”

“Yeah.That’s what I thought.”

“Anything else?”

“Nope.”Miles waited until Gypsy had got up before asking,“Does this mean I can tell myself that we’re engaged to be engaged?”

Gypsy patted him on the shoulder.“If it makes you feel better.”

“Just wait there!”Rabbit called back into the classroom.She headed towards the stairs, where she found Lily and VJ gazing into each other’s eyes and sharing a tentative kiss.Rabbit rolled her eyes.“When I said keep a look out, I didn’t mean you were meant to look at each other!”

The two looked embarrassed.“Mrs.Palmer’s in the office,”Lily reported.

“And Miss Scott’s just behind you,”VJ added.

Rabbit swung round to face Bianca, who cast her eye over the three of them.“Are you meant to be in the school?”she asked.

“Wait there,”Rabbit told her, hurrying up the stairs.Bianca looked curiously at VJ and Lily, who shifted uncomfortably.A few moments later, Rabbit emerged from the office, dragging Gina by the hand.

“Rabbit, I really do have work to be getting on with,”Gina was protesting.

“This is important,”Rabbit assured her, taking Bianca’s hand as well and leading the two teachers towards the classroom.

Xavier and April were sat on one of the front desks, holding hands and looking rather nervous.Rabbit gestured for Gina and Bianca to sit on the teacher’s desk in front of them.“You should probably sit down for this.”

They did so and there was an awkward silence for a few moments.The two teens looked pointedly at Rabbit, Lily and VJ clustered in the doorway.“You probably want to do this alone,”Rabbit decided, ushering her friends out.

Gina looked at the teens.“Well?”

“We’ve got something to tell you,”April explained nervously.

Gina sighed.“You’re not.”

“Not what?”

“Getting married.”

“No!”Xavier cried,“We’re…”It took a warning look from April to stop him blurting it out.“We-that is, April and I-we’re going to have a baby.”

Bianca looked at April.“You’re pregnant?”

April nodded.

“Oh, Xavier,”Gina sighed.

“Mum!”Xavier protested in a pained tone of voice.

“Well, what do you expect me to say?”

“That you’re happy?”

Gina looked at him sceptically.“Happy?”

“Mrs.Palmer, neither Xavier or I planned this,”April explained,“But we love each other and we love this baby and we want to be good parents.And we’d like it if you two helped us.”

“Have you told Mum?”Bianca asked.

April sighed.“No.”

“Can I do it?”Bianca thought for a moment.“I just wish I could see her face…”

“Look at Mum’s,”Xavier suggested,“That’ll give you a fair idea of what she’ll look like.”

“Am I the only one taking this seriously?”Gina demanded.

“Come on, Gina,”Bianca interceded,“April’s hardly the first seventeen-year-old girl to get pregnant and not every teenage father steps up the way Xavier has.I think they are taking it seriously and I think we should be proud of them.”

Gina sighed.“Well, I guess I can’t exactly tell you to stop being pregnant, can I?Would ‘Congratulations’ be appropriate?”

Xavier and April smiled with relief.“Yes,”Xavier confirmed.

Gina hugged them both.“Congratulations then.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thanks for the comments, hope you like this one.

CHAPTER 12

Despite its small size, Lucas and Nicole’s flat suddenly seemed very full.Nicole and April were bent over Ben’s crib, while Xavier hovered about nearby.Lucas, Gina and Romeo were all there as well, standing sedately nearby while Rabbit bounced about in front of them.

“Are you sure about this?”April asked Nicole.

“You won’t drop him,”Nicole assured her.

“And hey, if you do, you’d be surprised how well babies bounce,”Lucas added.He noticed Gina’s disapproving look.“Something up, Auntie Gina?”

“Just beginning to notice a certain cousin-cousin resemblance with regards the inappropriate sense of humour.”

“Hey, my sense of humour’s always appropriate,”Xavier protested,“Right, Rabbit?”

“Yeah, it’s just not funny,”Rabbit agreed.

“I can always count on you to lift my spirits.”

“Just put your hands under his arms,”Nicole told April,“and lift him out.”April did as she was told.“Now put one hand underneath him like that and use the other one to support his head.”

April held Ben at head height, feeling awkward at first but slowly relaxing into it.“That’s, um, not bad,” she admitted.

Nicole gave her a reassuring smile.“Don’t worry.You’ll get used to it.”

April looked at Xavier.“You want to have a go?”

Xavier took Ben off her, holding him the way he’d seen Nicole show April.“Hey there, little fella.Guess what?Your Auntie April and I are going to have a little playmate for you!You’d like that, hey?”He stopped and sniffed the air slightly.“Um…either I’ve just done something really embarrassing or he has.”

Nicole smiled.“I think his nappy needs changing.”

Xavier looked stricken.“They still need that doing at six months?”

“You’re really in for a rude awakening, aren’t you?”Lucas asked him.

Nicole took Ben off Xavier and looked at him and April.“You want to give me a hand?”

April sighed.“Guess I’ll have to get used to it.”

Xavier hung back as the two girls took Ben out.“I’ll take the next shift!”he offered.

“I hope you are going to do your fair share when the time comes,”Gina told him warningly.

“Mum, I will.I promise.Just…give me a few months to ease my way into things.”

“Guess we’re not going to be seeing as much of each other anymore,”Romeo commented.

“You’ll have to find yourself another boyfriend,”Rabbit told him.

Romeo glared at her.“You’re really good at making me feel stupid, aren’t you?”

“It’s a gift.”Rabbit checked her watch.“Sorry, everyone, need to be a hero.See you later!”She scurried out.

Rabbit hurried into the bait shop, pulling up short at the counter.“Sorry I’m late.”

Ruby checked her watch.“Only by a couple of minutes, no sweat.”

“You sticking around?”

“Well, since you were so insistent I work this shift, yeah.”

“Good.I didn’t want to be here on my own.”

Alf looked up from where he was doing the books on the counter.“Er, hello?I am here, you know.”

“That’s what I mean,”Rabbit confirmed,“I didn’t want to be here on my own with you.”

It was at that moment that Lily came in.“Hi, everyone.”

Rabbit swung round and stared at her.She looked as shocked as anyone had ever seen her.“What are you doing here?”

“Just thought I’d drop by and see you.”

“But you’re not meant to be here!”

“Why not?”

Before Rabbit could answer, there was a crash from behind them and an anguished cry of “Mr.Stewart!” from Ruby.Rabbit hesitated for a moment.“Wait here,”she told Lily before turning and heading towards the counter.Lily waited less than a second before following her.

Alf was crouched on the floor, leaning against the wall, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.Ruby was crouched beside him, looking anxious.Rabbit and Lily crouched down too.“Don’t worry, Mr.Stewart,” Rabbit told him,“I’ve got it covered.”

“What’s wrong with him?”asked Lily, sounding scared.

“He’s having a heart attack,”Rabbit explained.She looked at Ruby.“You know what to do?”

Ruby looked stunned.“Huh?”

“You know first aid?”

“Well…I took the surf lifesavers’ course but…”

Rabbit patted her on the arm.“Trust the rabbit.”

Ruby took a deep breath before turning her attention back to Alf.“Okay, Mr.Stewart, look at me.You’re going to be okay, all right?Help’s on the way.”She glanced pointedly at Rabbit who scampered for the phone.“Just breathe deeply, okay?Nice long breaths.”She gave a couple of long deep breaths to demonstrate.She looked at Lily who’d lapsed into a scared silence and gestured to the top of the counter. “Get me one of those paper bags, will you?”She took the bag from Lily and passed it to Alf.“Okay, Mr. Stewart, breathe into this.”Alf gave her a sceptical look but complied.

Rabbit thumbed the number on the phone then raised it to her ear.“Ambulance, please.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Glad people are still liking this fic, here's a shortish chapter to be getting on with.

CHAPTER 13

Ruby, Rabbit and Lily sat outside the hospital room, waiting for news.Miles and Gypsy came hurrying up. Lily ran to her mother and hugged her.Gypsy returned the hug gently.“It’s okay, hon,”she said quietly.

“It was really scary, Mum,”Lily replied in a voice that sounded like she was trying not to cry.

Miles squeezed Rabbit’s shoulder, looking at her and Ruby.“You two all right?”

“Like Lily says, it was a pretty scary experience,”Ruby replied.She nudged Rabbit.“This one kept a cool head though.”

Rabbit gave a modest look.“It just takes a bit of practise, that’s all.”

“Give over.I totally froze.You just took control.”

“She’s good at that,”Miles confirmed.

“Have you heard anything about how he is?”asked Gypsy.

Ruby shook her head.“We’re still waiting.”

It was at that moment that Sid came out of the treatment room.Everyone looked at him expectedly.“We’ve got Alf hooked up to the monitors,”he explained,“We’ve given him some medication to prevent any damage and fibrillated him to get the heart back into rhythm.And we’re going to have to keep him monitored for a while and give him lots of bed rest.But we think he’s over the worst of it.”He gestured to the three girls.“He’s lucky these three acted so promptly.”

“That was all down to me,”Rabbit replied with a grin.

“Hero of the hour again, hey?Well, he’s regained consciousness and he’s asking to see you.”

“Go on,”Miles told her,“Go and get your credit, hero.”

Rabbit sat down on Alf’s bed.“I have to say, you’re looking a little peaky, Mr.Stewart.”

“I’m feeling a bit peaky, love.”He patted her hand.“Looks like I’ve got you to thank again.”

“Just in the right place at the right time.”

“You seem to do that a lot.”

“It’s a gift.One of many as it happens.”

“Shame you and Ruby have got school.I could hire you to run the shop for me.”

Rabbit thought for a moment.“What about getting Lucas to run it?I’m sure Mr.Palmer would give him the time off.Mrs.Palmer would hang him upside down out of a window if he didn’t.And he and Nicole could do with some extra money.”

“That’s not a bad idea.I’ll look into it.”Alf raised an eyebrow.“Any other advice you want to give me?”

“Never try synchronised swimming on a full stomach?”

There were a lot of people who wanted to pop in and see how Alf was, until finally Sid told them that visiting time was over and Alf needed to get some rest.Gypsy took Lily to the Diner for an ice cream to cheer her up, which left Miles and Rabbit at the house.Rabbit was quick to retrieve some ice cream from the fridge and sat munching it.Miles was making a show of reading the paper but kept glancing at her over the top of it.“You’ve got that look again,”she told him.

“What look?”

“That ‘There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?’ look.”

Miles abandoned the pretence and put the paper down.“Is there?Something you’re not telling me?”

“Like what?”

“Like why you made sure you and Ruby were at the shop when Alf had his heart attack?”

Rabbit shrugged.“Just had a feeling we needed to be.”

“You’re not going to give me a straight answer, are you?”

She grinned cheekily.“Nope.”

“But everything’s all right now, right?”He waited for an answer.Rabbit continued eating ice cream. “Right?”

Rabbit looked up.“It will be.If we get it right.”

“Get what right?”

“Don’t know.But it’ll be soon.One of those big things we’ve got to do.And if we get it wrong, a lot of people are going to be in trouble.”

Miles sighed.“I hate it when you say things like that.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thanks for the comments, Zetti, Carina, lozlovesh&a and elikell.Hope everyone likes this one.

CHAPTER 14

There was a large crowd of Year 12 students gathered around a coach outside the school.Liam and Bianca stood in front of them.Liam waved a sheet of paper over his head.“Everyone remember to bring your worksheets!If you haven’t got them, you won’t know what to do!Because they’ve sent a music teacher and a language teacher on a science outing,”he added quietly, so only Bianca could hear.

“You know Gina couldn’t leave the school,”Bianca told him out of the corner of her mouth, whilst keeping a confident smile plastered on her face.

“Remember, this outing counts towards your coursework!”Liam continued, raising his voice again so the class could hear,“So stay focused!”

Dexter took a deep breath.“Ah, fresh air.Really makes you wish you were inside.”

“Yeah, aren’t we a bit old for nature trips?”Ruby complained.

“Come on, everyone,”Xavier told them,“This isn’t about nature or about our final results.This is about not being in school!”

“So speaks the soon to be responsible father figure,”Romeo noted.

“Hey, I’m on a learning curve, okay?”Xavier slipped an arm around April’s shoulder.“You sure you’re okay to be going on this trip?”

“I’m pregnant, Xavier,”April snapped,“I’m not dying.”

“Yeah, Xav, you’re meant to be a supportive fellow parent to be,”Romeo chided him jokingly.He grabbed Xavier in a headlock, ruffling his hair.“On behalf of my surrogate godchild, I’m gonna have to punish you.”

“Get off!”Xavier shouted in mock pain, pulling clear,“Or when my kid gets older, I’ll tell him that Uncle Romeo really likes having that done to him.”He caught the warning glare from April.“Him or her,”he amended quickly,“But even if it’s a girl, she’s still gonna kick your…”

“Hey, enough chatting,”Bianca interrupted,“Get on the bus.”She put an arm round April’s shoulder.“You sure you’re gonna be okay on this trip?”

April shrugged the arm off with a look of irritation.“I’ll be fine,”she said testily and headed onto the bus, Xavier, Romeo and Dexter followed her.

Ruby lowered her voice and spoke conspiratorially to Bianca.“I think she’s turning into a crazy hormonal pregnant woman.”Bianca glared at her and Ruby raised her hands placatingly before hurrying onto the coach.

In one of the classrooms, Rabbit suddenly gave a start.She raised her hand.“Mrs.Palmer, can I be excused?”

Gina stopped the speech she’d been giving and looked at Rabbit with annoyance.“The lesson’s only just started, Rabbit.Can’t you wait?”

“It’s a matter of life and death!”

“Now, I think you’re exaggerating…”

“No, really, it is.I’ve got this feeling and when I get my feelings you don’t ignore me.”

Gina looked unconvinced to say the least.“Could you perhaps give me more evidence than your feeling?”

Rabbit thought hard for a moment.“You were wearing pink bunny slippers and a grey dressing gown last night.And when Mr.Palmer saw you, he said…”

“Okay, Rabbit, you’re excused,”Gina interrupted quickly.

Rabbit smiled and headed for the door.She paused next to Gina.“What does it mean anyway?”

“Close the door on the way out.”

Miles was teaching in one of the nearby classrooms when Rabbit came rushing in.“Miles, the coach has gone!”

He stared at her for a few seconds.“Sorry, am I meant to understand this conversation?”

Rabbit rolled her eyes.“Can I have a word with you outside?”They headed out into the corridor.“The coach that Dexter and the others are on.It’s gone.”

“Well, yeah, that’s what it was there for.To take them somewhere, not to sit in the car park all day.”He paused, thinking about it.“Oh, I get it.Everyone on the coach is in mortal danger and unless I do something to stop it there’s going to be a big disaster.I know the drill.”

“That’s why we work together so well.”

Miles opened the classroom door.“Corey?Congratulations, you’ve just been promoted to class teacher.Get everyone to read their textbooks from Page 45 onwards and if anyone ask where I am, tell them I’m in a phone box putting my underpants outside my trousers.”He closed the door and turned to Rabbit.“Let’s go then.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thanks for all the comments, hope you like this.

CHAPTER 15

“Are you sure this is the right way?”Rabbit asked as Miles drove them along a country road.

“I’ve been living here long enough to know the way to Reefton Lakes,”Miles replied,“And the spot they were heading for is about two miles before we get there, on the left.”

“It just doesn’t feel right.”

“Oh?What does feel right?”

Rabbit thought long and hard for a few minutes.“Something else,”she said at last.

Miles sighed.“Thanks.”

Suddenly, they saw something ahead of them.Two police cars were parked across the road, with officers on duty next to them.Emergency lights could be seen flashing in the distance.“Told you,”Rabbit sighed.

Miles stopped the car and Constable Watson came over to the vehicle.“What’s going on?”he asked her.

“Overturned lorry,”she explained,“Petrol spill.The road’s closed until the fire brigade can deal with it.”

“Have you seen a school coach anywhere along here?”

She nodded.“We turned them back about twenty minutes ago.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“So what do we do now?”Rabbit asked after Watson had gone.

Miles sat in thought.“They could have turned round and gone back to the school, but then we’d have passed them.So…they must be trying to get there another way.”He snapped his fingers at her and pointed to the glove box.“Map.”

Rabbit pulled a face.“You’re so bossy.”She reached inside and took a map out.

Miles laid it flat on the steering wheel.“Okay, so we’re here and they were trying to get to here and…the only other route would be if they’d headed back towards town and gone along the coast.But again…”

“We’d have passed them,”Rabbit concluded.She gestured to the map.“What’s this?Some sort of track?”

“Kind of.It’s been closed off for years.”

“Why?”

“Well, because it’s dangerous.Marshland.Put your foot in the wrong place and you’ll get sucked right under.”He stopped and looked at her, the same thought occurring to them both at the same time.

“I, ah, didn’t see a warning sign when we went past,”Rabbit commented.

“Neither did I,”Miles agreed.

“Do you think someone took it away for a joke?”

“If they did, it would be a pretty dangerous joke.Add in a coach driver that probably doesn’t know the area and two teachers that are still quite new…”

“Drive,”Rabbit told him.

As they’d suspected, there was no warning sign.Miles drove along the track, taking it slowly, always making sure the front wheels weren’t sinking and he could reverse back if they did.It would be ironic to go there on a rescue mission and need rescuing.

Then they saw the coach ahead of them.Miles stopped the car and they both got out.He circled round carefully.They could see that the coach was submerged in swamp by about two feet, reaching up over the wheels and covering the lower few of the steps down.The coach door was open and Liam and Bianca could be seen in the doorway, nervous children crowding behind them.“Stay back,”Liam warned them.

“Can you get out?”Miles asked.

Liam lifted up his foot, bare except for his sock.“Tried that and my shoe’s at the bottom of that lot somewhere.”

“Can you tow us out?”Xavier asked from behind the two teachers.

Dexter shot him a scornful look.“Yeah, maybe if he had a tank.That old heap?No chance.”

“Maybe we could build a bridge of some sort,”April suggested.

“Yes, but what with?”Bianca asked.

“How about these?”Rabbit enquired.Everyone looked at her and found that she was now holding a large rectangle of wood.“There’s another one in the back of the car.I got them from the woodwork room.”

Miles took the wood from her.“You just happened to pick them up?”

Rabbit shrugged.“Just thought they might be useful.”

Miles experimentally tapped the grass ahead of him, finding the edge of the marsh and laying the wood over it.By then, Rabbit had come back from the car with the second block of wood.Miles walked cautiously over the first block and then laid the second block at the end of it, walking over that to the coach.“Okay, if it can hold my weight, it can hold anyone’s,”he told them,“But we’d better be quick, they’ll start sinking soon.”

“April, you go first,”Xavier said.

April hesitated.“I shouldn’t…”

“Pregnant women first,”Bianca told her,“Go on.”

Miles took April’s hand and helped her down.“Just walk in a straight line towards Rabbit,”he told her, before turning to the other students,“All right, come on, all of you.But not too many at a time.We don’t want to put too much weight on it.”

Miles counted off the other students as they passed him:Xavier, Dexter, Ruby, Romeo.Then the bus driver and finally Liam and Bianca.“Okay, let’s go,”he told them.

The three teachers set off at a brisk pace towards land.But, just after Miles and Bianca had stepped off the block of wood nearest the coach, it suddenly started sinking.Before Liam could take another step, his feet were lodged firmly in the marsh water.

“Liam!”Bianca gasped, making to turn back.Miles saw the wood they were on starting to sink and grabbed her arm, pulling her back onto dry land just before that disappeared too.

“Liam, can you move?”Miles called.

Liam tried moving his feet but he was already submerged up to his ankles.“Not a chance.”

“Well, don’t struggle!You’ll only sink faster!”

“Is that HSC Science?”asked Xavier.

“No, I saw it in an Indiana Jones film.”Miles took a deep breath.“Okay, we need to pull Liam out.We need something we can reach him with.”

“Like this?”asked Rabbit, who was suddenly holding a long broken tree branch.

Miles took it from her.“Yeah, that’s it.”He held the tree branch at the end and held it out to Liam, who grasped the other end.“Right, Romeo, Xavier, give me a hand.”

The three of them began pulling on the end of the branch, slowly but surely dragging Liam through the marsh towards them.When he got within reach, Dexter stuck out a hand and grasped it and helped pull Liam back onto dry land…but the sudden exertion left him teetering on the edge, off balance, about to fall in…

Rabbit grabbed hold of the back of his trousers and pulled him backwards, so he overbalanced and landed on his behind.

He breathed a sigh of relief.“Thanks, future girl.”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thank you for the comments, everyone!Hope you like this.

CHAPTER 16

Although there had been no injuries more serious than a few cuts and bruises, the students from the bus had ended up being taken to the hospital to be checked over, in case of some injury that had gone unnoticed or shock.April was lying on a bed in one of the examination rooms, Xavier by her side and holding her hand, while Nurse Julie ran a sonography scanner over her stomach.“Everything is all right, isn’t it?”April asked nervously,“I took quite a bump when the coach stopped.”

“Well, we’ll see in a minute,”Julie told her.She checked the monitor screen then turned it round to face the two teens, showing them the image of the small human foetus, its heart beating in a reassuring manner.“I’d say everything looks perfectly fine.”

“He’s all right?”Xavier asked, wanting to make certain.

“He?”April repeated.

“He, she…”Xavier looked at Julie.“Can you tell?”

“It’s a bit early for that,”she replied,“But I’d say that you’ll find out for yourselves in about seven months.”She smiled at them and turned off the monitor.“The doctor will probably want to keep you in for observation, just to be the on the safe side, but I think you’re both going to be fine.I’ll be back shortly.”She left them alone.

Xavier stroked April’s forehead.“How are you feeling?”

“I dunno.I don’t think I realised how much I wanted this baby until I thought I might lose it and then seeing that monitor…”

“Amazing, huh?”

“I mean, I know we’re young and we’re still at school and everything’s a mess but we’ll be good parents, won’t we?”

“Course we will,”Xavier replied with a smile,“This kid’s going to love us and you’re going to be the hottest mum at the school gate.”He paused.“That’s your cue to say I’ll be the cutest dad.”

April smiled back.“Well, that goes without saying.”She kissed him, gently but intimately, then nodded to the door.“Check the corridor.”

Xavier did as instructed.“There’s no-one there.Why?”

April shifted over on the bed and patted the space next to her invitingly.“I don’t think the nurse will be back for at least ten minutes…”

Miles approached the waiting area where Rabbit was sitting looking innocent, with a cup of coffee in one of his hands and a drink carton with a straw stuck in it in the other.“They didn’t have carrot juice so you’ll have to have orange,”he told her, handing her the carton.

Rabbit rolled her eyes.“Very funny.”

Miles sat down next to her.“So, all this, the coach getting caught in the marsh, Liam and the others nearly getting sucked into it, is that why you ended up back here?”

Rabbit gave her best innocent look.“Maybe.”

Miles sighed.“You are never gonna give me a straight answer, are you?”

“Well, it’d kind of ruin my air of mystery if I did, wouldn’t it?”Rabbit raised an enigmatic eyebrow.Miles gave up.“What did the police say?”

“Charlie’s looked into the missing sign.Apparently a couple of drunks wandered past last night and thought it would be fun to toss it in the bushes.There’s a good chance they’ll be charged with endangering lives.”

“All’s well that ends well then.”

“Guess so.”Miles looked at Rabbit suspiciously.“You’ve got your ‘I’m up to something’ look on.”

“I was just thinking about Dexter.He did help me find a place for Nicole and Lucas and he helped get Liam out.He’s been vaguely useful.”

“So?”

“So, I think I’m going to reward him.”Rabbit got up and handed Miles her carton.“Won’t be long,”she told him before skipping off down the hallway.

Rabbit found her way to the room she was looking for and headed in there.She picked up the chart from the bed and read the name on it.“Summer Horgan-Jones,”she announced to the girl who owned the name.

“Yes,”Summer confirmed,“Er, can I help you?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“You’re that weird girl from Year 7 who helped us all out.”

Rabbit walked closer to Summer, lowering her voice and talking in a conspiratorial manner.“I’m your daughter from the future.”

Summer looked at her, seeming interested rather than disbelieving.“Really?”

Rabbit nodded.“I’ve come back in time to make sure that you and my dad get together or I’ll never be born.And it is important that he never, ever finds out who I am or that I’ve told you this.”

Summer stared at her, definitely interested.“So who is he?”

“Dad, will you get off?”Dexter complained as Sid shone a light in his eyes.

“I’m just making sure you haven’t got a concussion.”

“I didn’t even hit my head!All that happened was when Rabbit pulled me back from that marsh, I landed in an awkward place and bruised my coccyx.”

Sid raised an eyebrow.“Your what?”

“My coccyx.My tail bone.My posterior.My…”

“Yes, thank you, I know what your coccyx is,”Sid interrupted hastily,“Well, I guess you’ll just have to sit carefully for a few days.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Ah, Doctor Walker?”Summer stood in the doorway.“Is it okay if I talk to Dexter for a bit?”

“Yep, sure.”Sid closed his file.“I’ll just sort out the paperwork and then you can both go home.”

Dexter waited until Sid had gone before looking at Summer.“So, what can I do for you?”

“I just wondered if you wanted to go out some time, to a movie or maybe for a meal?”

Dexter paused, looking around the room as though expecting a prank.“You’re talking to me, right?Dexter Walker?”

Summer nodded.“Yep.”

“Well, yeah, that’d be nice.But…this is a bit out of the blue, isn’t it?”

Summer shrugged.“I just had it on good authority we’d be good together.”

In the corridor outside, the eavesdropping Rabbit punched the air in triumph.“And another victory for the champion!”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thank you for all the comments and a welcome aboard to anyone who's just started reading.This is the end, I'm afraid, but hope you enjoyed the ride.

EPILOGUE

“Will you stop fussing, woman?”Alf complained as Colleen adjusted the cushion on his deck chair for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Well, you need to look after yourself,”Colleen scolded,“When you get to our age, you need to start slowing down.Now, I’ll just get you some salad.”

“I’m going to get some meat from the barbie whether you like it or not,”Alf retorted, struggling to get up.

“Alfred Stewart,”Colleen snapped in a warning voice,“You stay right where you are.”

Alf sank back in his chair, resigned to his fate.

“Poor Mr.Stewart,”Nicole sighed as she and Lucas watched from nearby.

“At least he’s looking better now,”Lucas commented,“Even if Colleen does seem to be on the verge of giving him a relapse.”

“Maybe I should go over and chat to him,”Nicole suggested, taking a step in that direction.

Lucas caught her arm and pulled her back.“Who would you rather hang out with, Mr.Stewart or me?”

“Well, when you put it like that…”Nicole started kissing him.

“Get a room, you guys!”Xavier called from where he was standing with April and Romeo.

“Already got one!”Lucas called back without shifting his attention away from Nicole.

“All thanks to our friendly neighbourhood rabbit!”Nicole added.

Miles and Gypsy were supervising the barbeque when Miles swept her off her feet and kissed her.“Well, that was a nice surprise,”she remarked.

“Well, why should the young ones have all the fun?”he replied.He drew her to a secluded spot nearby. “Romeo, keep an eye on the barbie!I just need to make out with my girlfriend for a bit.”

VJ and Lily watched the scene.“I don’t think they’re going to stop any time soon,”VJ commented.Lily turned round and kissed him.“What was that for?”

Lily shrugged.“If you can’t beat them, join them.”

“Okay.”He kissed her back.

Romeo turned the burgers and sausages over before looking at Xavier and April, who were standing with their arms around each other.“I was kinda expecting Dexter to turn up.”

“You thinking of making him your new boyfriend?”Xavier asked.

Romeo held up the barbeque fork.“Careful, this is red hot, you know.”

“He’s on a date with Summer,”April explained,“So I think you’ve missed out there.”

“Where did those two being an item come from?”Romeo asked.

“Beats me,”Xavier admitted.

“And what about you two?”

Xavier smiled at April.“Well, Mum and John have agreed to April moving in with us.They’re gonna help us bring up the baby.”

“And Bianca’s gonna be playing doting auntie,”April added,“So I think this baby’s gonna have a lot of love.”

Romeo smiled.“Well, from someone who didn’t have good parents, I reckon you two have got what it takes.”

Xavier patted him on the shoulder.“Thanks, handsome.”

Miles broke off from kissing Gypsy and glanced across the park.“I think there’s someone I need to have a word with.”

“Okay.”She gave him a last quick kiss.“I’ll be giving Romeo a hand.”

“Catch up with you later,”he agreed, patting her on the bottom as they walked in opposite directions.

“I’ll have you up on a sexual harrassment charge, Mr.Copeland!”she called after him.

“Promises, promises!”he called back.He headed over to where two deck chairs were set up under a tree and sat in the empty one before looking across at Rabbit.“Admiring your handiwork?”

Rabbit looked nonchalant.“Don’t know what you mean.”

“Well, they all seem to be pretty happy and I think that’s got a lot to do with you.”He looked at her carefully.“You know, I keep expecting you to vanish in a puff of smoke or something.”

Rabbit sighed.“So do I.”

“And?”

“And…it’s not happening.I seem to be stuck here.”She gave a sudden grin.“Which means you’re stuck with me.”

Miles tried to look disappointed.He didn’t really manage it.“Lucky me.”

Rabbit gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder.“I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

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