Frozen In Time

Wesley Collins was miserable. He missed his friends from the future terribly and he'd never stopped loving Jen. Now that she was gone, he had nothing to live for anymore. Each day had become the same as every other. He was only here now because his dad had dragged him along to try and snap him out of his slump. So now he was at Bio Lab, where he was watching a team of his father's scientists working on a new project that would hopefully allow them to cryogenically freeze a live specimen and revive it at a later date. The frozen subject would be in a state of suspended animation that would prevent them from aging or anything until they were revived. Wes was uninterested until the scientists revealed that they still needed a live subject to try it on. They couldn't test it on animals, for fear of irritating the animal rights people, and they couldn't use bugs because bugs were too hard to tell if they were alive or not. Wes realized that if he were frozen and didn't age like everyone else, then he might be able to be unthawed in Jen's time. Wes decided he wanted to be the guinea pig for the experiment, but knew he had to make sure his father didn't know. If his father found out, then he'd stop Wes from going through with it, so Wes kept his mouth shut at the lab and at home, then made copies of his medical records to take with him later to the lab. He'd decided to fake tiredness at dinner, ask to be excused early, lock his door, make sure his father knew he was in there, then slip out the window and down to the lab. He still had the all black outfit he had worn when he and Eric had broken the other Rangers out of his dad's compound years ago, and he knew it was perfect for not being seen sneaking down to the lab.

That evening, just as planned, Wes feigned tiredness and slipped out the window once his dad quit checking up on him. He ran down to the lab, his black clothes and mask helping him blend in with the shadows perfectly. He got to the lab and found the scientists still working on trying to find the right test subject for the experiment. "Perhaps I can help you there. I'm willing to be your test subject," Wes spoke up and stepped into the light. "Who are you?" one of the scientists asked. "I'll tell you on one condition. You have to promise not to tell Mr. Collins that I came to see you about this or who I am. Otherwise, I won't tell you who I am and I won't help you," Wes said. The scientists finally agreed and Wes revealed his identity. Once they found out it was Wes, though, they refused to let him do it, knowing his father would be angry if they risked his only son's life that way. Seeing no other way, Wes told them everything about his history with the Power Rangers and Jen, revealing that without her, he had no reason left to live. After hearing that, the scientists reluctantly agreed and promised not to tell his father. Wes left the medical records with them and the head scientist locked them up where Alan Collins couldn't find them.

Wes ran back to the mansion and slipped into his room as quiet as a mouse. He didn't tell anyone he had agreed to be their guinea pig. His father never suspected what Wes had done. In the weeks that followed, Alan Collins noticed that his son had become a lot quieter and more withdrawn than usual. He hardly spoke to anyone and he stayed in his room or rode his motorcycle around town. His father grew worried about him and asked him what was wrong. Wes mumbled something under his breath and wandered off, knowing his father couldn't possibly realize what was really bothering him. He tried to relax, but he was worried that something would go wrong and he would end up not only frozen, but dead too! He wanted to be with Jen, but he couldn't stop worrying. His dreams at night were so awful, he woke up sweating, but he shoved his fears aside and got ready for the test.

The day before the test, he was so nervous he could hardly eat or drink anything. His dad tried to get him to go to the doctor, but Wes insisted he was fine and that he'd be better in the morning. He ate his breakfast the next morning, but was so nervous that he could barely stomach it. He managed to look like he was okay and pretended nothing was different, but half an hour before the test was to start, he headed down to the lab to get ready for the experiment. The lab technicians prepared Wes for being frozen, making sure he was ready for what he was getting into. Wes was nervous, not just because he knew there was a chance he wouldn't survive, but his father didn't know his son was their guinea pig. What would happen when he found out? Unfortunately, his father found out sooner than Wes expected. He came in to oversee the test and was horrified when they brought out the test subject and saw it was Wes. He immediately went ballistic and ran in there to see his son. "Wes? You're testing this thing on my son?!" Alan Collins asked, horrified. Things didn't get any better when he found out Wes had volunteered himself for it the night he'd left dinner early. "So that's what you've been up to. Wes, why would you even volunteer yourself for something this dangerous? The process is untested and it could very well kill you!" his father shouted. "You think I don't know that? I volunteered for this because I want to be with Jen in the future. I still love her just as strongly as I did before she left. She was my life, so I have no reason to live anymore. I didn't tell you and did this behind your back because I knew you'd try to stop me if you knew," Wes replied. His father couldn't bear to hear his son talking like that. It absolutely broke his heart, but he knew that if he stopped his son from doing this, they'd have no test subject and he'd lose Wes to depression or worse. So, with a heavy heart, his father let Wes go ahead and do the test, knowing he'd never see his son again.

He watched as Wes stepped toward the cryogenic freeze chamber and got in. The door sealed shut and Alan Collins pressed his hand against the glass, lining it up with Wes's hand on the other side, palm to palm. Then Wes put his hand down and closed his eyes as cold vapor surrounded him. He fell into a cryogenic induced sleep from which he'd awaken in a thousand years. The scientists monitored Wes's frozen form inside the chamber and read his vital signs. The results were good, though. Wes was alive, just asleep. The first trial was a complete success and Mr. Collins hoped that his son would be unfrozen in Jen's time so he could be with her. He had also told the college Wes had applied to for the Fall that his son would be unable to attend. He tried to avoid explaining that Wes was in a cryogenic induced sleep because he was afraid one of them would try to go unfreeze his son. In the end, though, he had to tell them everything and stop them from waking Wes before he could be with Jen.

One day the following week, a young woman from Wes's past named Emmeline came by looking for him. Mr. Collins tried to avoid talking about what had happened to his son, but Emmie kept asking what was going on, not knowing what had happened to Wes. Finally, Mr. Collins had to tell her the truth. Emmie couldn't believe Wes would go and do something that crazy, risking his own life in a process that could've killed him, all for a girl. But when she heard about how miserable Wes had been after losing her, she realized Wes must've loved her a lot if he was willing to risk his own life to be with her. Meanwhile, 1000 years in the future, Jen and Alex were investigating the ruins of what was once Bio Lab and they found a capsule containing the frozen figure of a young man about 20 years old with blond hair and a very familiar face. "Wes?" Jen asked, hardly daring to hope this might be the man she loved. But she and Alex took the capsule back to the Time Force lab and unfroze the man inside. The young man's eyes opened and they were a crystal clear blue. "Wes? Is it you?" Jen inquired, hesitantly. "Jen?" the young man murmured softly. "Oh Wes! It is you!" Jen cried happily, kissing him. She threw her arms around him immediately and held him like she'd never let go. Wes happily kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her.

Finally, she and Alex had to leave so the doctors could adapt Wes to that century. Alex wasn't all that thrilled that Wes was here because he still felt like he'd lost his position as the Red Ranger and Jen to him. He saw them together and then remembered the way Jen had looked at him after he'd taken Wes's place on the team. He'd acted like she was of secondary importance. He'd pushed her away and he'd lied to her about being alive the whole time. Was it any surprise she'd run into another man's arms? Wes had offered her love, while Alex had acted like their mission was more important, and now he'd lost her forever. A few hours later, the doctors finished their work and Jen went in to see Wes. He woke up and smiled the minute he saw her. She returned his smile with one of her own and kissed him again. They embraced and she helped him get up. They walked out of the hospital hand-in-hand, ready to start their life together.

Wes enrolled at the Time Force Academy and graduated within two years. He became an officer alongside Jen and the others, and eventually Alex joined them. He'd found a girlfriend and he finally stopped disliking Wes so much. He had also been given the Silver Chronomorpher and had become the Silver Time Force Ranger. Wes and the others were finally given their first mission. They had to track down a mutant named Microcon, who had the power to shrink anything down to microscopic size. He'd escaped to the year 2003 and that meant Wes would see his father again, if only for a short while. Wes was thrilled to be able to see his father and assure him that he was all right. He and the rest of the team went back to their homes and packed their things. They set their alarm clocks for seven o'clock the next morning, so they'd be at the docking bay on time.

The next morning, Wes showered, grabbed his bag and headed for Time Force Headquarters to get on the time ship and head for the past. Wes was nervous the whole time they were on the ship because he would be seeing his father again for the first time in 1000 years. He didn't know what it would be like seeing his dad again, since the last time Wes had seen him was through the door of a cryogenic chamber right before he was frozen in time for a thousand years. It had been hard living day to day without seeing his dad, but being with Jen again made it all better. They finally arrived in the year 2003 and landed on the beach. They headed into town and started scanning for mutant DNA. Finally they located Microcon near the power plant. They ran toward him as he shrunk the security guards down and passed by them with ease. They immediately confronted him and tried to arrest him. Unfortunately, they managed to get blasted for their efforts. They had to end up morphing to take him down. Fortunately, they were able to take him down without needing the Megazord this time.

On their way out of the power plant, they ran into Wes's father, who was overjoyed to see his son again, even if it was just for a little while. They caught up on old times as father and son hugged joyfully. Alan was happy to hear his son was happy in the future, even though he wasn't with him. He knew he'd made the right choice in letting Wes go through with the test run of the experiment all those years ago. He had to say goodbye to Wes the next day, though, as Wes had to go back to the future. He knew questions would be asked if Wes stayed for even a week. They had to make sure no one knew that Wes was back in the present that didn't need to know. They parted ways at the beach and Wes hugged his father one last time before going back to his new home. Alan Collins watched as the time ship disappeared into the portal and knew his son was going back to a better life. When the team arrived back in the future, they took Microcon off to the prison and left him in the care of the guards there. Then, Wes and Jen went off together for a little while and took a walk by the lake. There, Wes pulled out a ring he'd had in his pocket and proposed to Jen. She accepted and kissed him happily. A year later, they were married and Captain Logan arranged for Wes's father and Eric to be brought through from the past for the occasion. Eric was Wes's best man and Jen's father gave her away. Mr. Collins watched happily as his son was married to the woman he loved and knew that Wes's life was going to be very happy from that day on. A week later, the happy couple found out they were going to have a baby. They immediately called Wes's dad and Eric in the past and told them the good news. Mr. Collins was thrilled to hear that he was going to be a grandfather, even though his grandchildren would be born a thousand years in the future. Nine months later, the baby was born and it was a boy. They named him Jason after the original Red Ranger. Everyone in Time Force was thrilled to hear about the baby and two years later, Wes and Jen had another baby, a girl this time. They named her Katie after their friend and teammate. Wes and Jen lived happily for the rest of their lives and their children would occasionally make trips into the past to visit their grandfather. The future was in good hands for many years.