Home For the Holidays
by Red
“Silent Night, Holy Night……”
Alone in the darkness of the CyberSpace, Trent listened to the carolers outside the window. Normally, the sound of Christmas Carols would bring a smile to his face, but this year was quite different.
This is the first year that Trent was alone for Christmas.
Sitting on the couch, Trent thought about how much his life had changed in the past year. He had a job and friends, but most importantly, he was now the White Ranger, charged with protecting the planet from an evil mutant dinosaur.
Only that mutant dinosaur was his father. This was a fact that only Trent knew. This was a fact that made Trent’s situation unbearable.
In the time he was under the control of the Dino Gem, Trent had made a mortal enemy of Mesogog. Once Trent had joined with the other Rangers, he had no choice but to leave home. He couldn’t stay in his father’s house knowing that, at any moment, Mesogog could take control of his father and try to kill him. He couldn’t go to Kira, Conner, or Ethan. Not even Dr. O, or Hayley. Doing so would risk his father’s secret coming out, and that was something Trent would not allow to happen. Not until there was a way to free him.
That left only one alternative. Every night, Trent would use his Dino Power to blend in with his surroundings, hiding until Hayley left for the night, then he would spend the night on the couch in the CyberSpace. So far, he’s had only one close call, the morning after the Rangers had been attacked in their dreams.. He was lucky that they had all been up late studying, so no one thought twice about finding Trent passed out on the couch that morning. He knew he had to be much more careful after that.
“If none of this had happened, I’d be with you, Dad.” Trent looked down at the Dino Gem on his wrist. As much as he liked being a Power Ranger, he couldn’t help but think that he would give it all up in a second, if it meant getting his family back.
Lost in his thoughts, Trent picked up his drawing pad. Normally, his drawings would take his mind off things, but, this time, nothing could help. Even as his pencil began to move across the paper, his mind began to wonder….
…to the snow falling outside the window.
He had never felt more alone then he did at this moment. Christmas had always been the highlight of the year for the Fernandez family. Even now, he could remember the smell of Mom’s turkey, mixed with the sound of Christmas Carols, filling the house. He could still hear his father’s laugh as an attempt at shoveling the walkway turned into a snowball fight with his son.
Those were the happiest times of Trent’s life. Now they seemed so far away.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he didn’t notice Anton Mercer enter the room. As wonderful as Mr. Mercer had been to him since the death of his parents and despite how much Trent had come to love the man, he was sure Christmas would never be the same for him again.
“Trent?” Anton approached the boy cautiously.
“Mr. Mercer.” Trent wiped his eyes quickly, trying to cover up the sadness in his eyes. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Anton sat down next to Trent, placing his arm around the boy. “If you like, I’ll leave.”
“No.” Trent reassured him. “It’s Ok.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Anton smiled. “ I could use your help.”
“With what?” Trent asked, giving Anton a curious look.
“Christmas.” Anton stood up and looked out at the frozen lake outside. “You see, Trent. I have never really celebrated Christmas before. For me, Christmas has always been about making a donation to a local charity organization. I’ve never had a celebration of my own before. “
I’m sorry, sir.” Trent couldn’t imagine a lonelier existence for anyone.
Placing his hand on Trent’s shoulder, Anton reassured the boy. “Don’t be sorry, Trent. In fact, I was hoping you would be willing to show me just how Christmas is supposed to be celebrated.”
The events of that day would forever stick out in Trent’s mind as one of the best Christmas Eve’s ever. While searching for the perfect Christmas tree, Anton fell face first in the snow, which led to an impromptu snowball fight. Afterwards, Trent taught Anton how to make his mother’s homemade egg nogg, followed by the two men stringing popcorn to be put on the tree. In the year Trent had spent with Anton, he had never seen the man smile so much. In fact, this was the happiest that Trent had been himself.
After all the preparations were complete, the two men sat in the Mercer living room watching the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree.
“Thank you, Trent.”
Trent smiled. “I should be thanking you. You have been more than generous towards me. Taking me in after my parents died. There’s no way I can even begin to repay you.”
“There’s no need to repay me, Trent.” Anton turned toward him. “In fact, there is something else I would very much like to do for you.”
“What else could there possibly be?” Trent asked, confused.
“I know I could never take the place of your parents, Trent, but I’d like for us to be a family.” Anton looked Trent directly in the eye. “With your permission, I would like to legally adopt you.”
Trent was overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I hope you’ll say ‘yes’.”
Trent practically leapt from his seat and into Anton’s arms. This was more then he could have ever asked for. “Yes!”
Anton could do nothing but smile.
To commemorate the moment, Trent decided to set up a camera. The two men huddled together on the couch for the first of many family photos to come. Anton had never seen Trent…
…so happy.
Anton stared at the photo on the mantle. It was the most memorable Christmas he had ever had, and he knew that Trent was the reason. That boy was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Sadly, he also knew that he may never see him again. Not if he allowed the monster inside him to win.
As much as he wanted to go and find Trent and be with him, he knew Trent was safest this way. He would never be able to live with himself if Mesogog got to Trent because of him.
Sitting back at his desk, Anton prepared to spend Christmas alone with his demons, until a knock at the door drew his attention.
Opening the door, Anton found a small package at his feet, wrapped in shining silver paper. Confused, he tore the paper open and what was underneath took Anton’s breath away.
In his hands was a drawing of Anton, with a 15-year old Trent, on their first Christmas.
Astonished, Anton looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son. He knew better though. With his Dino Power, if Trent did not want to be seen, then he would not be seen. Looking down at the picture in his hands, he marveled at his son’s work. He vowed then and there that he would someday show Trent just how proud he was.
“Merry Christmas, Trent.” Anton said, looking out over the horizon.
As Anton walked back into the house, Trent shimmered into view. Walking towards the house, he watched as his father hung his drawing on the wall in his office.
“Merry Christmas, Dad.”
“Silent Night, Holy Night……”
Alone in the darkness of the CyberSpace, Trent listened to the carolers outside the window. Normally, the sound of Christmas Carols would bring a smile to his face, but this year was quite different.
This is the first year that Trent was alone for Christmas.
Sitting on the couch, Trent thought about how much his life had changed in the past year. He had a job and friends, but most importantly, he was now the White Ranger, charged with protecting the planet from an evil mutant dinosaur.
Only that mutant dinosaur was his father. This was a fact that only Trent knew. This was a fact that made Trent’s situation unbearable.
In the time he was under the control of the Dino Gem, Trent had made a mortal enemy of Mesogog. Once Trent had joined with the other Rangers, he had no choice but to leave home. He couldn’t stay in his father’s house knowing that, at any moment, Mesogog could take control of his father and try to kill him. He couldn’t go to Kira, Conner, or Ethan. Not even Dr. O, or Hayley. Doing so would risk his father’s secret coming out, and that was something Trent would not allow to happen. Not until there was a way to free him.
That left only one alternative. Every night, Trent would use his Dino Power to blend in with his surroundings, hiding until Hayley left for the night, then he would spend the night on the couch in the CyberSpace. So far, he’s had only one close call, the morning after the Rangers had been attacked in their dreams.. He was lucky that they had all been up late studying, so no one thought twice about finding Trent passed out on the couch that morning. He knew he had to be much more careful after that.
“If none of this had happened, I’d be with you, Dad.” Trent looked down at the Dino Gem on his wrist. As much as he liked being a Power Ranger, he couldn’t help but think that he would give it all up in a second, if it meant getting his family back.
Lost in his thoughts, Trent picked up his drawing pad. Normally, his drawings would take his mind off things, but, this time, nothing could help. Even as his pencil began to move across the paper, his mind began to wonder….
…to the snow falling outside the window.
He had never felt more alone then he did at this moment. Christmas had always been the highlight of the year for the Fernandez family. Even now, he could remember the smell of Mom’s turkey, mixed with the sound of Christmas Carols, filling the house. He could still hear his father’s laugh as an attempt at shoveling the walkway turned into a snowball fight with his son.
Those were the happiest times of Trent’s life. Now they seemed so far away.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he didn’t notice Anton Mercer enter the room. As wonderful as Mr. Mercer had been to him since the death of his parents and despite how much Trent had come to love the man, he was sure Christmas would never be the same for him again.
“Trent?” Anton approached the boy cautiously.
“Mr. Mercer.” Trent wiped his eyes quickly, trying to cover up the sadness in his eyes. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Anton sat down next to Trent, placing his arm around the boy. “If you like, I’ll leave.”
“No.” Trent reassured him. “It’s Ok.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Anton smiled. “ I could use your help.”
“With what?” Trent asked, giving Anton a curious look.
“Christmas.” Anton stood up and looked out at the frozen lake outside. “You see, Trent. I have never really celebrated Christmas before. For me, Christmas has always been about making a donation to a local charity organization. I’ve never had a celebration of my own before. “
I’m sorry, sir.” Trent couldn’t imagine a lonelier existence for anyone.
Placing his hand on Trent’s shoulder, Anton reassured the boy. “Don’t be sorry, Trent. In fact, I was hoping you would be willing to show me just how Christmas is supposed to be celebrated.”
The events of that day would forever stick out in Trent’s mind as one of the best Christmas Eve’s ever. While searching for the perfect Christmas tree, Anton fell face first in the snow, which led to an impromptu snowball fight. Afterwards, Trent taught Anton how to make his mother’s homemade egg nogg, followed by the two men stringing popcorn to be put on the tree. In the year Trent had spent with Anton, he had never seen the man smile so much. In fact, this was the happiest that Trent had been himself.
After all the preparations were complete, the two men sat in the Mercer living room watching the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree.
“Thank you, Trent.”
Trent smiled. “I should be thanking you. You have been more than generous towards me. Taking me in after my parents died. There’s no way I can even begin to repay you.”
“There’s no need to repay me, Trent.” Anton turned toward him. “In fact, there is something else I would very much like to do for you.”
“What else could there possibly be?” Trent asked, confused.
“I know I could never take the place of your parents, Trent, but I’d like for us to be a family.” Anton looked Trent directly in the eye. “With your permission, I would like to legally adopt you.”
Trent was overwhelmed. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I hope you’ll say ‘yes’.”
Trent practically leapt from his seat and into Anton’s arms. This was more then he could have ever asked for. “Yes!”
Anton could do nothing but smile.
To commemorate the moment, Trent decided to set up a camera. The two men huddled together on the couch for the first of many family photos to come. Anton had never seen Trent…
…so happy.
Anton stared at the photo on the mantle. It was the most memorable Christmas he had ever had, and he knew that Trent was the reason. That boy was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Sadly, he also knew that he may never see him again. Not if he allowed the monster inside him to win.
As much as he wanted to go and find Trent and be with him, he knew Trent was safest this way. He would never be able to live with himself if Mesogog got to Trent because of him.
Sitting back at his desk, Anton prepared to spend Christmas alone with his demons, until a knock at the door drew his attention.
Opening the door, Anton found a small package at his feet, wrapped in shining silver paper. Confused, he tore the paper open and what was underneath took Anton’s breath away.
In his hands was a drawing of Anton, with a 15-year old Trent, on their first Christmas.
Astonished, Anton looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son. He knew better though. With his Dino Power, if Trent did not want to be seen, then he would not be seen. Looking down at the picture in his hands, he marveled at his son’s work. He vowed then and there that he would someday show Trent just how proud he was.
“Merry Christmas, Trent.” Anton said, looking out over the horizon.
As Anton walked back into the house, Trent shimmered into view. Walking towards the house, he watched as his father hung his drawing on the wall in his office.
“Merry Christmas, Dad.”