Disclaimer: The characters and the world of Power Rangers Ninja Storm do not belong to me.

The Day Before

They walked along the beach near sunset. A week ago, just after they defeated Lothor and graduated from the Wind Academy he had told them that he was leaving. She had filled her week with lesson plans, reconstructing the academy, surfing and spending time with Cam, Dustin, and Shane; and avoiding him.

Then, this afternoon, just as she was finishing classes at the academy, Blake called. He asked to see her. She closed her eyes and said sure. She didn't notice the worried look that Shane and Cam exchanged as she walked from Ninja Ops.

They met at the beach and now they were walking on the sand, like they had so many times before. "Are you mad?" Blake asked after they had walked across the beach to the edge of the water.

Tori shrugged looking out at the waves and the few surfers that were out this late in the afternoon. The wind was blowing and Tori tucked some stray strands of hair behind her ear. She wasn't going to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about. There really was only one topic of conversation. He was leaving tomorrow.

After a long moment of watching the waves lap at her feet, she finally said, "I feel all sorts of things, I guess. I'm not mad that you are following your dream. You have a great opportunity to do what you always wanted to do. How could I be mad about that? You've wanted to ride pro forever. You worked for it. You're going to be awesome."

"I feel like I'm bailing on everyone. Especially Hunter," Blake said as they started to walk slowly down the beach. Tori continuing to watch the waves ebb and flow around her bare feet as she walked beside him. "I mean, the Thunder school is a mess, you know. Sensei Omino seems to be fine, and Leanne is coming back from Nepal next week, so it's not like Hunter is going to be alone. Still . . ."

"The two of you have never been apart. Hunter was offered a spot at Factory Blue, wasn't he?" Tori asked.

"Yeah."

"And part of you feels like you are abandoning the school and him, and part of you feels like he's abandoning you," Tori said gently intending to be as supportive as she always had been. She was the gentle reasoning voice of the group. She knew her role well.

"I don't remember a time when we weren't together, you know. I mean my first real memories are of being brought home by Mom and Dad and Hunter already being there. We trained as ninjas together, went to the same schools. When Mom and Dad died, if Hunter hadn't been there for me, I don't know what my life would have been like. I always thought that riding professionally was something we would do together." Blake suddenly stopped walking and Tori stopped as well. He ran a hand through his hair and gave Tori a bashful smile, "This wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

Tori tilted her head to the side and said with a sad smile, "Yeah, maybe, but it seems like this is something you need to talk about."

Blake shrugged and reached for Tori's hand. He held it for a moment before saying softly and sincerely, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I guess never finishing what I started."

Tori laughed, a bright jarring sound and pulled her hand from Blake's and started to walk again. Blake closed his eyes and tilted his head back for a moment, an expression of pain on his face before opening his eyes and trotting to catch up with her.

"Tori," Blake said placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She turned to face him, but as he started to speak again, he was interrupted.

"Blake, don't." She said with a sad smile on her face, her voice firm. "We were saving the world every day. There was no time and it would only have hurt the team. You don't have to make excuses. You don't have to apologize."

She took a step back and forced Blake to drop his hand from her shoulder. "It's getting dark," she said looking off to where the sun was just a sliver above the ocean, the sky, more shades of purple and grey than the spectacular reds and oranges of just moments before, "I think we should head back." She turned and started walking up the beach towards the lot where her van and his motorcycle were parked.

"Tori," Blake tried again, this time putting himself physically in front of her forcing her to stop or plow into him, "Tor, I have to tell you –"

"Look," she interrupted him again, "I think it would be best if we said goodbye tonight. I know Shane, Dustin and Cam plan on seeing you off, but, uh, maybe it would be better if," she bit her lip and took a step back. "I'm going to miss you."

"I don't want to leave like this, Tori," Blake insisted.

"Blake, there is nothing to say. Nothing happened and you're leaving tomorrow," she gave him a wavering smile, "You and the guys have been my life this past year. It was a good year, a bit rough with the fighting space aliens and all, but I'm never going to forget a moment of it. Good moments, bad moments, and I don't regret anything that happened, and I don't want to start now."

"And what about me? I just get to leave with regrets?" Blake asked frustrated and angry, hurt and guilty.

Tori grit her teeth. She braced herself emotionally and said, "Fine. Say what you want to say."

"I don't know why I couldn't say it before, Tor," Blake lifted a hand to her cheek and Tori closed her eyes as his rough fingers slip down her face, "and I know I totally messed up, in so many ways. But Tori, I love you."

For a long moment neither of them moved. Then, Tori took a deep breath and opened her eyes, "I love you, too, Blake." But before Blake could move forward, Tori took a step back, distancing herself from him, physically and emotionally.

"It's dark," she said, not looking at him, but at the parking lot where the lights had come on. There were a few people milling around packing up their stuff for the day, but she felt so distant from them. "Thanks for seeing me before you went," Tori said as she neatly side stepped Blake and started walking again towards her van.

"Tori," Blake's voice was a little harsh this time and Tori turned to face him. He stood where she left him, now with a determined look in his eye, "I'm not giving up on this."

"Don't you get it, Blake?" Tori asked, calling upon everything inside her to not break into tears, "You leave tomorrow. There is no 'this.' You take care of yourself, o.k.?"

Stunned, all Blake could do was watch her walk away.