Disclaimer- Obviously, I don't own them.

This is done in response to Ars Amatoria's Ranger Romance Themes Challenge.

AN- Set right after the end of Storm Before the Calm Part Two.

Paring- Dustin/Marah

Chapter One: Friends

"Will you please listen to me?" She pleaded as he stomped away from her.

"No."

"Why?"

He whirled around to face her. "The last time I listened to you, you suckered me like the moron I am!"

"Dustin please, you're not a moron. I can't empathize how sorry I am, I never wanted to hurt anyone. Especially you."

Dustin sighed and looked into Marah's doe brown eyes. Eyes that had duped him into taking that device into Ops all those months earlier. He couldn't deny the feelings that had been growing ever since he first saw her at the track in normal clothes. He knew he was falling for her, big time. But could he trust her again?

He sighed again, "no more lies?"

"No more lies, I promise."

"Ok, you got my attention."

She began talking at a fast, somewhat excited pace, nearly the same as him. Like what his friends would playfully teased him about. His heart went out to her when she told him about the remorse she'd felt after betraying him.

"…So that's why I tricked you. Unc…Lothor, until recently was the only family that Kapri and I had. We didn't have anyone else. I'm so sorry, I was just so afraid."

"I don't blame you, but you've got Cam and Sensei now. What about your parents? Don't you ever see them?"

A small frown came on her face and her brow furrowed as she struggled to remember when she'd last seen her parents. "I…I don't remember. It's been so long since I've seen them. It must have been….ten years I think."

"Ten years?"

She nodded, looking down at the boots of her training uniform. "I was about seven…Kapri was ten, they were taking us to my mother's sisters home. And that's the last time I saw them." She then looked up as she felt his comforting hand on her arm.

"I know what it's like to think you don't have anybody," he murmured.

Confusion filled her doe brown eyes. "But, what about your parents, or siblings?"

Pain suddenly the Earth Sensei's eyes; he quickly turned away from her piercing gaze. "My mom died when I was ten, my dad, he uh, he really couldn't handle her being gone so he went moto touring with a bunch of his buddies. He left me with my Aunt Rachel, my mom's sister. She thought my mom could do better than my father and wasn't thrilled when they had me…" He trailed off and shrugged, "you get the idea."

Marah shook her head slowly. "Not really…why would your father be so selfish? And why would your aunt dislike you so much? She shouldn't blame you for your mother marrying your father."

"Dude, do you think I don't know that? I've given up on trying to figure my family out. Tori and Shane are my family."

"What about Cousin? And Sensei? Or Blake and Hunter?"

He shrugged, "I guess I can call them family, but it's kinda soon for anything like that."

"What about…you and me?"

He studied her for several moments before saying, "We really don't know a whole bunch about each other. And everyone deserves a second chance, so how about…friends?"

She smiled, "Friends."

End Chapter

AN2- Hope you all like it so far. You know what to do! Leave a review, no flames please! Thanks!

CamFan4Ever