I Don't Want To Run Away

This is a side story from Twists of Fate. This takes place during the time frame of Chapter 17 where Hunter tells Shane that he's thinking about moving to the Thunder Ninja Academy to escape the pain of watching Tori and Blake's relationship unfold. This is a song fic. The song featured on here is, "If You're Not The One" by Dan Bannefield.

If you have not read Twists of Fate, you may be lost. So, I suggest that you read it. Please read and review as always! I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

Blake left to go join Tori downstairs after their little talk. Hunter had just promised his brother that he would watch over his beautiful blond girlfriend while he was away for the year. Hunter remembered making a promise to Blake months ago when he first left for Factory Blue. 'That promise is what got me in this mess in the first place.' Hunter thought as he went to go sit at his desk. He turned on the monitor to his computer and logged into his media player and randomly chose an internet radio station. He then minimized that screen. As he minimized the screen something caught his eye. It was a picture of him, Dustin and Tori in motocross gear at the track. It was taken the other day by Cam. He put it as his background picture as soon as Cam emailed it to him. Cam and Shane had joined up with them at the track that day to watch Tori ride with Dustin and Hunter. His eyes fell on Tori. Her beauty mesmerized him. She was beautiful to him in no matter what she was wearing whether it was a dress, her ninja uniform or motocross gear. He had fallen in love with her in the passing months. He promised Blake that while he was away that he would try to get to know Tori and get along with her better. He never thought that he would fall for the surfer girl turned motocross rider. The two would ride around at night whenever he was not in class at Blue Bay Harbor University. After riding the two would always sit off to the side of the track and talk. They always had a lot to talk about. This had become apart of his regular routine in the passing months. Spending time with Tori somehow changed him. He was not so brooding anymore. She was like the light at the end of the tunnel of his dark and somber persona. She made him smile more and her brightness was like a drug to him. He grew addicted to it. Now he couldn't live without it... without her, but she was Blake's and not his. He continued to stare at her picture as a song that mirrored how he felt filled the room.

If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?

If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?

If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call

If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all

I never know what the future brings

But I know you are here with me now

We'll make it through

And I hope you are the one I share my life with

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

Hunter maximized the media player screen so that he didn't have to look at the picture anymore. He got up and went to go lie down on his bed. He was thinking about how happy Tori looked to be with Blake and the look on her face when she showed everyone the promise ring that he got her for Valentine's Day. 'Promises... I am surrounded by a life of promises. Everyone seems to be making those nowadays.' Hunter thought. First Cam and Leann get engaged. Their marriage will be a promise to one another. Then Blake gives Tori a ring and promises her that he will be back for her and that they will eventually get engaged and he promised Blake that he would get to know Tori and now that he would watch over her. "How come my promises hold no reward?" He said to himself as the song continued on...

If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?

If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?

If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?

If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?

I don't know why you're so far away

But I know that this much is true

We'll make it through

And I hope you are the one I share my life with

And I wish that you could be the one I die with

And I pray you're the one I build my home with

I hope I love you all my life

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am

Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

Hunter turned to his side and was now staring at yet another picture with Tori in it. This time it was a copy of the picture that Blake had given him before he left. This was the same picture Blake took with him when he left for Arizona. Hunter stared at the picture of him, Blake and Tori in front of a tree at the Wind Ninja Academy. He remembered what Blake said when he gave him the picture, "Here you go bro, keep this picture to always remember that you and Tori are the two most important people in my life." They were in their ninja uniforms in the picture with Blake in the middle and Hunter and Tori on each side of him with their hands on his shoulders. Hunter ran a finger over Tori's face in the picture. 'Since when did I have so many pictures of her in my room?' He wondered as he looked around his room. He had a bookcase that held some of his trophies and some framed pictures just like Blake did in his room. As he got up to look at the pictures he grabbed one of them off of the shelf. This one was of him and Tori alone. Him and Tori were sitting at a booth at the pizza place that him and Tori went to with Dustin and Marah. Marah had taken the picture. She said that she had to take a picture of the only two people in Blue Bay Harbor that can eat ham and pineapples on their pizza. It was a cute picture; him and Tori were sitting side by side each with a slice of Hawaiian pizza in their hands. They had shared many good times and he was sad that it would soon come to an end. Blake would come back for her after his tour in Europe. He would lose not only the girl who was now his best friend, but also the girl that stole his heart. Hunter put the picture back in its place and grabbed a duffle bag from his closet. He started stuffing it with some of his clothes. He couldn't stay and wait for Blake to come back for Tori. He had to distance himself now while he still could. Sensei Amano would need him to be there more often to help him with the upcoming merge of the two schools. He would leave everything behind his heart and his home. 'Blake and Tori could live here once they are married.' He thought as he put the bag on the floor and walked over to his computer again. His mind wandered to thoughts of what Blake and Tori could be doing downstairs and how he wished that it was him.

'Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away

And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today

'Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right

And though I can't be with you tonight I know my heart is by your side

I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand

If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?

Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

He had heard the last few lines of the song as he remembered the times that he got to hold Tori in his arms. It felt so good to hold her and so right, but it just wasn't meant be. "Fate can be so cruel," he said to himself as he shut down the computer, turned off the light and went to bed.

As Hunter closed his eyes the last lines of the song repeated in his head. He had made a decision and he didn't want to be in the way of Tori and Blake's happiness plus he needed to get away from all of this.

"I don't want to run away, but for the sake of Tori's happiness and my sanity, I will..." was the last thing he said as a lone tear escaped his eyes. He then closed them and fell asleep.