Chapter 2:
Apologies and sad tales.
After getting situated, Blake snuck away and headed for the back woods off the Hanson property. He focused his energy and connected with the faded blue aura of Tori's power leading him straight to her.
Blake came to a small clearing where the bank dropped off into a small creek that you could walk barefoot across and not get your pants wet. He stopped dead in his tracks seeing Tori floating on the gently cycling waters focusing everything she had in to a meditation. He walked over to where the bank slopped down and focused his energy around him, trying to get Tori's attention.
A few moments passed but he saw Tori glance up at him and glare sadly. Her heart fell into her stomach seeing the shadowing around Blake's right eye. She didn't want to hurt him, but what he did scared her so bad. "What are you doing here?" She asked harshly.
Blake sighed. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Yeah well you did." Tori said. "Congratulation's one of you finally got me. Now go!" She said angrily. She stood on the running water and walked off onto the packed dirt.
Blake walked up to her and she flinched away breaking his heart. "Tori I was trying to surprise you not scare you."
"Funny way to surprise me. What you were gonna scare me half to death and then reveal that it was you and hope I wouldn't freak out like I did?" She asked agitatedly taking an intrusive step towards him. Blake stepped back a little.
"Sort of. "He admitted quietly. "Tor I'd never hurt you on purpose, I don't even know what I did. You're you, you…"
" I what Blake? Huh? I'm Tori I don't get scared! I battled aliens and didn't freak when they hurt me! I what? Please explain to me what in your mind makes what you did right!" She yelled frustrated.
Blake sighed. " I didn't come here to argue. I came to apologize. I feel like I hurt you and I don't even know how."
"Just because you didn't hurt me physically doesn't mean that what you did didn't bring up old wounds."
"What old wounds? I don't know this! I don't understand!" Blake yelled.
"Maybe that's not something I like people knowing. It's hard enough coming home. I don't want it from you guys too!" Tori said her eyes glazing over.
Blake felt his heart tare in two seeing her eyes water. "Tori I just don't understand. What? Please tell me!" Blake pleaded.
Tori's tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Right before I moved to Blue bay…I…I was…uh…ra…rapped. Ok? Are you happy now? It's the reason I moved. My dad knew sensei thought sensei could help me. So I moved. I put all of that behind me and what you did…" She trailed off sinking to the ground her face in her hands as her tears poured out.
"Oh god Tori…" Blake said falling to his knees in front of her. "I'm so sorry."
Tori sniffled and tore her face away from her hands and wiped her eyes to look at Blake. "I didn't mean…I just…it just scared…" Tori stuttered. Blake wrapped his arms around her and Tori fell into him sobbing her face buried in his shoulder. Blake was happy she didn't flinch away like she had before, but instantly sad at why she was sobbing.
"Tor I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to bring those memories back. I didn't know! It was stupid I should've just told you I was coming home. " He said sullenly as he ran his hand soothingly over her back and rested his head on top of hers. Tori lifted her head forcing Blake's up as well and wiped her eyes again.
"You didn't mean it. I know it just freaked me out a lot." She breathed. "But I will admit you trying to surprise me was very sweet thank you." She said softly.
Blake gave a weak smile. "Yeah but I upset you, you left town for christ sakes it was the worst thing I could've done."
Tori shook her head. "No don't say that. It would've been very sweet if you had just done it differently." She giggled softly.
Blake chuckled. "Oh you mean dressing up as Zorro and whisking the pretty lady off her feet?"
Tori laughed softly and wiped away some left over tears. "There would've been no whisking of any kind."
Blake looked away a little sullenly. If Tori didn't want to be whisked she probably didn't want him either. "Yeah sorry…I didn't mean…"
"No Blake I mean it as a joke. I have two feet I can walk." Tori corrected herself.
Blake grinned at her softly. "Awe come on you don't want the sweep a lady off her feet and gallop off on a horse into the sunset moment?" He joked playfully.
Tori sniffled and giggled. "No not really. I can ride a horse all on my own thank you very much."
"Tor I really am sorry."
"Me too I shouldn't have hit you." Tori said softly looking away ashamed.
Blake brought his hand up to Tori's cheek and turned her face to his. "I'm ok. I deserved it anyways."
"Well yeah I guess you did, but I'm still sorry." She said sheepishly.
Blake gave her a soft smile, he couldn't manage more or the movements in his cheeks would make him wince at the pain. Now was the right time to tell Tori how he felt. She shared something important with him and now it was important that she know why he wanted to surprise her that night. "Tor I need to tell you something."
"Oh yeah what's that?" Tori asked smiling.
"I, um, I think…no I know that…I…well I'm in love with you." He said nervously.
Tori stared at him blankly for a few moments. "I'm sorry. Could…could you repeat that please?"
Blake smiled. "I'm in love with you." Tori continued to stare as what he said went through her brain and processed. "Tor?" Blake questioned.
Tori blinked. "What?"
"Well?"
"Well what?" Tori asked still in shock.
"Don't you have anything to say?" He asked a little worried that she didn't feel like he did towards her and she was trying to come up with a nice way to break it to him.
Tori blinked repeatedly. "At the moment…not really."
"Oh…ok…" He said quietly looking away.
"Blake I didn't mean it like that. I mean I'm in shock. What did you want me to say?" Tori asked kindly.
Blake shrugged. "I dunno just…"
"Just what?"
"Maybe that you like me too. Like you use to." He said quietly.
Tori smiled softly. "Blake…" Tori paused hearing rustling in the bushes further out.
"Tori! Blake! You haven't killed him have you?!" They heard Hunter shout.
They both chuckled softly and Tori wiped away the last of her tears. "We'll talk about this later." Blake sighed and nodded as they stood up. Tori gave Blake's helpful hand up a gentle squeeze and then released his hand as they trekked through the forest to the voices of their friends. "You all came!" Tori said with a bright smile seeing all the guys in front of her. They nodded. "What did you think I was moving back and leaving you or something?'
"Nah Tor we just wanted to know why you were so upset?" Dustin said plainly.
Tori sighed. "Look you're gonna hear rumors around town so I might as well just tell you. I was rapped back before I moved to blue bay harbor. What Blake did just brought up bad memories, but I know he didn't mean to I over reacted and I don't want you guys to start treating me like a porcelain doll, cause you know how much I hate that." Tori said all in one breath.
The guys sort of stared blankly at her for a moment. "Why didn't you tell us this before?" Cam asked.
Tori shrugged. "I wanted it to stay in the past. I figured I moved away from one town where people talked about me and what happened I didn't need it in another."
"Yeah but we're your friends." Shane said.
"Now you are my bestest of best friends all of you. But as time went on it got easier not thinking about it and leaving it here away from my new life and telling you would've changed everything." Tori said softly. Hunter stepped up to Tori.
"You wanna know what I think?" Tori bit her lip nervously. "I think you're still our Tori and we love you." He said. Tori smiled.
"What he said." Dustin put in playfully.
"Same." Shane and Cam added in with smiles.
"If you saw this guy again could you point him out? I've been dying to beat something up this week." Dustin joked playfully.
Tori giggled. "I could, but I wont. Trust me it needs to stay in the past."
"What happened anyway?" Cam asked.
"Let's just say daddy bailed him out." Tori said sadly.
"Are you sure that it's a good idea you being here and all then?" Dustin asked.
Tori smirked at him and then grabbed his neck in a headlock and ruffled his hair with her knuckles. "I said not to treat me like a porcelain doll." She said playfully.
"Ok! Ok!" Dustin screamed out in laughter. "I'll stop!"
Tori released him. "Anyone else?" She asked looking at the guys with a playful grin. They all shook their heads smiling at her. "Good. So where are you guys staying?" Tori asked.
"With you?" They chorused.
"My sister." Tori remarked with a faint laugh as her and the guys started for the house. "I hope mom and dad don't freak."
"This is so cool we've never met Tor's parents." Dustin said excitedly. "Maybe I can finally pay her back for telling my mom I snuck out on new years three years ago."
Tori turned to him. "I'm a perfect angel there isn't anything you could tell my dad that he doesn't already know." She said with a sweet face and a soft grin.
"Yeah right!" The guys joked.
Tori rolled her eyes. "Do the words bow and arrow mean anything to you guys?" They shook their heads. "Before I was a water ninja I was a rambunctious southern horseback riding, bow and arrow shooting little tomboy. Trust me when I say I perfected my aim and everything was a moving target." She teased playfully serious.
"Shift!" Someone yelled causing Tori to look up. She saw a flashing light and heard the voice again. "Shift!"
"Oh my god!" Tori took off and ran towards the guys screaming her name.
"Shift?" The guys chorused a little baffled.
When Tori reached the guy they saw her jump into his arms. "Pig!" She screamed. "What the hell are you doing here?" They heard. Finally they were almost to the two.
"Well your sister called said you was in town and I had to come over hear and see what became of my dear old friend. You grew up! Went from cute to hot! The California life is treating you well I see." The guy said. Tori noticed the guys walking up and turned the other man to face them. He was tall slender with dark brown hair and a somewhat laid back style. "And you met yourself some city folk."
Tori giggled. "They aren't city folk they're my friends. Pig this is Dustin, Shane, Cam, Blake and Hunter. Guys this is Pig!"
"Hey." They all said.
"Hey." Pig replied. He turned to Tori and picked her up in a big hug. "We've missed you around her Shift."
Tori smiled. "Put me down Pig!"
"Why does he call you Shift?" Cam asked.
Tori giggled. "It's a nickname."
"Yeah she was a damn good kick boxer. They called her shift cause she could move quickly." Pig said.
"And I call him pig, cause when we were younger when you couldn't find him anywhere, you could find him in the pig pen playing with the pigs in the mud." Tori said happily. "We've been best friends since we were born. Two days apart." She added proudly.
"Right." The guys commented plainly.
"So Pig you want some food?" Tori asked.
"Are you kidding? Your momma makes the best food in these parts I'd be insane to say no." Pig joked.
Tori giggled. "Then don't say no."
"Well insane isn't always a bad thing, but I can't I have to go meet the gang down at the store. Tonight's the tail gate party."
Tori grinned. "Where at?"
"Where else?"
"Do I need to know about any road changes?"
"Nope. So I'll see you there later say around ten-ish?" Pig asked.
Tori looked at the guys. "You up for a party?" They shrugged, grinned and nodded. "Right. Let's hope I don't get caught by deputy dufus."
"Sheriff dufus to you now missy." Pig teased her.
Tori's jaw fell open. "That jackass made sheriff? " She asked a bit of a southern accent sneaking in to her words.
"I see you've found that accent of yours and yes he did." Pig laughed.
Tori bit her lip. "Maybe I'll have to get him lost again." She said her accent not evident any more.
"Well I'll leave you with your city folk and revenge planning. And um, steer clear of the college campus."
"Why?" Tori asked.
"Just trust me." Tori nodded. Pig kissed her cheek sending a slight twinge through Blake. "I'll see ya later Shift."
"Later Pig!" Tori said playfully. Pig headed for a nice ford pickup and headed off down the dirt road. "So you ready to eat?" She asked they guys. They smiled and nodded. "You guys go ahead I need just a few more words with Blake."
"Don't kill him. Cause I ain't digging any graves tonight." Hunter joked patting his brother's shoulder as he walked on by. Shane, Dustin and Cam followed behind chuckling. When Tori saw they were in the house she looked up at Blake.
"Walk with me?" She asked holding out her hand. Blake accepted and they began to walk through the empty grassy field. Tori had seen the look in Blake's eyes when pig had kissed her cheek. It tore her in two and she needed to tell him the truth now.
"So…?" Blake asked coaxingly.
Tori stopped as they stood a distance from the house in a patch of grass that was covered in different flowers. The sky was darkening and fireflies were coming out. "Sit." Tori said. They sat and Tori pulled Blake beside her into a laying position looking up at the sky. "You know you're kinda cute when you're jealous." Tori commented with a smirk.
Blake looked over at her. "No way was I jealous."
"Sure and that look I saw when Pig kissed my cheek…" Tori coaxed.
Blake rolled his eyes, but smiled softly. "Ok I admit I was maybe a little bit microscopically jealous."
Tori giggled and rolled onto her side to look down at Blake. "How does it feel being on the other side?" She teased. Blake just quirked an eyebrow at her and winced. "Oh…" Tori said softly. "I'm really sorry about that."
Blake shook his head gently. "Don't be really, it's fine."
Tori brought her hand up and her fingers lightly, not to cause pain, grazed over the darkened flesh. Blake's eyes closed lightly at her gentle touch. "Blake?"
"Hmm?" He hummed questioningly his eyes remaining shut.
"I love you too." She said softly. Blake's eyes snapped open and his smile reached from ear to ear as he ignored the painful protest on the right side of his face.
"You love me?" He asked eagerly.
Tori looked down at his beaming face smiled and nodded. "I love you."
"I thought when you didn't have anything to say you were going to tell me you didn't think of me that way any more." Blake said quietly.
Tori rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I was in shock. I thought that there was no way you could possibly still want me after being gone so long and around much prettier girls then me. It was a little baffling so give me a break."
"Tor, there's no one prettier then you to me." Blake said sweetly. Tori blushed slightly. Blake leaned up on his elbows and he and Tori smiled softly as they leaned in and shared a gentle kiss filled with passion and the longing they both had for this moment.
They broke away smiling. "Come on. My dad should be home and if I'm not around he'll ask questions and quite possibly get the shotgun."
"You're kidding right?" Blake asked a bit fearful.
Tori shook her head. "Nope. Come on I don't need you getting shot on my account I already feel bad enough about the eye." Tori said standing up and holding out her hand for Blake. He accepted and she lifted him up from the ground.
