Disclaimer: See first chapter.

The Day After

The wind whipped around violently and Cam and Hunter had to shield their faces and squint their eyes as they looked over the beach. Worry was etched over their faces. The ocean was getting rough and although there were a few scattered surfers in the water, most had come in as the tide got higher. Anxiously they scanned the water and sand for a familiar blond head or a figure dressed in blue

Yesterday, she had not appeared at Stormchargers to ride up to the airport to see Blake off. Kelly was more than happy to loan them the Stormchargers van. Although he looked a little worried, Blake had told them that he and Tori had said their goodbyes last night. Dustin had said, "Dude," in a sad quiet voice and laid a hand on Blake's shoulder.

Apparently while Blake was being taken to the airport, Tori had slipped up to the school to help Sensei with classes while they were all gone. However, after returning the van to Kelli and having a quick lunch before afternoon classes, by the time Shane and Cam headed up to teach their afternoon classes, Tori had disappeared. They had tried to contact her, but got no response.

This morning, she had left a message on the academy line that she was not feeling well and if someone could cover her classes. She would return tomorrow. Dustin, Shane and Cam had looked at each other with concern. Dustin had tried to call her with no response. She always returned Dustin's calls. It wasn't until Hunter had appeared on the campus and Cy casually mentioned that there were high surf warnings going on that the men took action. Shane and Dustin were left to teach classes while Hunter and Cam headed out to find Tori.

"Cy, can you tell where the signal is coming from?"

With the threat of Lothor gone and the power gone from their morphers, Cam rigged wrist communicators for all the former rangers. They worked really well around the academies, but didn't have the range that their morphers had. They all wore them more often than not, but neither did they worry too much if they didn't have them on, until now.

"About a hundred fifty meters behind you, bro," came the response.

"She left it in her van," Hunter said with a growl as he continued to look up and down the beach, "Do we split up?"

"No, look!" Cam pointed to a figure that just emerged from the surf. Dragging a surfboard, an exhausted surfer walked up the beach a hundred meters before dropping the board and almost collapsing on the sand.

Hunter shook his head as he and Cam started trotting over to where Tori lay. "Cy, tell Dustin and Shane we found her and she seems o.k. for now."

"For now? She in some kind of trouble?" Cy asked.

"She will be when I get my hands on her," Hunter growled into his communicator and started to out pace Cam to get to her first.

"Woah," Cam said, grabbing Hunter's arm to slow him down, "What's up with you?"

"She doesn't show up yesterday. Doesn't return our calls." Hunter threw out his free arm at the ocean in disgust, "She's out surfing in that by herself. She knows better."

They were fairly close to her now. Tori was definitely lying there. Her knees were bent and she had flung an arm across her face, shielding her eyes from the sun. She was breathing hard, her chest noticeably rising and falling beneath her wet suit. Hunter tore loose from Cam and was stalking up to her with Cam trailing behind him shaking his head, when Tori moved. She rolled to her side and curled up into a ball. Both Hunter and Cam froze when they got close enough to notice her shaking shoulders and hear her quiet sobs.

Cam was the first to move. He knelt down next to her and gently reached out to touch her shoulder calling her name softly. Tori didn't uncurl, but she didn't pull away, either. "Tori," Cam said again softly, "Hey." He sat on the sand and shifted her around so that she was almost on his lap and he could place his arms around her. He rocked her slowly back and forth as he watched the waves crash against the shore and the clouds start to roll in.

After a moment, Cam looked up when he noticed Hunter move to Tori's side. Hunter sat next to them and while watching her intently, began to stroke her hair with one hand. "Tor, hey, it's us, Tor," he said softly. It took a little while for Tori to stop crying and all Cam and Hunter could do was sit with her and wait it out.

She gradually grew quiet and after a long moment, she pointed over at an abandoned life guard stand. "Bag," she said. Hunter understood and stood up to jog over to the small green hut to collect a bag and towel that Tori had stashed there earlier. Returning, he draped the towel over her shoulders and dug around in her bag. As she wiped her face on a corner of the towel, Hunter handed her a bottle of water and took out her keys.

"I'm going to go rinse off your board and put it in the van," Hunter said standing throwing a look at Cam that said deal with this as he stood. He paused before picking up the board pointing accusingly at Tori, "But if you think you aren't going to get scolded for this stunt you pulled today, princess, you're wrong!" Then with a huff, Hunter picked up the board and stalked off muttering under his breath.

"I guess I got everyone worried, huh, Cam?" Tori asked in a small voice after she took a small sip of water.

"Yeah, but they'll get over it," Cam replied gently, "You want to talk about it?"

Tori let out a small snort, "What is there to talk about? It's like I told him. How can you talk about something that is not even there?" She pushed off of Cam, but still sat in a huddled ball under her towel. "Was he mad that I didn't see him off, yesterday?" Tori asked quietly.

"No, maybe a little disappointed. I think we all were. He said that you two had said your goodbyes the night before." Cam watched as Tori nodded and seemed to huddle deeper under the towel.

They were both silent, looking out at the ocean. Tori closed her eyes, took a deep breath and got to her feet. Cam stood up brushing the sand of his pants and picked up Tori's bag and slung it over his shoulder. Still huddled in the towel, she started walking slowly up the beach towards her van. She stopped at the showers to rinse off and dug a pair of sandals out of the bag to wear across the parking lot where Hunter was leaning against her van with his arms crossed and a surly look on his face.

"Did you streak down?" Tori asked.

Cam nodded and climbed into the back of the van. When Tori held out her hands for her keys, Hunter shook his head and opened the passenger door for her. "I'm driving," he stated and the look in his eye indicated that she had better not argue with him. Too emotionally exhausted, Tori just climbed into the passenger seat and put her seat belt on. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes.

Hunter climbed into the driver's seat and looked over at Tori. He shared a worried look with Cam before putting on his seat belt and starting up the van. It was a quiet ride up to the academy. The only time anyone spoke was when Shane called Cam on the communicator and they relayed that they were on their way back. Hunter drove right into the zord bay under ninja ops where the resident academy instructors who had vehicles stored them.

As soon as the van stopped, Tori opened her eyes and listlessly got out of the van. Still wrapped in her towel, she started down the corridor that would take her underground to the academy building where she had an office.

"Tori-Tor!" a voice called and Cyber Cam appeared in the doorway of the zord bay, "We were worried." He trotted up to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Sorry, Cy, I didn't mean to worry anyone," she said returning the hug but stepping back quickly. "I'm all wet. I'm going to go change." She looked at Cam and Hunter who had stepped out of the van and were watching her, "I'll see you guys later."

The three men watched her walk away. "Something's not right with the Tori-bird," Cy said with a shake of his head.

Cam made a humming sound, but Hunter was a little more vocal. "Yeah, blowing us off, having us cover classes so she can go surf at high tide, having a break down on the beach. I'd say something is not right."

"Did Blake say anything before he left?" Cam asked Hunter.

"No, we had dinner together before he and Tori took a walk on the beach the other night. He didn't get in until late, but he didn't say anything to me. I was busy with Omino Sensei reworking the academy lesson plans to include you guys in the rotation to help out when we re-open next week."

"Odd," Cam said.

"What?"

"You said Blake was out late?"

Hunter thought a minute, "Yeah, I think he came in at about eleven. He had to finish some packing and asked me if he could take some of the bathroom stuff, hair gel and towels and stuff."

"Tori was back here at around eight," Cam said. "I was working on rewiring some systems and heard the van come in."

They looked at each other and then back at the doorway Tori disappeared through. Hunter sighed before running a hand through his hair. God, Blake, he thought, what did you do?