Disclamer: Power Rangers Ninja Storm, the characters and their world are not mine.

Monday morning dawned bright and early and Hunter woke in a foul mood. "Yo, bro, we're heading off to the wind school." Blake, Kapri and Marah stood in the doorway of his room. "You're going to be late for morning class."

Hunter just growled and pulled the covers up over his head. He knew they were right, but wasn't sure how he was going to deal with his new knowledge of Cam and Leann. First things first, though, he did owe Leann an apology. He got up and got ready for his day. With Blake going over the wind school today, he was expecting Dustin and the new earth instructor and although Leann was there to lead classes, since he was at the academy, he had better be out there. It might be nice to be just one of the students for once he thought pulling on his instructor uniform and stretching out the kinks in his neck.

There was a startled hush when he walked into the dining room. He frowned knowing that his students had gotten used to his being gone on Monday mornings. Although he trusted Leann completely with the school and the students, complacency was not a habit he wanted to encourage. Alien attacks rarely came with warning.

"Morning, Hunter," Leann said coolly as he moved to sit beside her and her father at the head table after greeting his grandmother with a kiss on the cheek.

"Sensei, Leann, good morning. Leann, I owe you an apology," Hunter said wanting to get it over with, knowing how uncomfortable Leann could make his life if she chose, "You are absolutely right, you are an adult and can make your own decisions. I love you and I worry about you. You are family to Blake and me, and you are the sister that I feel like I have to protect." Hunter had kept his head down through his apology. Although all the things he said were true, and he really meant them, he was not going to let Leann get away unscathed.

Leann, knowing her "brother" like she did waited for the bombshell. "I should have let you go to spend the night at Cam's yesterday."

Leann put her elbows on the table and dropped her face into her hands. She could just imagine Hunter's gloating expression, although she knew he wasn't wearing one now. The only blessing was that Blake had already left this morning, or he would have fallen off his chair laughing. Not that Hunter was going to keep this moment to himself.

"Leann?!" her father's shocked voice came from her right. Grandma Bradley was coughing, but Leann was sure it was because she was trying not to laugh. Leann just groaned as she imagined ways that she was going to seriously HURT Hunter at first opportunity.

"Dad, please, you've known about Cam since we started dating almost six months ago," Leann said with a look of resignation. "I am an adult and I have been on my own before. Please, Dad."

"I am just saying that a ninja has certain standards to uphold," Omino Sensei replied stiffly.

Grandma took this opportunity to break in, "What he means, dear, is that he loves you, he worries about you and be discreet. That Cam is a sweet boy. Your father completely approves of him. He just feels like he has to bluster," she turned her gaze to Hunter, "And you should be ashamed of yourself, young man, that was completely uncalled for. No cookies for a week."

Leann hid a smile as Hunter looked up in amazement. Grandma Bradley was not above using their ninja honor against them. Hunter was now honor bound to stay away from any of her baking for a week. "Yes, Grandma," he nodded thinking now that he should have dropped the bombshell when only Omino Sensei and Leann were present. He still had a great story to tell the guys, though. However, his grin turned into a grimace of pain as Leann kicked him under the table in retaliation.

After breakfast, Hunter went out to the training field where he saw that Dustin and his student along with Shane had streaked in. Hunter went over to them and when the hand shaking and back slapping ritual was complete, Hunter and Shane went to sit at the pagoda while Leann ran the ninjas through their training regime.

"So, what brings you over here this morning?" Hunter asked Shane as he observed Dustin and his student conform themselves to the Thunder style form. Dustin and Tori were very avid about learning the thunder techniques to improve their teaching. Shane was less so, but he was very respectful to maintain the integrity of the thunder style as he taught the air element classes. Dustin's student seemed adaptable and willing to learn. As Dustin and Leann directed him through some of the techniques and Hunter watched impressed.

"Well, since Blake was over there this morning, I figured I'd stop by and see how the teaching rotation is being changed."

Hunter grinned, "Blake got wet. He's doing my teaching there for six months."

Shane snickered, "Dude, that is so unfair."

Hunter shrugged still intent on the students below. "I just figured we'd adapt the schedule so that Tori and Blake are always at the same school."

Shane looked over at his friend. Over the years, the two had become particularly close as they shared the trials and triumphs of running the wind and thunder academies. Hunter's emotions were closed off and Shane thought he knew why. "So that's your decision?"

Hunter shrugged. "Five years is a long time. If Tori felt something different for me, I think I might have done something. Now Blake is back. You've seen him watching her, it's like she's his whole world."

"You o.k. with that?"

"I have to be. It's like you guys said, at one time or another, all of us have had a thing for Tori, mine just happened to be a couple of years ago. Come on, be honest with me, do you think she ever got over Blake?" Hunter asked.

Shane shrugged confused trying to think about Tori and her actions over the past five years that would have indicated a change in feelings. "I don't know. She was a wreck when he left, and then after we saw him again. Dude, as if we could forget?"

Hunter shook his head, "I guess I just feel so bad, like we should have done something. We just kept looking at her like she was a guy-girl." Shane snickered at the term, then grew serious as Hunter continued, "By the time I was looking at her as something else, I think it was too late. Maybe she has just been waiting for Blake."

"He knows you asked her out."

"Yeah," Hunter said with a grin, "I'm waiting for him to get up the guts to talk to me about it. It's almost fun watching him squirm."

"That's why you plastered yourself to them this weekend," Shane said shaking his head, "You know, one of these days, you are going to wind up the wrong person."

"Hey, Tori's the one who kissed me! And you should have seen Leann this morning," Hunter said with an evil grin.

Shane rolled his eyes, "This I got to hear," he said and Hunter regaled him of the tale of breakfast, "Dude," Shane said afterwards with a chuckle, "I don't know who's going to kick your butt first, Leann or Cam once Leann tells him."

"Leann's the one I worry about. Cam can handle the ribbing. Leann hits harder."

Shane sat back remembering years ago when Dustin had said something similar to him about Tori. "So, how do we get Blake and Tori together?"

Hunter sat back with a tight grin on his face, "I think just keeping them in the same proximity as much as possible is going to work. Blake's much more confident than he ever was before and I really think he knows what he wants this time. If she's still got a thing for him, she'll bite."

"And if she doesn't?"

"You don't mack on your bro's girl," Hunter replied, "She'll bite," a grin crossed Hunter's face, "Dude, no one can resist the Bradley charm."

Shane snorted, "Ah, yes, too bad girls won't let you get close enough to try it on them."

"Little you know, I got a date next weekend."

Shane's eyebrows winged up at this bit of news. "With who?"

"Kira's got a few gigs in Blue Bay over the next few weeks. A couple of clubs have booked her after seeing her on Saturday. I promised her dinner and a few workouts, maybe a few moonlit walks on the beach and possibly dancing. You never know."

Shane was a bit relieved to say the least. He remembered back to when he first met the thunder brothers and that first conversation he overheard. After Blake left, Hunter and Tori became fairly close as they used the other to fill the void that Blake had left. But after seeing Blake in Reefside that one time, Tori went through a bad patch. Hunter may have had a thing for Tori, but if Hunter was thinking about Kira Ford, he wouldn't be too worried about the crimson ninja.

"Hey, bro, just remember, huh?" Shane waited until Hunter looked at him, "I know you want Blake happy. Dude, I'd feel the same way about Tori or Dustin, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your happiness for them all the time."

"It's different if it's your brother."

"I know, I have a brother, and I can't even think about what Porter has done over the years just to remind me how much he supports me. But you have to not let that stop you from living your life. You think Blake's going to be happy years from now if he's got everything and you are miserable and alone because you gave him everything he needed and wanted. It's one thing being a big brother, man, but you don't have to be a martyr."

Hunter looked at Shane and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "I know, man," he said extending a fist in Shane's direction. Shane smiled and bumped Hunter's fist with his. "Now, about that teaching schedule . . ."

Hunter smiled looking back at the students. Dustin peeled of his group of earth ninjas and they took off for a sprint in the forest. Leann had the other students and was leading them through techniques. Hunter stood and indicated that Shane should follow him to his office. The two ninjas trimmed in red walked from the pagoda plotting the future of their brother and friend.