AN: I've been getting some good questions about some of my plot holes. I am trying to clear them up, really, but some of them may not get resolved. I hope this dream sequence is clear enough, but if it isn't feel free to tell me in your review and I'll try to explain some more of it. Thanks for all you lovely people who have stayed with me through this! Just think, only about 6 more chapters or so and we're done! ... I think? Eh, feed the author anyway!

Tori called them all to let them know Blake was ready to go, and Hunter wanted to know if he wanted to talk first, and Tori paused, and they all heard what Blake said.

"Actually, I think it'd be better if he found his own way home. He seems to be good at that these days."

Hunter was furious, and Cam tried to send him reassuring thoughts in his head but Hunter was completely blocking him out and… it actually hurt when he did that. Had this been what Cam had been doing to Hunter for almost 2 weeks?

He rubbed his chest, feeling sullen. Tori asked if Hunter would be able to get home alright, and Hunter responded that he probably wouldn't be coming home, since it would make Blake so much happier.

Tori tried to remedy the situation, but the damage was done. Blake was hurt at being left out, Hunter was furious at his brother for being so immature, and Cam was feeling the whiplash of Hunter's emotions like never before.

The winds, completely confused and unable to do anymore good, disappeared. Hunter remained, his back turned to Cam. Cam stared at him for a moment, trying to sense something, but nothing had changed. Desperate for the feeling in his chest to abate he turned and began walking into Ninja Ops, trying his hardest to block all of Hunter out of his head.

He had no idea how hard that was going to be.

Hunter followed him. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you!" Cam answered, hurrying back down the steps.

"Hey, you're the one that started this whole thing-"

"Me?" Cam turned on him, his own anger growing. "I think this was kind of a fifty-fifty deal!"

He tried to breathe, but Hunter's next remark made it harder. "Blake is furious with me because of you!"

"And my father might never speak to me again because I've been lying to him about you!" Cam admonished. Hunter didn't look very regretful. "Look, I know you're close with your brother, but you didn't seem all that upset when my dad was angry with me-"

"Don't you dare compare your relationship with your father to the one I have with my brother!" Hunter warned. He looked like he was ready to charge Cam the next time he stepped out of line. "My brother has known everything about me, until you! Your father doesn't know you at all, so this shouldn't be that difficult for him. Your problems were already there, you said that yourself."

Cam bristled. "And so were yours! You just couldn't see them because you never pay enough attention to your brother to notice!"

"And you barely talk to your father at all! God, it's no wonder you're so screwed up." Hunter looked disgusted, and that hurt more than Cam was ever going to tell him. He tried to muster up the same sort of expression when he answered.

"Your one to talk." He whispered, and it came out much weaker than he'd intended.

Yanking the necklace from his neck Hunter held it up, brandishing it irritably. "What happened with this? I thought you knew-"

"It saved your life out there, in case you didn't notice!" Cam interrupted, yelling right back at him. "Since you were stupid enough to get hit by one of Lothor's blasts!"

Hunter growled. "Don't call me stupid, Cam." And he pushed him.

Just like that, it was there. The rage. Cam was seeing red, and the anger was overwhelming. Infuriated, Cam pushed him back.

Hunter stood there, fuming, unwilling to respond, so Cam pushed him again.

"It was your idea to keep this a secret." Hunter said coldly. Cam objected immediately, but Hunter kept going. "Because you're so damn afraid of who you are that you can't even-"

"Who am I, Hunter?!" Cam yelled, tossing his hands out to the sides and turning. "You seem to think you know pretty well. Who am I?"

Hunter opened his mouth to answer, but Cam glared at him and he stopped.

"You don't know! You've known me for 2 weeks, Hunter! You can't stand there and tell me who I am." Cam shouted, and Hunter came at him, gripping his arms tightly.

"And you can't stand there and pretend that this bond isn't changing everything you ever were." Hunter whispered harshly. He was close now, too close, and Cam tried to twist out of his grip.

Hunter pulled him closer, and Cam could feel his breathe on his skin. He knew what Hunter was going to do, knew what he wanted to do, and was suddenly aware that they were still in a very open control room that his father could walk back into at any moment.

Of course, what he would find would depend entirely on Cam's next choice to kiss Hunter or knee him.

"Not here." He muttered, and Hunter let him go. Cam began walking down the hallway, Hunter close behind him.

They reached his room quickly, and Cam grabbed Hunters arm and hauled him inside. He closed the door behind him, locking it.

Then he was shoved up against it so hard Cam thought his ribs would be bruised. Hunter was so close to him, but he was so far away. He was still so angry that Cam couldn't feel anything and he pushed back, twisted out of Hunter's grip and kneed him in the stomach.

Hunter doubled over and backed off, and Cam waited for him to get his balance back before lunging at him again.

Hunter punched him. Hard, and in the jaw. Cam yelled an obscenity and swung for Hunter madly, hitting him once upside the head. Hunter caught his fists, spun him around once so he was twisted up and then wrapped Cam's own arms around himself. Hunter held them in place with his hands, gripping Cam's wrists so hard there would be fingerprint bruises there in the morning.

Hunter forced him backward until he was backed up against the wall again, and his ribs screamed. Their mouths collided, wet and angry and hungry and hot.

Cam didn't want it. Not like this. But he couldn't help himself and when Hunter finally let his hands go he found them cupping Hunter's face as they kissed, wild and passionate.

It was Hunter who pulled away, and the anger at the edges of Cam's senses threatened to spill over again.

"Too much." Hunter whispered breathlessly. He disentangled himself from Cam, stepped away, and promptly slid to the ground.

Cam knew what he meant. The anger, the rage, the seeing red… it's what had happened to them the first few days they'd been bonded, and it had drained them beyond reason. At this point, being angry at each other was just not an option.

The only way to fix the already great drain on their energy seemed to be with tenderness, and if Cam didn't know any better he'd have just left it there. But he knew how lonely he'd feel when he left with Hunter angry with him, and he knew how empty he'd feel later and it was one of the worst feelings he'd ever had.

He rubbed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing. And when that didn't help the tightness in his chest he let out an annoyed groan.

Sighing in frustration, Cam reached a hand down to the crimson ranger, who was crumpled on the floor, his face in his hands. When Hunter didn't take his hand, even though Cam was sure he must have known it was there, Cam bent down and pulled one of Hunter's hands away from his face gently. He reached for the other, and soothingly he pulled Hunter up with him, pressing them together. Holding onto him as though he might slip away again.

Hunter opened his eyes to look at him. "'M sorry," he whispered, and Cam closed his mouth with his own, gently and easily melding them together.

He was so tired. This day had felt unbearably long, but he couldn't tear himself from Hunter. And he didn't think he could bring himself to kick him out now, but he wasn't sure he was ready for this.

Hunter pulled away and tugged Cam closer, resting his forehead on Cam's shoulder. Cam took the opportunity to run his fingers through Hunter's soft, blonde hair.

"I don't want to go." Hunter whispered against his neck. Cam shivered.

Honesty was the only real way to go with Hunter these days, because he would know when Cam was lying and Cam had never been this openly vulnerable to anyone in his life and Hunter hadn't done anything to deserve it and all he could do was tell him the truth. "I don't want you to, either."

Hunter hugged him closer, one hand around his neck and the other sinking into his back pocket. It was a strangely… intimate gesture that he hadn't expected. So Cam did the same thing to him.

He felt Hunter grinning, and a ball of warmth burst inside his chest. Already, the exhaustion was melting into contentment, and Cam found himself grinning back. He felt like such a fool.

Hunter kissed him again, and the anger completely ebbed away. "Not a fool," Hunter teased, pressing his forehead to Cam's. "Just foolish."

Cam laughed, because he could, and because it made Hunter happy, and the chime that alerted him of Hunter's wellbeing was back. "Is that what it felt like?"

Hunter looked at him questioningly, but didn't say anything.

"When I blocked you out for all that time." Cam amended, stroking Hunter's face. "It felt like something was… crushing my chest. It was hard to breathe."

Hunter looked at him for a long moment before kissing him again. It wasn't a yes or a no, but the answer came later, ghosted across Cam's mind ever so gently. It felt like my heart was breaking. But I suppose 'crushing my chest' is a good way to put it, yeah.

Cam closed his mouth, and Hunter was forced to stop kissing him and pull away. He looked at him as though he was embarrassed, and it made Cam smirk. Could you even hear me?

Hunter shook his head. Bits and pieces. I was just so angry…

"I noticed." Cam didn't think he could put just the right amount of venom into his words in his head, so he said it aloud instead. Hunter looked remorseful, and he tenderly checked the side of Cam's face where he had punched him.

Cam thought about playing it up to make it look like it really hurt, but he didn't want to make Hunter feel any worse. He had probably done the same amount of damage. Gently, Hunter tilted his head and then he felt Hunter's lips on the already bruising spot. His stomach fluttered a little at the surprisingly sweet gesture, but it made it feel better, so he let Hunter keep doing it.

When Hunter pulled away, a tugging at his senses let him know something was wrong. Opening his eyes to look at Hunter, he asked "What's strange?"

Hunter glanced at him, then back at his jaw. Does it still hurt?

Cam felt it with his own hand, and found that the pain had mostly faded. Not really. Why?

Because it's not bruised anymore. Hunter told him. Cam looked at him skeptically, and Hunter backed away so Cam could go look in his mirror.

Hunter followed him, and watched as Cam did a thorough inspection of his face. Finding it to be not in the least bit discolored and the pain almost completely faded, Cam glanced at Hunter in the mirror.

Told you so. Hunter teased, poking him in the side. Cam winced, and Hunter laid a gentle hand over his bruised ribs. "Maybe I should get to work on those."

Cam gave him a look. "Thanks, but I think the power can take care of that."

Hunter looked put out, but he didn't argue.

"So… not going home, I suppose?" He asked. Hunter leaned forward and rested his chin on Cam's shoulder.

"You don't want me to." Hunter told him with a raised eyebrow. Then he sighed and added, "And neither does Blake."

Cam winced. "Sorry."

Hunter shrugged. "He'll get over it. Your dad will get over. They can deal."

That was surprisingly calmer from their earlier outburst and Cam couldn't help sniggering at their own absurdity. Hunter must have heard him, because he gently bit Cam's shoulder in retaliation.

Cam couldn't remember how they'd found themselves on his bed later that evening, but it was a comfortable position and he didn't really want to move. He and Hunter were barely touching. Mirroring each others positions and facing each other on top of the covers, Hunter's foot would occasionally tap Cam's, and their fingers lay intertwined between their heads.

Hunter's thumb was stroking Cam's palm in a repetitive fashion. Cam took the time to study Hunter's face. In the darkness it should have been hard to see Hunter's expression, but Cam could feel it more than see it and it was alarming how little he noticed the difference.

Hunter's foot touched his again, and Cam's foot twitched at the heat.

"Your feet," Hunter declared a moment later, "are freezing."

Cam shrugged. "You could stop playing footsie with me like a fourth grader and not have to complain about it."

Hunter made a squawking sound. "This is not footsie. When we're playing footsie, you'll know."

Cam just grinned and let the conversation fall as Hunter continued to rub their feet together playfully. Cam caught sight of the silver charm still hanging from Hunter's neck. He disentangled their entwined hands at Hunter's protests and reached for it.

He fiddled with it in his fingers for a moment, turning it over and over and seeing if there was anything he hadn't noticed before. When he found nothing, he sighed and held it there.

"I should run some tests on this." Cam told Hunter, who's eyes were closed.

"Why?" Hunter wanted to know. "Do you have tests that will tell you what kind of protection charm is on it?"

Cam gave him a look, and even though Hunter's eyes were closed Cam was sure he could feel his annoyance. "You can't test for protection charms. They either work or they don't."

Hunter opened his eyes. "Then what's the point in running tests on it?"

Cam didn't answer.

"What did you mean this morning?" Hunter paused to yawn. "When you said you'd figured it out?"

Cam sighed. "I thought… maybe part of the secret of all this was in the necklaces. I mean… they obviously traded so we'd be able to put the pieces together on our own someday."

Hunter didn't say anything, but when Cam looked at him he thought, I don't think our moms planned on not being here to explain it to us.

Cam swallowed. Sometimes we plan for things we never expect to happen.

Hunter reached over and kissed him then. Quickly, chastely, it was the simplest thing Cam had to do and it was the most complicated thing he knew. But Hunter's lips on his let him know it was okay, that he wasn't alone.

Hunter hovered above him, and kissed his forehead. Do you think, maybe… these dreams are from our moms? Trying to show us what they never got a chance to tell us?

Cam sighed, yanking slightly on Hunter's necklace. If I learn nothing else from this experience, at least I've learned that anything is possible.

Hunter smirked in that way he did, and leaned down to kiss Cam again. His lips were soft and this was an invasive kiss. Cam opened his mouth and let Hunter in, marveling how they moved in perfect rhythm with one another.

When Hunter finally pulled away, Cam noticed the puzzled look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Hunter looked at him. "Earlier, when you said Blake and I had problems… do you really think he resents me for not paying close enough attention?"

Cam sighed. Things said in the heat of the moment often came back to haunt him. "I don't know. Do you really think I'm afraid of who I am?"

"Yes." The answer was instantaneous, and Hunter looked perfectly confident about it. "Your amazing, Cam. Gay or not. And you'd rather hid who you are and not let anyone get close to you instead of showing the world how incredible you really are."

You're just trying to keep me from getting angry with you again. Cam opined. Hunter pulled him close and kissed him again.

Maybe, he agreed. But I mean it too.

I didn't mean what I said about Blake, Cam blurted as they kissed. He… you're his brother. He loves you. He just wants to feel like you respect him as more than your brother.

Family advice from the terminally dysfunctional, Hunter teased. I'll remember that.

They continued kissing, and Cam was perfectly happy to let the exchange drop, because it could only get worse if they kept talking about it and he was far too content for that at this particular moment.

"So," Hunter mumbled as he pulled away and resettled himself. "We have some ancient text that talks about the bond, our odd new abilities which so far include being able to heal each other and white energy beams, our weird dreams about meeting before we actually met, and our mom's necklaces."

"My mom's necklace." Cam remembered suddenly. "We never went to get it."

Hunter grinned. "We were too busy kicking the crap out of each other."

Cam was already moving. "Let's go."

"Cam." Hunter stopped him with a hand on his hip. "It's late. We can't go now. We'll go first thing tomorrow."

They shared a rueful look, and at the same time intoned, "After training."

Cam let Hunter pull him back to bed, and they resettled in their nest. Maybe finding Miko's necklace would give them some answers. He wondered if the same protection charm was on it. He wondered if the charm had been put in place the moment the two women exchanged necklaces, or if Miko had placed the charm on the silver necklace later. If so, would the golden necklace that had fallen into Casey's possession work the same? Or would it be different? Had the necklaces always been protected, even before the women had exchanged them? Had they known they'd exchanged protection charms?

"It's too late to be thinking that much." Hunter yawned again, and he pulled Cam closer to him.

Can't help it, Cam told him.

Sleep time, Hunter insisted. He had somehow snaked an arm underneath Cam and they were closer than they had been before. Hunter placed his free hand on Cam's face before he kissed him again, and Cam melted into him, enjoying the feel of Hunter's warm body pressed up against his.

Did this make him gay? He was kissing a man, in bed with a man, spending most of his time with a man… but it wasn't totally his fault. It was the bond he shared with Hunter that made him feel like this. Because these couldn't be his real feelings. He'd know, because he'd never felt like this before. And maybe he had to be with Hunter because of the bond, but if they found a way out of this would he still want him? Would he need him as desperately as he needed him now?

It was a rare moment when Cameron Watanabe didn't want to answers to his questions.

Cam let his hand fall onto Hunter's hip, and they laid there lipping at each others mouths until sleep had almost claimed them.

I never would have taken you for a cuddler, Hunter whispered.

I never would have imagined I'd be cuddling with you, Cam agreed.

Hunter just kissed him sleepily. Good thing you can't see everything in the future, then.

He was floating somewhere. The images were jumbled. This wasn't like before. This wasn't clear or vivid or concise… he didn't understand what was happening. He suddenly was whooshed away and thrown somewhere.

He saw Casey Bradley the night she died, attacked by a hooded figure…

She was trying to protect her sons as they escaped. Hunter and Blake were running, never looking back, and Casey's voice screamed through his mind "Hunter!"

He was whirled around, facing a crisp white hospital room. His mother lay in the bed, with his father by her side. An 8 year old version of himself walked over and hugged her.

"You're getting so big," Miko grinned as a tear rolled down her cheek, her voice barely a whisper. "Oh, Cameron."

Twisting around again, he watched the heart monitor go flat from the hallway, and heard his mother's voice in his head. "People who love you never really leave you. They stay in your heart. I'll always be with you."

He was sucked backward, watching as he and Hunter's 4 year old selves cast a glowing orb of light around themselves. Whooshing forward, he watched the scene from two weeks ago where he and Hunter had created the orb for the second time.

He was spun around, knocked over, and he saw himself and Hunter in the truck, their blood mingling together before the white light blinded him, and then the scars were all he could see.

Someone was speaking, but he wasn't sure who. It was more than one person. No, the person kept changing. First it was his mother, then Hunter's mother, then Hunter… his father, Lothor… himself, the other rangers… but what were they saying?

It was too loud, too much, and he couldn't make sense of it. He was looking down at himself and Hunter, sleeping side by side. He was sent further back in time, back when Lothor had been Kiya Watanabe, and he'd look at Cam as he realized that he was Miko's son. Cam had known he'd known, but he hadn't known how.

Whooshed forward, he saw himself as a child again, but this time the hooded figure who'd killed Casey Bradley stood in front of him and his mother. He drew back his hood, revealing the horribly scarred face of Kiya Watanabe.

"This ends now!" Kiya discharged a bolt of energy, but it went around them as Miko hugged Cam tightly. The silver charm hung from her neck.

Tugged backward again, the voices got louder until they were all he could hear, and he was surrounded by the sound of the voices and by their faces.

"Hard to come by, harder to lose," They spoke, and Cam made out the words even as they were screamed at him. "Bound partners who did not choose."

He watched Hunter and Blake as they saw their parents in the cave of lost ninja's, pleading for them to come back.

Casey Bradley as she promised, "We'll always be looking after you."

"In life, in death, together they must stay."

He watched the first time Hunter had kissed him, and the first time he'd kissed back. He watched everything as though he was seeing it from outside.

"Or a costly price there will be to pay."

Kiya's face overlapped with Lothor's as he realized he couldn't attack Hunter. He was whooshed upwards, towards the heavens, only to end up on Lothor's ship, watching his uncle laugh hysterically.

"I knew this day would come!" He shouted to no one, holding a badly damaged scroll in his hand. "You couldn't protect him forever, could you Miko?"

"For be warned, this power comes at a cost."

He was watching himself, squirming on the ground as he pleaded for Hunter. The scar on his hand where he'd cut it on the glass and a scar he didn't have yet burned bright red.

He was dying.

"While unexpectedly revealed, this prophecy is sealed."

He watched as Casey and Miko traded necklaces that day in the park, watched himself pick up the frame with the picture of Hunter and his mother, watched himself find the photo of him and his mother.

Everything whirled together again and he couldn't stop it. He wanted to wake up, wanted to find himself safe in Hunter's arms. He knew he was dreaming, but there was no way to wake up from this dream, this nightmare.

"Cameron." Miko's voice over road the voices speaking the prophetic poem and he turned to see her, dressed in the same clothes he'd seen Hunter's parent's dressed in at the cave of lost ninja's. "What you have seen are some events that have already transpired, and some events that have not yet come to pass. You are in grave danger, my son."

"I don't understand!" He reached for her, but she was already fading away. "Mother!"

"The future is what you make of it, Cameron." Hood pulled over her head, Miko disappeared into a cloud of smoke, and the voices once again took over.

"To fight for the right, in moments of most need, these enemies turned lovers…Will never bleed."

Cam sprang up in his bed sweating, unable to breathe. Hunters hand was on his chest, and Cam gripped it tightly.

"Cam, it's okay." Hunter soothed, holding him against his chest. It was just a nightmare. It's okay.

"No, Hunter." Cam shook his head, ran a hand through his hair and twisted until he could see Hunter's face clearly. "I don't think this was just a nightmare."