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Tommy couldn't believe how well the evening had gone. He and Billy had literally closed the restaurant down, talking quietly and catching up on each other's lives. Tommy was surprised to find out that Billy had managed to follow a great deal of his racing career from Phaedos. That; made him feel just a little guilty about staying out of touch himself.

Finally, the manager had politely reminded them that they needed to close the dining room, and hinted that it was time to leave. In no time, they found themselves walking along the lakeside path at the park, a winter's moon hanging heavy in the sky. Without thinking, Tommy reached out and took Billy's hand in his own, and only realized the enormity of that single gesture when Billy looked down at their joined hands and smiled without comment.

They walked quietly, hand in hand along the path, neither daring to say anything that would break the spell of peace and the sense of rightness that just seem to wash over them. For the first time in his life, Tommy felt in harmony with himself and the universe. He could feel his center vibrating deep within him, solidly grounded to the Earth, and as his heart soared he heard a cry in his mind that he thought had long been silenced: the victory cry of the falcon.

Billy looked over at him and smiled, and in the moonlight, Tommy thought his eyes took on a slightly wolfish gleam. _Now can you hear my voice, fledgling?_ a voice asked in his mind.

_Huh? Who are you?_ Tommy mentally asked in surprise. Opening his mouth to speak aloud, he stopped when Billy gently reached out and touched his finger to Tommy's lips.

_I am Horus, the Falcon Spirit. You have been gone from my realm for too long, your mind hidden by a strange élan,_ the voice answered. _An élan, with the shade of rich blood_

_The Zeo and Turbo Powers?_ Tommy asked.

_If that is what you call them, they are not of the Great Power,_ the voice told him. Billy only smiled at him, remaining silent as if he knew what was transpiring, but not wanting to interfere.

_It is time you returned to the aerie, Lord of the Skies_ the voice told him. _One of your kettle has broken the pact and has summoned dark winds to him._ He could feel the spirit smile, _Luka's cub will guide you in what you must do. You have been away from the kettle too long._

_Luka's cub?_ Tommy asked.

Again, he felt the spirit smile as it replied, _The one whose paw you hold in your talon. The one you would seek to take as a mate._ Tommy felt himself blush at the comment.

_Billy?_ Tommy asked.

_Here,_ Billy's voice replied in his mind.

_Do you know what's going on?_ Tommy asked.

Billy frowned and then replied sadly, "One of the reasons I returned to Earth was to find out more about this."

"About what Billy?" Tommy asked, not liking the turn the evening had taken.

Billy sighed and looked at him. Tommy saw a deep sorrow in his eyes mixed with something that looked like relief. He said, "Dulcea believes that one of the former Rangers has turned against us."

"I can't believe that, Billy!" Tommy told him, spinning the former Blue Ranger around to face him. "I can't believe that one of our own has gone over." Suddenly he realized that Billy may have other reasons for accepting his invitation to dinner. Dropping his hands he asked, "Is that why you went out with me, Billy- to find out if I was the one?" He watched Billy's eyes closely, knowing that his old friend would be unable to lie with those deep blue-green orbs.

Billy shook his head- nothing but honesty radiating from his face. "No, Tommy. I went out with you because I've always wanted to." Looking down he seemed to gather his thoughts, "I won't lie to you Tommy. My main purpose for coming back to Earth was to find out who is betraying the Rangers. I never suspected that you felt this way about me- the same way I feel abut you. What I told you tonight was nothing but the truth." Looking up at Tommy, Billy must have seen disbelief in his eyes, because the tone of Billy's voice cut through him like a knife, "If you don't believe me, believe this."

Billy reached out and pulled Tommy to him, pressing them into a kiss. Tommy felt himself melt against the other man, as Billy's tongue sought entrance into his mouth. A surge of something went through Tommy as he was caught up in the kiss. He'd never felt something like this before. It set off all kinds of reactions in his body, not the least of which he could feel pressing against Billy's hip. Several moments later, Billy released him with a gentle nip to his lower lip, and Tommy realized that he'd forgotten to breathe.

"Now do you believe me?" Billy asked.

Tommy nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat before replying with a smile," I'm not sure, maybe you should prove it to me again."

Billy smiled and stepped up to him saying, "Gladly," just before kissing him again, this time with even more fervor. Tommy couldn't believe what was going on inside him, as he felt the former Blue Ranger press his body against him. Their tongues danced in each other's mouth, as Tommy let his hands roam up and down Billy's tightly muscled back, reveling in their hardness under his hands. Slowly he let them glide lower to rest against Billy's back pockets, as he felt Billy's hands make similar explorations of his body.

Realizing that they were standing in the pathway and in plain sight of anyone who might come along, Tommy reluctantly pulled back from Billy and said with a smile, "Maybe we should find some place a little less public."

Billy grinned up at him and said, "Is this where I regret not taking Jason and the others up on their offer to protect my virtue against the fable White Ranger?"

"Your virtue is intact?" Tommy asked jokingly, as he mentally wondered where Billy learned to kiss like that.

Billy smirked, "Pure as the driven snow. Never been kissed up until five minutes ago."

"I don't believe that," Tommy told him.

Billy just smiled and took his hand as they continued down the path, "It's true. Never been anybody I wanted to kiss except you."

Tommy stopped and turned Billy to face him, "Billy, are you telling me that was your first kiss?"

Billy nodded, "Affirmative."

"What about Violet, and Laura?" he asked. "You never kissed them? What about Cestria?"

Billy shook his head, and chuckled, "Never." He smiled at Tommy, "And kissing Cestria would have been like kissing a goldfish."

"That's an image I didn't need, Billy," Tommy told him as they began walking hand in hand once again. For long moments, Tommy considered all the things he'd heard tonight. Billy had managed to drop more than one bombshell on him, and it was going to take a while to get it all sorted out. One thing was certain though; he was not going to waste this chance for building a relationship with the former Blue Ranger.

"Billy?" he asked quietly.

The blond turned and looked at him and replied with a smile, "Yes?"

"What do we do now?" he asked. "I mean about your mission," he paused a moment, "and just as importantly, about us?"

Billy stopped under a huge oak tree that arched out over the pathway blocking the moonlight, and shielding them in shadow. He ran a gentle hand up and down Tommy's arm before replying, "As far as my mission goes; I continue looking for the traitor." He looked up, and what Tommy saw there sent the butterflies in his stomach to fluttering again, "As far as we're concerned; I'm yours, body, mind and soul." He grinned deeply, "Just don't forget the lesson in Ladyhawke." Tommy realized that his face must have showed his puzzlement, because Billy explained, "Wolves and falcons mate for life. If I do this," he paused and fixed Tommy with his gaze, "if WE do this, you need to know that I'm not holding anything back. I'm handing you my heart and trusting you to keep it safe for me."

Tommy was surprised at the intensity in Billy's eyes and voice. He was just a little awed at the amount of trust and faith Billy was placing in him. He swallowed hard and as he was caught up in the enormity of what Billy had just told him. He felt something click in his own heart. Without thought, he reached out and pulled Bill to him before saying, "The same goes for me Bill. This isn't a game, and this isn't just a chance to prove myself one way or the other. I'm serious. I want to continue." He stopped and ran his hand from Billy's shoulder, up the side of his neck and finally, stopped with his fingers gently intertwined in the blond locks held in a tight ponytail. "I've never been more serious about this in my life. I want you Bill Cranston, and if you'll have it, I'm giving you MY heart to keep safe." Then he pulled the blond into another kiss, that sent tingles of electricity down his spine to lodge somewhere in the front of his jeans.

Tommy didn't remember ending the kiss. He wasn't sure that they had. It was as if the walk back to Jason's house was a dream punctuated with moments of intense experience as they walked along the path stopping occasionally to steal a kiss in the shadows. Tommy had always thought that the feeling he got when he morphed was the ultimate high, surpassing any need to ever experiment with drugs. That night, holding Billy in his arms, getting lost in those blue-green eyes, feeling the power of their shared kisses made even the power of the Morphin' Grid pale in comparison. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought he heard a raptor-like voice chuckling in amusement at that thought.

All too soon, they found themselves standing on the front porch at Jason's house, the overhead light outshining the winter moon. Billy looked up at him, and Tommy could see the reluctance to end the night that he too felt. "Can we do this again sometime: soon?" Billy asked.

Smiling at Billy's echoing his own thoughts, he replied, "Tomorrow night? I have to be at the track early, but by three or so I should be finished. I could fix you dinner and we could watch a movie."

Billy smiled asked, "You can cook?"

Tommy chuckled, "Yes, I can cook, much better than I can sculpt. Mom made sure that I wouldn't go hungry before she ever let me move out of the house."

Billy laughed at the reminder of Tommy's attempt at sculpture in art class that eventually became one of Zed's monsters. "That wouldn't take a lot, Tom." He smiled, "But, I'll take my chances. I'd love to."

"What would you like to see then?" Tommy asked.

Billy shrugged, "I've been off planet, remember. I have no idea what's out. You know my tastes in movies, you pick something."

It was Tommy's turn to laugh as he replied, "Okay, anything with giant rubber monsters attacking Tokyo it is." Tommy chided Billy about his love of old Godzilla movies- a rather ironic interest all things considered.

Billy smiled, and pulled Tommy down into another kiss that sent his heart racing again. This time, he could feel Billy's own reaction to the kiss pressing against him. He smiled mentally and pulled Bill tighter to him, as he lodged his hands in the blonds back pockets. Long minutes later, the light went out on the porch as a not so subtle reminder that they were in a semi-public area. As they separated, Billy whispered into his ear, "Don't forget the chocolate sauce."