Author's note: first I'd like to tank those who have read and reviewed this chapter. Second I would like to warn you in this chapter there will be midl talk of verble abuse.
rain: amethyst is a jemstone, it's a shade of purple. I thought since Tori was blue and hunter crimson… Thanks for asking anyway.
Additional disclaimer: the song in this chapter is Garth Brooks's "The Red Strokes"
Chapter 4 I never knew. H
The small apartment Hunter and Chad shared was silent as Hunter warped inside. He didn't have to even call for Ty, the dog came running right for him.
"Go on and pull down my blanket." Hunter said and the golden retriever ran to do his one and only trick.
By the time Hunter lay Tori
Down on the bed his back was aching and he had to sit.
As he did he watched the slow rise and fall of Tori's body, noticing how frail she looked in sleep. It was such a far cry from the warrior who fought kelzaks as well as any of the male rangers. No, now she looked like a little angel, fallen to earth and exhausted by the tumble.
What was he thinking? She was in love with his brother. Not that Blake deserved her, Hunter once again thought. It occurred to him that he was being way too harsh on Blake but he couldn't seem to help it. There was just something about the blue eyed blonde now slumbering deeply that had been nagging at him since they'd met. Lately it was just growing stronger. Especially today. Sighing he knew he had things to do. Getting up Hunter went to a closet, pulled a red blanket from the top shelf and then spread it over Tori.
***
"Moonlight on canvas, midnight and wine.
Two shadows starting, to softly combine.
The picture, their pain, is one of the heart.
And to those who have seen it, it's a true work of art."
The sound of the twangy voice was the first thing she noticed as sleep slowly pulled back and Tori could once more think.
That was really odd considering she never listened to country and since she was an emancipated minor none she lived Opening her eyes Tori tried to figure out where she was. Her eyes swept the room and she took in the sparse bolection of books on a shelf, the total perfectness of the room. There was not even a sock on the floor. She knew then she wasn't' at home, true she was neat but there was always a sock or shoe scattered about. Then she spotted the crimson dart board on the back of the door and realized that all linen in the room, for the bed cover draped over her to the curtains on the window was that deep red. It wasn't' Shane's room either, she'd slept at his house a time or two back when her folks had still been fighting. The red wind ranger's room was more cluttered and his walls were covered in Tony Hawke posters and other skate boarding stuff.
The only other one with things in red would be Hunter but why would she be in his apartment? She'd never evened seen it. She tried to think back, back to what had happened, but it was all a big blank. And yet the song continued.
"Oh the red stroke, passions uncaged,
Thundering moments of tenderness rage.
Oh the red stroke, tempered and strong,
Burning the night like the dawn."
Suddenly she realized that there were two voices singing out the words. She found her self getting to her feet and heading from the room, following that soft, melodic sound. She passed down a short hall, into a sparsely furnished living room and found then the doorway to the kitchen.
Tori just stood there, watching as the red clad form flipped something in a frying pan as he continued to sing.
"Steam on the windows, salt in a kiss.
Two hearts have never pounded like this.
Inspired by a vision, that they can't command.
Erasing the borders with each brush of a hand."
It struck her that Hunter Bradley had a really great singing voice. It was a bit surprising to find he liked country though. He just didn't seem like that type. No, she'd have pegged him as more of a metal fan. but she was learning now that he was not exactly what she'd thought as her memories slowly came back to her, the van breaking down, Hunter picking her up, training with the others and him driving her back to the van.
"Oh the red stroke, passions uncaged,
Thundering moments of tenderness rage.
Oh the red stroke, tempered and strong,
Burning the night like the dawn."
The sound of his voice still crooning brought her back to the present and she smiled, he had brought her hear, maybe she'd just needed a nap. She felt very lucky that she'd been wrong about
Hunter even after they'd gone to the good side. She'd still not liked him much, even with the spark she'd felt of physical attraction.
Tori wondered why she was coming to think more of Hunter than of his brother but she really didn't know or care just then as she listened to the next lines of the song.
"The blues will be blue, and then jealousy's green.
But when love picks its shade, it demands to be saved."
It was true she thought, the way love was so colorful, loneliness was grey, love red, passion black and oh… She felt heat wash over her and she shivered. What was happening to her? Why was his voice, his presence so much on her mind now?
***
Hunter had heard the soft treads on the floor, had felt her come slowly into the room, his ninja training hadn't let him miss much. He'd learned early that if he was not thinking with all of his senses he could wined up dead. Now though it wasn't the sound of her breathing he heard as much as he smelled her soft scent. It was a mix of sunscreen, salt water and something like sunshine….
"Oh the red stroke, passions uncaged,
Thundering moments of tenderness rage.
Oh the red stroke, tempered and strong, (fearlessly drawn)
Burning the night like the dawn."
He realized he was just going along with the song and was glad she couldn't see the redness on his face. No one not even Blake ever heard him sing. Now, reaching over he switched the song off and then called.
"You can have a seat, dinner will be ready soon." He told her as he moved to the refrigerator and pulled out a medium sized maxing bowl. When Hunter uncovered it she saw that it contained various raw vegetables.
"Hunter, I um wanted to thank you for helping me out this afternoon." She said moving to the table as he mixed something into the salad.
"Friends do that right?" He asked moving back to the stove once more.
"yeah." she agreed pulling out one of the two chairs at the small wooden table. She noticed that like most of the apartment. The kitchen was not overly furnished, there were a few appliances, a few pots and pans and yet nothing big.
As Tori watched him move about the kitchen she couldn't but notice how at ease he was, flipping the grilled cheese sandwiches, tossing the salad and even making the orange juice. It was rather surprising, for such a brooding and power fighter. He was too; she could remember some of his blows… Now though she wondered if he'd start singing again if she wasn't' there.
"Hunter?" She asked after sitting there a few seconds.
"Yeah?" He asked not looking up.
"I feel silly just sitting here, is there anything I can do?" It was odd, she sounded almost timid. Why? They were friends right?
"Well…" Normally he didn't let anyone including his little brother work with him in the kitchen but for some reason he liked the idea of Tori doing so. "You could set the table." He suggested and when she agreed he pointed out where she could find things.
***
Dude nothing?" Dustin asked as the blue clad young man returned to the back room of Storm Chargers.
"No," Blake picked at his pizza frowning as he pulled off a slice of pepperoni and stared at it blankly.
"She probably had to work on the van." Shane shrugged unconcerned. In the 12 years he'd known the blonde she'd rarely ever gotten into trouble, at least non ranger related. Besides she could handle herself. Growing up with abusive parents cold do that to a kid.
"Maybe, I just have this weird feeling something's up." Blake was saying oblivious to his comrade's concerns.
"Blake, if something was wrong my doppelganger would let us know." Cam muttered rolling his eyes. He too knew that Tori could clobber most of the guys in Blue Bay Harbor.
"Yeah right." Blake said but all heard the disbelief in his voice.
"Dude you better eat or your break will be over before you have one bite." Dustin said polishing off his third slice of pizza.
***
Hunter brought the plate of sandwiches to the table and they sat down to eat.
"Hunter?"
"Hmm?"
"Why did you do this?"
"Well, the way I figured it I didn't have time to eat and I know you didn't, at least not since breakfast."
"Oh, well I'm glad I really hate eating alone." She admitted and then blushed, she'd not meant to say that, why had she?
"Yeah, me too." He said sensing more than seeing the embarrassment on her face.
"You do?"
Yeah, I'm used to eating with Blake."
Oh," she should have expected that. They were very close after all. She wondered what that could be like, sure she, Shane and Dustin were close but not exactly like those too. She spent a lot of time with them but she wasn't like one of their sisters. True they treated her like one but…
"Penny?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about family."
"Oh, did you need to call yours?"
"No, no I'm good." Her quick tone had him frowning slightly, then he noticed how she was concentrating on cutting a carrot that was already sliced thinly. Hunter knew what she was doing, had done it too, but his words had always been more hostile. Only then did he realize he really didn't know anything about her, well not more than she was a tom boy sometimes, most of the time, she was practical most of the time and he loved those brilliant blue eyes of hers.
"Hey, you know I was thinking this afternoon that I don't even know where you live."
"Oh, right, well, I um can walk from…" It hit her she didn't know where they were.
"Well, I'll tell you if you tell me." He said and it sounded even to him dangerously like flirting.
"Ok, I have an apartment over on Third Street."
"In town?"
"Yep."
"You have one? Don't you live with your folks?"
"No." Was all she said as she took a bite of her salad.
"Didn't you just turn 17?"
"Yeah," she didn't want to talk about her parents the less she did the better she felt.
Hunter felt his curiosity growing, what was her story? What secrets did those eyes hold? Then he realized there might be a way to get her to talk.
"I'll tell you if you tell me."
"You will?" Tori asked surprised, he'd never offered to tell any of them, it had been Blake who'd told them the story of how lothor tricked them.
"Turn about is fair play." He shrugged, he really didn't have anything to hide, true he didn't talk about it all of the time but he could if he chose to. It had been fourteen years since he'd escaped.
"You won't tell anyone?"
"No, not if you ask me not to." He said slowly. What could be that bad?
"I have lived here pretty much all of my life. My parents married young, let's just say it was big mistake." She began, this part was easy ad she then picked up her juice, taking a long sip of the tangy liquid. "They were total opposites, she very classy, he um, form the wrong side of the tracks. the thing is they didn't realize until too late that it hadn't' been love just…" She looked at her half eaten sandwich. This was where it got sticky. "By the time I was on the way what little affection they'd shared in the beginning dwindled down to shouting matches, so they weren't thrilled."
As he listened Hunter noted her posture, she had slumped in the seat, as if ducking away from something. He wondered if there had been abuse and then he heard it.
"My dad had a nasty temper, he didn't want me around…" Tori was surprised to feel the warm hand close over hers, to feel the electric flames shoot through her at the contact, and to find his eyes locked on hers, flames deep there to, not of anger this time but…
***
"Kelly listen something wrong at home,…" Blake said when he spotted his boss in the store room. He'd tried not to let his mind race, not to worry about Tori but something was just nagging at him.
"Go on, we're dead tonight anyway." The manager said not looking up from her invoices.
"Thanks." He said and was out the door with out a word to the others milling about.
***
The feel of his mouth was hotter than fire, hotter than an asteroid, more like molten lava. She didn't' care as he drew her across his lap, as she wrapped her arms about his neck.
"We shouldn't be doing this…" She gasped as his mouth latched onto her ear.
"I know its nuts…" He growled even as he nuzzled the other ear.
***
The house was quiet, that was Blake's first thought as he came through the door, he then noticed that Ty was curled on the couch so Hunter was home. If one of them wasn't he'd been sitting in front of the door.
The sound of a thud hit his ears and he headed for the kitchen door.
***
Tori barely grunted when the floor slammed against her back.
"Well, you broke the chair." She giggled.
"Remind me to fix…" His mouth fused hotly to hers once more and neither heard the hiss of indrawn breath. Hunter feel it when he was picked up off of Tori and fairly tossed to one side.
"Blake…"
TBC
***
Well, what do you think? Is it too sappy? I was trying to build up the tension.