Chapter 8 Come the Break of Day
Tori woke at her normal time and dressing headed out into her living room. Hunter lay sprawled out on the couch, his blond hair a little tousled by sleep, his features so different. There were no hard edges, just a soft glow to his tanned face, no frown lines or controlled strain. He was just what he was, a 19 year old guy sound asleep on her couch. Not that she minded, it was just a little different.
the blue clad young woman didn't want to wake him so she tiptoed into the kitchen and began to pour a fresh glass of orange juice. Her mind drifting back to the hours they'd spent just talking and watching the news. It had been one of the nicest evenings she'd had in a long time. No, surf talk, no college related stuff and no monster related crap. It was just two people getting to know one another.
It still shocked her that she'd so completely misjudged him, he was not the introvert he seemed. Maybe that was why he and Blake were so close, in the right company he could just be.
"No music?" She turned to find the young man was now standing in the doorway, his clothes rinkled, eyes bleary but awake.
"No, didn't want to wake you." She shrugged.
"I'm usually up with the dawn." He admitted looking her over, could it be possible that she could look good even in the morning when he felt like crap?
"Oh, well want something to drink?" She indicated the juice carton on the counter.
"Yeah, but can I use the phone? I should let Blake know I'm here." He explained.
"Sure," she replied and then on impulse asked. "Hunter?"
"Hmm?" He asked picking up the land phone off of the cradle by the door.
"This won't hurt you two will it?" She asked and he knew she was really worried; she was gnawing on her bottom lip.
"I don't know." Hunter replied honestly. In the years they'd been brothers no girl had ever actually come between them.
"Maybe…" She didn't know what to say but she felt if she didn't she'd make things worse.
"Hey," he was there, before her, his arms around her waste, eyes intense on hers. "This all happened for a reason, just like me and Blake but Tori I don't know where to go from here anymore than you do."
"Yeah," She knew that was true but she'd never be able to live with herself if she cost him his only remaining family.
"Come on," he used a finger to tilt up her chin, amazed by the changes that had taken place in the last day and a half. They'd gone from distant friends to what ever they were now.
"It will all be ok, somehow." He said softly, touching his lips to her nose.
***
Later that morning as she rode out the waves Tori's mind and feelings were as turbulent as an all out tempest, battering her conscious, haunting her every memory of that morning, of eating toast and cereal and talking with Hunter.
For heavens sake they'd not done a thing to be considered shameful, she was not with anyone and neither was Hunter. Still there was this feeling that she was destroying something very precious.
Perhaps her distraction was the cause of what happened next.
One minute she was riding the swell the next she felt the pain in her head and the water…
***
"You mean you two spent the night?"
"Blake no, not like that, we talked till three and I crashed on her sofa." He told his brother for the fourth time.
"Right," Blake brushed that aside, he couldn't believe that they'd done this to him. "look bro I don't' know but maybe we should go back to ninja ops and see if that spell's completely gone."
"No, I'm fine…" the pain in his head temporarily blinded Hunter and then the feeling hit him. "But Tori's not." He gasped eyes going wide.
"What?" Blake frowned, what was he talking about?
"Come on."
***
The water about them was cool and Hunter didn't have to look around he knew he was out where Tori loved to surf. What he didn't' see was the girl in question.
"What the hell?" But Hunter was diving beneath the water, and then Blake saw the board and realized that there must have been an accident. He went down too, hoping hey were not too late. Also not even questioning how his brother had known she was in trouble. He just knew that he had to save her…
***
His heart raced as Hunter followed the tugging on his mind, he could feel her, feel her pain and confusion and then…
Hunter had her, was surfacing and then warping out as Blake surfaced to see them go. He didn't think just followed grabbing the now bloodstained surfboard.
TBC
***
There you have it, chapter eight. What do you think? Is it too strange?