Individual disclaimer: the song in this chapter is "True Companion" by Marc Cohn.
"True Companion"
Tori stood there on the boardwalk gazing out at the beech. Many people would be out there soon, enjoying the lovely day. Not too long ago she'd have been one of those but four the last month she'd not been quite able to make herself feel that happy.
No, not since she'd gotten the dear Jane letter. Who would have thought that Blake would have done that? They'd had a long distance relationship but it had been going great she taught at the Wind Ninja Academy during the week and would warp to where ever Blake was racing on the weekends. Yet apparently it hadn't been enough for Blake. One day, a Wednesday back in the beginning of January it had come in the mail.
That wasn't even the really bad part. No, Tori could deal with that, it was the feelings she'd started to have for someone else since then. The thing was the guy was totally oblivious. That was what happened though when you fell for a friend.
The truth was she'd had feelings for Shane even before they'd become power rangers but he'd just been so oblivious. Then she'd met Blake and things had just gotten away from her. She'd felt a thrill of something new when she saw the navy thunder ranger, it was hot and wild nothing like the warm tender feelings that Shane had sent through her.
Heavens she'd been so blind. There would never be a chance; he'd fallen so hard for Skyla. She'd known she'd missed what chance she'd had then, even though Tori had still been flirting with Blake.
Baby I've been searching like everybody else
Can't say nothing different about myself
Sometimes I'm an angel
And sometimes I'm cruel
And when it comes to love
I'm just another fool
Shane stood there, watching the blonde as she leaned against the railing, her golden tresses blowing out behind her like a fan.
Gees, would she ever look ugly? But then she was Tori and Tori was just something else. It had been one thing he'd learned the first time they'd ever met, back when they were seven. Another Thing he'd learned was that Tori seemed to always come to the right choices. Sure she made mistakes, usually when Blake was concerned by all in all she was very smart.
Shane just wished Tori could see how he felt about her. If she had she never would have been hurt by Blake. If she'd just seen how much he cared about her…
Yes, I'll climb a mountain
I'm gonna swim the sea
There ain't no act of God girl
Could keep you safe from me
My arms are reaching out
Out across this canyon
I'm asking you to be my true companion
True companion
True companion
Tori turned as a gull soared overhead. She leaned back, taking it its wingspan; it squawked of freedom and yes its dull white and grey color. It was so like Shane, free and untroubled by much. She thought of how Blake had been into his career and how it had in the end been their finale. She wondered if Shane did feel for her would he feel the same about his skating. Not that she could blame him; Shane was incredible on his board. Tori just didn't want to go through all that again. She couldn't bare to lose him to that. Not Shane, he meant too much to her.
So don't you dare and try to walk away
I've got my heart set on our wedding day
I've got this vision of a girl in white
Made my decision that it's you all right
"Tori?" The familiar voice spoke her name as if hesitant and she turned top find the man she'd been thinking of standing not five feet away from her. And he looked good too, the wind blowing back his hair from his face, his eyes light by the early morning light.
"Shane hey." She smiled as her heartbeat slowly began to steady. "You're up early." She noted her smile faltering slightly. "And to at the skate park."
"I didn't feel like skating today." He shrugged, why was she so surprised to see him there/ he'd been down there since they'd opened the boardwalk last month.
"Hmm, that's surprising, Shane not skating." She murmured thoughtfully.
"It happens; you're not in the water." He pointed out and he smiled, at least he was still awake.
"Point taken."
"So Tori, listen…" Shane began as she too started to speak.
"Shane…"
Both began to laugh feeling a little ill at ease with the gravity of what each had been thinking and what lay ahead of them.
And when I take your hand
I'll watch my heart set sail
I'll take my trembling fingers
And I'll lift up your veil
not sure what to do, how to tell Tori what he was thinking or how he felt Shane simply leaned over and covered her soft lips with his.
She was sweet and warm and there was the taste of something that he could only think of as being all Tori.
Tori didn't know how to react at first and then she found her hands clutching at his sweatshirt, her mouth answering the need of his.
Then I'll take you home
And with wild abandon
Make love to you just like a true companion
You are my true companion
I got a true companion
True companion
When he lifted her head the blonde stared up into Shane's face. What had just happened? Did Shane Clark just kiss her? Not that she minded, of coarse not. In fact he liked it quite a bit. After all she'd kissed Hm right back. It was just so out of character for her flighty friend.
"Shane?" She asked unsure where this would lead them.
"You know, we should have done that years ago." He murmured brushing a strand of gold from her cheek. God, she was amazing…
"We should have?" She asked hoping that he meant this, not just for the moment, not just because of the hat that had been in that kiss but because of them.
"Yeah, back in high school." He admitted moving to gaze out at the still near empty sand.
"But you didn't like me back…" She moved to stand a few feet away in her original spot. Her eyes on the sand, not seeing as she remembered the times they'd shared back then. When she realized he was watching her sot turned to him puzzled. "What?"
"Tori I've been half in love with you since we were thirteen." Shane told her his eyes intense on hers. His heart there for her to see clearly for the first time in years.
"You…" She didn't know how to react, he had cared, and he felt the same. Turning back she once more gazed up at the azure sky, its cloudless perfection lost on her as her memories took over a moment.
"God, I was so jealous when you flirted with Blake and he flirted right back." Shane admitted and that had her surprised. She thought back and new that she'd not been ready back then, not for him, not for any of this.
"Shane?" She asked slowly and he turned his head to gaze at her once more.
"Hmm?"
"If you'd kissed me back then I wouldn't have known who I wanted. Maybe even two months ago I'd have been confused. I've had feelings for you for a long time but there was something for Blake there too." She admitted, knowing if he was going to be perfectly honest she had to as well.
"Oh, so you still have a thing for that biker?" Shane asked and he sounded slightly deflated. Tori didn't think turning and pressing her mouth to his in a slow, deep kiss.
When the years have done irreparable harm
I can see us walking slowly arm in arm
Just like the couple on the corner do
'Cause girl I will always be in love with you
"I take that as a no." He chuckled lightly into her hair as he tried to catch his breath.
"I'd say." Called a voice and Tori and Shane both turned to find Dustin, Dustin, Capri Cam and Marah standing not too far away.
"Oh, um…" Tori blushed and turned away, even as Shane's arms came around her so she could hide her face in his shirt.
"You guys really know how to scramble a moment." Shane called.
"Dude we had to make sure you two finally do things right." Dustin called as if it was the most logical idea in the world.
"Yes and it's about time." Cam put in crossing his arms over his chest in satisfaction.
"Yeah like now you two can stop looking at each other when you think no one's looking." Marah called and Tori glanced from her back up at Shane and then back to their friends.
"Bro this is sooo not cool." Shane called to the gang mostly to Dustin though; he was the only one who'd ever known the truth about his feelings for Tori.
"But it is right. Finally." Cam put in the corners of his lips tilting up slightly.
"Come on guys lets leave the love birds alone." Capri said pulling on her cousin's arm.
"Dude I'm starving." Dustin piped up.
"Oh fine Dustin, I'll by you breakfast." Capri called as her sister pulled him along.
And when I look in your eyes
I'll still see that spark
Until the shadows fall
Until the room grows dark
Then when I leave this Earth
I'll be with the angels standin'
I'll be out there waiting for my true companion
Just for my true companion
True companion
"It's funny how they always know before we do." Tori commented once their friends had moved out of eye sight.
"I'd say." Shane nodded.
"So um, Shane what happens now?" Tori asked slowly a little concerned, they'd kissed twice but…
"Well you hungry?" He asked thinking of just how to do this, he wasn't as smooth as Blake but he had a brain.
"What is it with guys and food?" Tori asked shaking her head in amusement.
"Come on you didn't eat either." He reminded her. It was common knowledge that Tori never ate before surfing. . "See..." he teased when her stomach let out a loud growl.
"Oh…" Tori mumbled turning her face once more into his shoulder in embarrassment.
"Come on," he pulled back a little saying. "Consider it our first date."
"Hmm, now that sounds like a plan." She did smile up at him and he felt as if a light had just been turned on.
True companion
***
Well? How's that for a Tori-Shane ficlet? Hope you like it. If you do or even if it's dumb PlZ r- R and let me know what you think.