AN: I've always had the urge to write a Tori/Shane story but I was afraid to because I had never seen any others and I thought people wouldn't read it. Recently though I saw a Shane/Tori fic and I've got some courage to spare, so I've decided to write and see what reaction I will get.

Takes place a year after the finale

Tori Hanson looked up as her friend Shane Clark walked into the area where the teachers at the Wind Ninja Academy gathered to relax.

"Hey Shane you look beat."

"I worked with a couple of wind Ninjas because student evaluations are coming up."

"How did they do?"

Shane sighed, "Well four of them are naturals the other three might not make it to become ninja but ultimately its up to Cam and Sensei."

"Shane are you ok? You seem down lately."

"There's going to be skateboarding championships up north this weekend and I guess its times like those...."

"You wish you had taken the chance and become a skateboarding champion." Tori finished for him.

"Yeah I do enjoy teaching most of the time but lately I don't know what's wrong with me."

Maybe teaching isn't what you should be doing, Tori thought to herself, but out loud simply said, "These evaluations are making everyone tired after this week you'll be back to normal."

Shane sighed, "I hope so because I'm considering asking Sensei for advice."

"Shane go that tournament have some fun, it'll probably make you feel better."

Shane smiled, "you always are the level headed one."

Tori smiled, "so I've been told."

"Hey Cam wait up!"

Cam turned and Shane caught up with him, "Do you need me this weekend?"

"No dad and I can do these evaluations on our own, well as soon as every teacher hands over their results."

"Here are mine" Shane told him.

"Shane are you ok?"

"Yeah why?"

"You seem down lately."

"Just tired lately that's all."

Shane escaped from Cam's questions and moments later found Dustin and Marah in a hallway laughing. "Hey guys" he said and the two quickly put space between them.

"Hey Shane" they both said.

Marah looked at Dustin, "catch you later?"

"You bet" he replied.

After she was gone Shane raised his eyebrows, "I didn't know you two were seeing each other."

"We're not serious we're just going with the flow so to speak."

"Hey Dustin there's a skateboarding tournament up north and other events I'm sure you want to come along?"

"Thanks bro but Hunter and Blake are coming back into town so we were planning to be at the track, you'll only be gone for the weekend right?"

"Yeah why?"

"The six of us can get together before they leave and it'll be just like old times."

Shane smiled, "I really miss those times."

"Yeah me to."

Shane soon left Dustin and found Sensei, "I'll be at the tournaments this weekend."

"Shane I've been meaning to talk to you, are you happy here?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been distant lately not quite yourself."

"I don't know what's wrong with me."

"From what I was told after Lothor's defeat you had a chance to be a pro but turned it down, perhaps regret is finally kicking in."

"I made my choice Sensei; I knew what I was doing."

"Yes but perhaps it was the wrong one, while you're there I want you to think carefully about what you want to do, the answer should come you then it is up to you to make your choice so I'll be expecting you Monday evening."

"Very well Sensei."

Shane soon found Tori, "I spoke to Sensei."

"How did it go?" She listened as Shane told her everything.

"I thought it might be that but I didn't want to say anything."

"Hey Tori would you like to come along?"

"Sure I wouldn't mind taking a break either."

"Think carefully Tori, I heard Blake's coming."

"I know that we're good friends."

Shane wondered if they had tried to become more but quickly decided it was none of his business, "will you be ready tomorrow evening?"

Tori nodded, "I'll be ready."

The next evening they packed up Tori's van and set off on their brief journey, "You know it's weird just the two of us going somewhere." Shane said.

"I know and I'm not as uncomfortable as I thought I would be."

"Why would you be uncomfortable?" Shane asked.

"Well just the two of us feeling weird that Dustin's not with us, afraid we wouldn't have anything to talk about even though we've known each other nearly all our lives."

"I saw Dustin and Marah with each other."

Tori's jaw dropped, "I just knew they were an item and well it has been going around the academy, just like when you and Kapri became an item."

"We just flirted that's all."

"I thought you two would've been a great couple, a girl like her could use a great guy like you."

"Wow Tori I never thought you'd be saying those things to me."

"Its all true." They looked at each other and an awkward silence came between them, "wow we've been driving two hours and we're here already."

Shane shrugged, "talking helps past the time."

They soon found the hotel where Shane had booked the rooms, "I'll be across the hall from you."

"Well I guess I'll see you in the morning." Tori replied.

Tori closed her door and lay down on the bed but after an hour grew bored and went across the hall and knocked on Shane's door. "Its still early maybe we should go see the sights."

Shane smiled, "great idea."

They soon found a movie theater, "so which movie Sea biscuit or Cold Mountain?" he asked.

"Sea biscuit sounds interesting" Tori replied.

And it was Tori found herself enjoying it, usually during movies Shane couldn't hold still. Eventually she realized she had laid her head on his shoulder and quickly sat up, "I wasn't asleep."

"That's ok you weren't bothering me" and that awkward silence came between them. What was going on? Tori wondered to herself, probably because it was just the two of them.

Soon the movie ended and they went back to the hotel and ordered dinner at the little café but what had happened in the car and just now in the theater had Tori wondering. But deep down she had always had a little crush on him.

Shane looked at the woman across from him and loved the way the lighting made her look; she had always been beautiful but hadn't seen it until now. Or maybe had had and just didn't want to notice it.

Shane looked at his watch, "its getting pretty late I like going to bed early before a competition."

They walked back to their rooms and looked at each other, "well good night" Tori said.

"Good night" Shane replied, and silence came as they looked at each other again. Tori broke the spell by opening her door, "goodnight"

Each one went into their rooms although sleep would be hard to come by.

The next day as soon as he stepped on the platform Shane felt right at home. He looked at Tori, who was wearing a red blouse and blue jeans, as always she looked great in anything. "Good luck Shane."

He nodded at her and then did the routine he had thought up, when it was over the crowd roared in approval. After the match was over for the day a judge walked over to him, "the crowd didn't get that animated until your show, do that again tomorrow and I could see you going all the way."

Tori and Shane shared a high five, "you did great Shane."

Another skateboarder but in a different age group came up, "that was great."

"Thanks" Shane replied.

"Your girlfriend must be proud."

Both Tori and Shane stammered out, "We're not dating."

"Oh sorry about that it's just that you just look like a great couple."

The girl walked off as they looked at each other, "it was an honest mistake."

Later that night they ate dinner together again but this time they both felt awkward, they had gone out dancing earlier that evening and Tori knew she had wanted him to kiss her. "I'm glad you came along it helps to have someone to support you."

"I had fun Shane I really did."

"I thought you'd stay behind I know you and Blake had some kind of flirtation thing going."

"That's all it was I visited him a couple of times, we went on a few dates but it just didn't work, being the levelheaded one does work."

"I've always liked that about you" Shane replied softly.

Tori looked at him and silence ensued but in his eyes she could see a question mark, but could she ask that question? Shane looked at his watch, "I better turn in."

Tori told him goodnight and watched him leave, it was so disturbing to think these thoughts about her friend.

Don't be afraid

Some friends are meant to be more.

Startled Tori turned to see a woman singing in front of a little crowd and Tori decided to listened, or rather her body, particularly her heart made that decision for her.

Let go of the fear and doubt, because what if a life without chances.

Take a chance unless you want regret to consume you.

Tori listened to the rest of the song and made her way over to the woman, "how did you come up with that song?"

"I wrote it in honor of me and my husband, we had been friends since we were two, and then as we got older feelings started to grow between us, the song describes what we went through, and in fact we were right around your age."

"I enjoyed it, it really got to me."

"Well thank you I'm honored."

Tori saw Shane come down to the lobby, "Tori we need to talk."

"I know I was coming to find you." They walked to a little stream and the moonlit bathed both of them.

"Tori ever since that van ride I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop it and frankly I don't want to, deep down I've always had feelings for you."

Tori felt her heart flutter, "I've gone through that to, in fact I feel the way you do."

They looked at each other the spell and the silence coming back, and then they closed the distance between them, and their lips met in a slow and gentle kiss.

The next day Shane jumped off his skateboard into his finishing pose and the crowd went wild, Shane went to Tori who kissed him. "My hero"

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes" she replied and kissed him again.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have the results and the winner is....Shane Clark!"

Shane wrapped his arms around Tori and twirled her as someone came over to them, "Shane Clark I am Jonathon Andrews and I would like to be you're agent take your time and think about it."

"I don't need time this is what I want to do."

Jonathon smiled, "excellent I'll be visiting you next month."

"Great" Shane looked back at Tori, "I no longer feel unhappy this weekend did the trick, but you are the bonus."

Tori blushed, "thanks Shane."

They took hands, "so is this our little secret?" Shane asked.

"Our little secret" Tori replied.

Until they got back to Blue Bay Harbor at least.

THE END

AN: Loved it? Hated it?