Blake was sitting on their small balcony porch and looked out at the setting sun. He had told Kelly that he and Hunter were going to ride for her team- now all he had to do was tell Tori...the thought of her finding out that he had kept this from her was killing him. He had talked to Kelly earlier and she had told him that the schedule was going to be a little different than she had thought. They would be gone for weeks at a time when they competed out of state...and that was often.

He heard the door open and he saw her walking towards him. She walked out and sat on his lap, greeting him with a kiss. He smiled at her and noticed the grin on her face. "What puts you in such a fine mood this evening?" he asked.

"I have something to tell you," she said.

"Me too," he replied. "You first." Tori wrapped her arms around him.

"I was approached by a scout today from ROXY."

Blake got an excited look in his eyes. "What did he say?"

"He asked if I wanted to be sponsored..."

"And what did you tell him?" Tori kissed him sweetly.

"I told him no...that I had other things I needed to take care of here." Blake felt his heartbeat increase. She had been given the same thing he had and turned it down...for him. Tori felt him start to sweat.

"Wh- why did you do that? I thought that was what you always wanted?" he asked. Tori sat up and gave him a questioning look.

"I said no because I have the Academy, my family, and you...why are you acting so weird about this?" Blake took a deep breath.

"I, I just think that you should jump at the opportunity to do something you love," he said. Tori was surprised and a little hurt.

"So you want me to go? You know how these sponsor things go...I could be gone for months at a time...you want me to do that?"

"No, no Tor. That's not what I meant." Tori stood up and leaned on the railing.

"What's going on? Why are you acting so weird...there's something you're not telling me." Her blue eyes stared at him and he hung his head.

"Kelly's made her own racing team, and Hunter and I have agreed to be her primary riders." Tori could only stare at him. She remembered the stories she had heard from Dustin about new teams- they were basically entered in every race they could get into for exposure. Then that led to big factories and sponsors...

"Like a full sponsor team?" she asked. He nodded his head. "I though you said you couldn't take it anymore...you told me you left Factory Blue for me and now you're already sighed up for another team without asking me?" her tone was not angry...not yet.

"This time it's different Tor. Kelly said we wouldn't be gone for more than two months at the most-"

"Two months! Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?" she said as her head rested in her hand. All she could think about was that he was going to leave her like everybody else in her life had. Her father, mother, and now her sister was gone again. "When did you find out about this?"

"Tori please-"

"When did you find out Blake?" she asked again.

"Last week." Before he could get another word in Tori turned and walked back into the apartment. She grabbed her coat and headed for the door. "Tori," he said as she reached the door. She turned back.

"How could you do this? How could you keep this from me? I gave up my chance FOR YOU Blake. Is what you told me even true? That you left the racing life for me? Or was that just another one of your lies?" she said angrily. They both knew what she meant...the time he had used her to sneak into Ops... Blake was furious that she would even think that.

"It was true."

"Just like when you were hurt and I took you to Ops?"

Blake's anger took over his body. Without thinking he thrust his hand out and fired a blast at her from his fingers. Navy light came from his hand and she ducked out of the way. When she stood up again, a look of sheer terror was in her eyes and tears began to fall. She turned quickly and streaked away.

Blake punched the wall and put a good-sized dent in it. "Fuck!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. He sank to the ground and let a few tears stream down his cheeks.

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Tori streaked as fast as she could back to the academy. She didn't even knock when she entered Sensei and Cam's private quarters and ran to her old room. Cam was sitting in his small study and saw her fly into her room and slam the door. He placed his book down and heard her crying.

"Tori? Is that you?" he asked.

"Go away Cam...I can't talk right now..." she said as she cried into a pillow. Her room was the same as it had been since she left- a small bed, dresser, and desk lined the walls and a window facing the mountain.

Cam didn't buy it. He placed his hand on the ID pad and the door slid open. Tori raised her tearstained face and he was at her side instantly. "Is it Taylor?" he asked nervously.

"No," she sobbed. "It's Blake..." she then told him about what had happened. Cam held her to him as she cried herself to sleep.

Almost a week had past and by then Hunter, Shane, and Dustin had all heard about the fight. Blake hadn't left the apartment, and Tori hadn't left her room. The guys tried to help them as best they could, but neither one of them wanted it.

After a full week of being apart, Tori went back to the apartment. She made sure Blake wasn't going to be there before making her way to get her things. She had called Mr. Riley...she was flying to San Diego later that night. Unlocking the door, she walked in and gasped. A large hole was in the wall to her left and a burn mark was right next to her head.

Tears and anger flooded her body as she thought back to the reason she was leaving in the first place. How did this happen? How could something so wonderful and right turn out to be so wrong? She still loved him with everything she had...but he had hurt her...again. She pushed her thoughts aside and went to her bedroom to gather a few belongings.

She wasn't planning on taking much- she could get the rest when she reached San Diego. Her surfboard was set where it was the night she left...right next to Blake's motocross gear. She stuffed her cloths into her bag, grabbed her board and headed out to the living room. Her heart stopped when she saw the doorknob turning.

Blake saw her van in the driveway and headed upstairs. He had never meant for this to happen. He knew Tori would be mad at him, but he never expected any of this. His wife...the woman he loved had walked out on him. He just wanted to make everything right again...but after what she had said...he regretted everything he had done. Tori was everything to him and always would be.

He opened the door and saw her standing with a backpack and her surfboard. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He walked in and shut the door. She just stood there frozen.

"Hey," he said. Tori sniffled and moved towards the door. "Tori wait," he called to her as she reached the door. Her mind screamed to just walk away, but her heart told her to turn back, run into his arms, and make up...her mind won out.

"I have to go. I have a flight to catch," she said softly. Blake's face paled.

"Where are you going?" he asked nervously. Tori still wasn't facing him.

"Some where away from this...I need time to think," she said as her hand reached the doorknob. Blake's fists formed...his anger getting the better of him.

"You can't leave," he said. "We, we need to talk." She finally turned and looked him in the eye.

"I AM leaving Blake..." she said.

"So that's it? You're just going to go?" he asked angrily.

"For now...yes," she said softly.

"When are you coming back?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said honestly. That was it for Blake. He walked up to her, grabbed her arms and kissed her hard on the lips. She pushed him off her, tears pouring from her eyes. "Goodbye Blake," she said as she placed something into his hand. She grabbed her things and left. As soon as she was gone, he opened his hand and broke down in a fit of tears and rage...her wedding ring was clenched tightly in his hand.

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Tori sat on the plane as it soared through the air. The flight was only an hour, but it seemed like forever. She didn't know what compelled her to give him back her wedding band, but she regretted it with every passing minute. He wanted to talk, but she was too proud and stupid to say anything. She knew she overreacted, but he scared her...enough to make her want to leave him.

She ran her fingers through her hair as she walked through the terminal where she took a cab to her new home. When she got out, she was standing in front of a large beach house and was greeted by a very tall brunette. "You must be Tori," she said extending her hand.

"That's me," she said forcing a smile.

"I'm Rae. Welcome to the ROXY house," she said smiling. Tori followed her into the large house. "Ten girls live here, and the guys have a house down the beach." They continued their tour until Tori came to her room. It was very much like her room at Ops- small, but comfy. Her window faced the water and she breathed in the salt air.

"Thanks Rae," she said as she took her board out of its bag. Rae's eyes went wide.

"Wow...that's the coolest board I've ever seen." She looked closer and smiled. "Maniloa? You must know you're surfing if people call you that." She got up and turned the board over. "Pet name?" she asked. Tori fought back her tears as she thought of Blake and how he would always call her Blondie. "Where did you get something like this?"

"My husband gave it to me," she said without thinking. Rae put the board down.

"You're married? Wow...you're the only one here that's claimed," she said. Tori turned away to hide her expression. "So when's he coming?"

"He's not..."