2

The woods were cool as she walked taking in the sights about her and the scents of the forest.  In the time since she'd first come here she'd come to love this place almost as much as she did the beach.  Now though, she let her head fall back, watching as a falcon soared over head.  It was pure white with a sense of purpose emanating from its body. 

Tori wished she felt like that.  True she was now a teacher but there were days when she felt she had no more of a purpose than a rock in the forest.  She smiled to herself; sensei would say that even rocks had purposes. Her thoughts drifted back to his words of moments ago, was he right?  Maybe, she didn't know, since the navy clad young man had come into her life she'd been so of center that it was truly not funny.  The really odd part of that was she liked it; he threw her out of her perfectly ordered life.  He was not a clutter headed as Dustin but he too had his disorder. 

A small smile touched her lips as she thought of the time when she'd seen him cooking in the small kitchen in ninja ops.  What he made was great but he made such a mess. 

"Hey it is the temperament of an artist."  He'd told her and she'd nearly fallen over laughing at the mock sincerity on his face.  Oh heaven that face, how she missed it. 

Tori had not realized just where she was heading but soon she found herself standing before the small dock.  She thought of the last time she'd been here.  It had been that day after the final battle with Lothor.  She'd come here since the city was so crazy and had been joined by Blake. 

"I was wondering where you'd gotten off to."  His deep voice murmured as he joined her at the back of the dock. 

"I just needed some time."  She shrugged glancing back out at the water a second; her heart was not resting now, more like   racing a mile a minute.  "What's up is something wrong?" 

"No, I just wanted to be sure your ok; you know you took a really nasty knock on the head."  Blake pointed out and Tori blushed. 

"I'm fine."  She said honestly.

"You're sure?"  H asked and her heart leapt, was that concern in his voice? would he tell her now? 

"Yeah I am."  She smiled a little at him and he looked out at the pristine lake.  Something hit her; he'd been on the ship, was he alright?  "What about you?  You weren't injured on the ship?" 

"Me? Never."  He flashed her that grin of his and she smiled feeling a little silly how could she think he'd ever get hurt? But then she remembered the time with that frog monster and shivered. 

"Cold?" 

"Not really, I was just remembering."  She confessed. 

"Come on."  He said catching her and pulling her forward. 

"What?"  She asked even as he tugged her hand so they were at the edge of the dock.  Taking a seat beside him she waited. 

"I was remembering back at the school, that's why I thought I'd look in on you, I remembered thinking we'd be too late." Blake admitted and Tori's eyes widened. 

"You were?" 

"Yeah, it was partly our fault all of it had happened so." 

"Blake that's not true, you had nothing to do with it." She said and took his hand in hers. 

"Didn't we?" He asked bitterly and she began to run her thumb over his hand. 

"Once you did but Blake you have to know by now that you and Hunter were not at fault.  You saved us all."

"No, you Dustin and Shane did that." he muttered. 

"We fought but you two saved our lives so we could do that." She pointed out. 

"I thought I was brooding." Came another voice and Tori turned to find Hunter standing not far behind them. 

"Everyone has their moments." She pointed out. 

"Maybe.  So mind some company or is this a private moment?"  Hunter asked and Tori couldn't miss the hopefulness in his tone.  After how close they'd all come was it a wonder none of them wanted to be alone? 

"Not a worry bro just talking about memories." Blake shrugged, Tori felt her heart ache at the fact that there was not chance for more than this but if a friend needed them.  

"Bro He did here you so he knows that." Shane said coming out of the forest himself. 

"Man what is this a free for all?" Tori asked.  Cam just rolled his eyes where he stood.  Blake shook his head in amusement. 

"It's a semipublic place." Came pointed out. 

"Right."  Tori couldn't hide her smile. 

"Dude Think we can all fit?" Dustin asked and Tori, Blake and Hunter all exchanged looks. 

"Hmm maybe if." both Hunter and Blake grinned and Tori found herself flying through the air. 

"Woe!"  She screamed as she hit the water. 

Beneath foot the small wooden dock swayed moving with the gentle lapping of the water, bringing her back to the present.  She noticed it was show time.  The sun was going down. The sun was no more than a half disk as it slowly continued its slow descent.  It made both the water and the sky turn a flaming orange.  She's always loved sunrises but lately she'd come to like settings as much as their counter parts.  There was just something so real about watching this light show, as if the events of the day were being sealed away by flames. 

Sighing Tori knew she had to go; otherwise she'd never make it back to her van before it got too dark.  She still had a good walk ahead of her. 

*** 

"So what she's been really quiet and works all of the time?"  Hunter asked as he sat at the small table at the beachcafe. 

"Yep, bro she's dying inside."  Shane nodded sitting back in his own seat.  They'd waited until they'd eaten before starting this, now though it was time to get down to business.   

"And she won't talk to anyone about it?"  Hunter frowned; it was a bit of surprise, after all Tori had always been so open and sweet.  What they were talking about meant she'd made a total 360.

"No, we've all tried but from how she has been staring off into space sometimes we think it's about."  Cam looked at Hunter in a way that let him know the common thoughts. 

"Blake." 

"Dude Yeah."  Dustin reminded them.

"Since you're the only one we could think of who could help."  Cam trailed off knowing by the look in Hunter's eyes he understood. 

"I can call him."  The crimson clad young man said then frowned slightly.  'Would a call be good enough?" 

"No bro, I think she needs to see him."  Shane said thoughtfully and Hunter looked thoughtful a second then asked. 

"He's racing in Angel Grove this weekend.  I can get tickets for it but who can you guys take off?" 

"Dude, won't be us."    Dustin said and when Hunter frowned Shane put in. 

"We have work." 

"But doesn't she have work too?"  Hunter asked a little confused now. 

"No, father was going to give her some time off, we were hoping to send her to see him."  Cam informed him as he accepted more soda from their waitress.

"Dude she's not gone on any real vacations since her parents were killed."  Dustin said and the whole table went quiet.  All eyes going to the one time yellow ranger. 

"Her parents?"  Hunter asked and Shane nodded solemnly.  It was true she didn't like to talk about it but still since he was her friend too Shane knew that Hunter had a right to know. 

"Bro her folks were killed in an accident about two years ago."  He said then he added.  "It was just after her seventeenth birthday and they were coming back from a trip to visit her grandmother in silver hills." 

"Dude the car went totally off the road and they died." 

"Tori was the only one in the car to survive."   Shane said his voice totally serious there wasn't even a hint of his usual slang or chipper attitude at the memory of his friend's pain.  

"Man I had no clue."  Hunter murmured trying to put the image of a frightened seventeen year old with the bubbly girl he'd met nearly two years ago.  Then it hit him, he must have met her not long after that had happened.

"Yeah bro she doesn't like to talk about it much."  Shane said

"I can see why."  Cam put in and Hunter nodded remembering the pain when his own parents died.  Was it the reason she'd so clicked with Blake?  In a way it would make sense, he knew. 

"Anyway bro, think you can help get her there?"  Shane asked and Hunter didn't even have to think about it. 

*** 

It was nearly nine by the time Tori pulled in to the lot in front of her apartment building.  She opened her door and climbed from her van.  Reaching back in she grabbed the take out salad and drink and slammed her door, heading for the building. 

Tori was just reaching her hallway when she spotted the figure lounging against the wall in front of her apartment. 

"Hunter?"  She asked wondering if she was just tired and her eyes were playing tricks on her.  Why would he be there, standing in front of her door? 

"Hey Tori, how's it going?"  Hunter took in her surprised and slightly exhausted appearance and he knew instantly that everything that the guys had said was true.  She really was in a bad place, not exactly as she might have been after the accident but not in a great place either.  Not that he could really blame her; he'd fallen for a girl or two before and had felt pain at a break up.  Ok so she and Blake weren't officially dating but so what?  They were nuts about each other, that left a gaping whole on top of everything else.

"Ok."  She replied wondering just why he was there.  "What's up?" 

"I was in the area and thought I'd look in on the local beach bunny."   He grinned at her devilishly and she managed to roll her baby blues. 

"Did you stop to see the others?"  She asked after a minute of amusement. 

"Yep, had dinner with them."  He admitted and wondered if they'd stand in the hall all night, not that he was bothered by it but she looked ready to collapse.  Man she'd really changed since the last time he'd seen her. 

"So you planned this?"  She asked fishing out her key from her jeans pocket. 

"You could say."  He shrugged moving to take her salad from her so she could unlock her door. 

"Well feel like coming in?"  She asked and for the first time all day truly felt like a little company.  Hunter had always been a rather quiet guy and none threatening to after the last time he'd been taken over. 

"Sure why not."  Well, duh, as Dustin would say, Hunter thought with amusement.  He'd not come all this way to stand in her hall. 

"So, how are your students doing?"  Tori asked hanging up her jacket in a small closet just inside the door.  She then took his and did likewise.

"Not too bad."  Hunter replied noting that her home hadn't changed since the last time he'd been there.  "Yours?" 

"Alright for the most part."  Tori replied leading Hunter into the kitchen as she turned on lights and motioned him to put the salad on the table. 

"And the other part?"  He asked watching as she then moved back into the living room, heading for her answering machine. 

"Ever try teaching Marah and Capri?"  She asked a brow raised in amused query. 

"Ouch."  He laughed at her disgruntled face.  It was funny but he'd not realized how much he'd missed Tori too.  In the time they'd become rangers she'd become like a little sister to him. Her smiles and stuff had just been apart of his life but not lately.

"Exactly.  So do you want something to drink?"  She asked when there were no messages. 

"No thanks."  He murmured as she then dropped onto the sofa. 

 "Ok, well so how's everything else going? Have you um."  She asked once he'd taken a seat in a comfy looking arm chair to her right. 

"He's doing fine."  Hunter smiled knowingly. 

"Oh that's good."  Gees, why did she feel like a little girl asking about her first crush? 

"You can ask Tori," Hunter said quietly and she blushed a deep red when he added.  "I know you like him." 

"You do?"  How did he know that?  Had she said something before?  Gees, had she ever said anything? 

"Hey I've known since we were working for Lothor."  He explained spreading his hands in a wide arch as if to say, it's obvious.  "Not much could have given him regrets back then and you were his regret."

"Oh," what could she say to that?   "Well then you said he's ok."

"Yep and racing in Angel Grove this weekend." hunter said with a little smile. 

"That close?" She could have kicked herself for not catching the racing channel lately. She'd just been so down she'd not thought of it. 

"Yep," Hunter could see her surprise and dismay and wanted to grin at the little plan he and the gang    had worked out.  "It just so happens I got these in the mail." 

"Two?"  She asked confused, why would he need two tickets?  

"Yep so I was thinking since you haven't made it to any of the races."he let his words trail off so she could put the rest of the idea together for herself. 

"But I have."She began thinking of work but she didn't, Sensei gave her time off, hadn't he? 

"Nope," Hunter grinned wickedly.   "Cam told me sensei gave you some time off so go up and pack." 

"Pack."    Tori repeated in confusion, this was happening so fast. 

"Yeah the race is at two but I figure we should get checked into the hotel tonight."  Hunter replied and Tori knew he was right, it would make sense. 

"Oh wow." 

"So go get changed."  He said as she got up. 

TBC

***

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