Blake walked with Tori out onto the academy grounds where they saw
the others heading out the secret entrance. "What about your mom?" Blake
prodded.
Tori's expression turned to one of instant sadness again... "She was killed in a car accident when I was really little. I don't really remember her."
Blake stopped, causing Tori to stop as well. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. Tori gave him a weak smile. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"
"Shane, Dustin, and Cam already know...there was never really a good time to lay all my family stuff on you and Hunter. Especially since you guys lost your parents too," she said. "I didn't want to drudge up any bad memories for you guys...not to mention, I'm still not too comfortable talking about it."
Blake pulled her in for a hug, catching them both off-guard for a moment. Tori wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me."
Tori smiled and gently pulled away from him. "Thanks for listening," she replied. Dustin then popped back through the portal and smiled at the sight.
"Hey! I hate to break this up, but the van's leaving!" he hollered as he jumped back through.
Tori's eyes went wide as she turned to the entrance. "Hey! That's my van!" she streaked off with Blake following right behind her, smiling as he went.
A dinner was set up by Sensei for the rangers at a beautiful outdoor restaurant that was right on the beach that night. The dress was casual and the rangers all met at Shane and Dustin's house before heading over. All the guys were dressed similar in either khakis or dress pants with shirts in their respective colors.
They all sat around waiting for Tori. Blake decided that now was a good time to bring up the issue that was constantly screaming for a decision.
"Guys," he said. The others stopped their conversation and looked at him. "I don't think I'm going to go with Factory Blue."
Dustin spit out his soda. "Are you serious? Why wouldn't you?"
"Well, there are a few reason actually...that's why I need you guys' help," he said. The others all paused for a moment before he continued. "I mean, we JUST got our lives back to normal, and I just don't think I'm ready to go yet. I haven't seen Sensei Amino in almost a year, my brother's here, and so are you guys. Like Tori said this morning, we're a family and I don't know about you guys, but I haven't had one of those in a long time."
"You make a good argument," Cam began. "But I detect that there's another factor you're leaving out in all of this." He smirked then and the others picked up on the vibe.
"I wouldn't be lying if I said that she wasn't in the equation," Blake admitted. The doorbell brought them out of their frame of mind and they all knew who was at the door. "We'll finish this later," he said as he rose and straightened out his navy button down shirt.
Blake walked over to the door and opened it. He had to do a double take as he looked at Tori, who was wearing a short light blue, ruffled skirt with a tight white t-shirt and sandals. Her hair was curled and hung in long waves.
Tori grinned nervously as she saw the look on Blake's face. "You alright?" she asked as she moved inside. Blake was speechless, and soon the others found out why.
"Wow," Hunter said as his eyes went wide.
"Tori? Is that you in there?" Dustin asked. Shane punched him in the arm.
"Of course it's me," she said. She saw the looks she was getting from the others and turned to Blake who hadn't said anything to her yet. Secretly she knew what she was doing to them. She never dressed up. "You guys are acting like you've never seen a girl before."
"Sorry," Shane began. "We're just not used to you being all...girlie I guess."
Tori acted like she was hurt. "Well then, if that's the case I'll go throw on my jeans in the car," she said as she turned to leave.
"No," Blake said as he reached out and gently held her arm. "You look great." Tori blushed furiously and the guys took it as their cue to get going. The guys all filed out of the house until Tori and Blake were left. Tori went to the door and smiled when she felt Blake's hand graze the small of her back as he led her out.
"You look great too," she said softly. Blake smiled and they joined the others.
"Oh man, that was awesome," Shane said as the waiter took the last of their dishes away. The night had been wonderful so far. Their were candles lit everywhere and several tables were set up. The sun had long set and the stars were out in full force. There was a small dance floor set up near the outer portion of the area and music was coming from speakers placed around the restaurant.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for desert," Cam said reaching for one of the menus. The others joined in and soon they were enjoying the sweet treats the waiter had brought for them. Cam, Hunter, and Shane opted for a peanut butter treat, while Tori and Dustin got cheesecake, and Blake got a brownie dish.
"This is so good," Dustin said as he wolfed down his food. Tori took a few bites of hers and looked up across the table at Blake, who was looking at her. Everything was going so great tonight.
Tori couldn't get over how good he looked, staring back at her. His eyes just seemed to shine and she found herself getting completely lost in them. The amount of love she had for him was shown back to Blake in her eyes as he smiled warmly at her.
He took a piece of his desert on his fork. "You wanna taste?" he said as he held his fork over to her.
Tori smiled and leaned in, eating the chocolate off the utensil. Suddenly she felt very hot inside. Blake pulled the fork back and smiled as he watched her reaction.
"It's really good," she said. She couldn't get over the small little things he always did to make her feel this way...whether he realized he was doing it or not. She took a piece of her cheesecake and offered it to him in the same way.
Blake obliged and ate off the fork, smiling as she pulled it back. "Wow," he said as he chewed. He wasn't just talking about the cake. He wanted her so badly. Ever since their little incident this morning, he couldn't keep his mind on track. He loved her so much and wanted to show her in everyway he could.
Dustin leaned over to Shane. "Okay, dude, are you guys seeing this?" he asked as he saw Tori and Blake flirt shamelessly.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Hunter whispered.
Shane just shook his head and they all finished their deserts. A few couples rose from their tables as the music around them grew a little louder. Shane smiled and looked over to Tori. "Hey Tor? Wanna dance?" he asked.
Tori smiled and nodded her head. Shane rose and helped her from her chair. "When did you get so polite?" she asked as they walked onto the floor.
"Hey, I'm not a total loser. I do have manners you know," he said. He put his arms loosely on her waist and she put hers on his shoulders. "So what was all that back there?"
Tori blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
"Right...And all that desert swapping and giggling was my imagination." Tori smiled.
"Okay, I give... I really like him."
"And the problem with that is?"
"Well, what's going to happen when he leaves? I really want to be with him- you know that. But I don't want to be...I dunno. Selfish I guess." Shane laughed.
"Dude, you're so gone."
"Yeah...I guess I am," she said smiling as the music played around them.
Blake watched as Tori and Shane got up and headed to the floor. His eyes never left her and Hunter couldn't help but notice.
"Earth to Blake," he said. Blake snapped out of his trance and turned to three sets of eyes looking at him.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"If you don't get some balls and tell her how you feel then you're going to regret it forever," Dustin said.
"For once I agree with Dustin," Cam said. "You guys were meant to be together and we all know you love her."
Blake sighed. "It's a little more complicated than that Cam...I can't exactly tell her that straight out."
"Why not?" Dustin asked. Blake looked over to his brother who understood all too well what Blake meant. He too had experienced this before.
"We'll explain later," he said. Blake sent him a silent 'thank you' and turned his attention back to Tori who was laughing. They briefly locked eyes for a moment and he smiled. Blake got up and made his way over to them.
When he was out of earshot, Dustin asked the question again. "Why can't he tell her?"
Hunter sighed and fiddled with his napkin. "Because that's the last thing we said to our parents before they passed away." Cam and Dustin's faces fell a little. "We can't even say it to each other...I guess it's a mindset- you say it to someone and you'll lose them."
"But Hunter, there's got to be some way around this," Cam said.
"It takes time and trust Cam. I'm just know beginning to feel comfortable with it."
"What turned you around?" Dustin asked as he sipped his water.
Hunter got a small smile in his face. "I saw our parents in the cavern and knew that they would always be with us, no matter what." The others smiled and watched as Blake made his way up to Shane and Tori.
The song ended and another began as Blake walked up the steps to the floor. He tapped Shane on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked.
Shane grinned and handed Tori's hand to him. Tori smiled and thanked Shane. Blake held her left hand in his right, and splayed his other hand on the small of her back. Tori placed her right arm around his neck and smiled.
"You've done this before?" she asked laughing.
"A few times," he replied as he pulled her in closer, their clasped hands resting between their bodies. She smiled. It felt so good to be in his arms and he loved having her there. They both found it hard to breath suddenly and rested their heads together as they let themselves get lost in the music...
When I fall in love It will be forever Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world Like this is Love is ended before it's begun And too many Moonlight kisses Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart I give it completely Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too Is when I fall in love with you...
The song ended and Tori found that her head had somehow managed to rest on Blake's shoulder. She smiled when his grip loosened a little, but not completely. She didn't want the night to end, but she knew the restaurant was closing soon and the guys were probably ready to go.
"Blake?" she asked ash they were walking from the floor with their hands still loosely clasped.
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to take a walk on the beach? I mean, if you're tired that's okay-"
"I'd love to," he said grinning. Tori smiled back and they reached the others.
"You guys all set to go?" Shane asked. Tori handed him her keys.
"We're going to stick around for awhile. You can take them home and I'll come by later to get the van," she said.
"And how do you plan on getting back to our house?" Dustin asked.
"We'll find a way," Blake said. The guys just grinned and they all went off their separate ways.
The beach was calming and beautiful as they walked down the stretch of sand. They walked around a small rock formation and saw the stars twinkling above them. They could still hear the faint music coming from the restaurant.
"Tonight was fun," Tori said as she took her sandals off. Blake watched her and saw her hair shining in the light.
"Yeah...I had a great time." He paused for a moment and prepared himself for what he said next. "Tor, I have to do something right now before I lose my nerve," he said nervously.
Tori looked at him surprised and turned her body to face his. "Okay..." she said laughing a little. Blake edged closer to her and placed his hand on her back again, pulling her to him.
Her breath left her for a moment, but then her heart leapt when she realized what was happening. She placed her hands around his neck and their lips met in a tender, soft exchange that they held for several minutes without moving.
They parted briefly and caught their breath. "I'm glad you did that," she breathed. "I've wanted to kiss you for the longest time."
Blake ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her cheek. "Me too," he said. They smiled and leaned in again, going deeper than they had before. All the love and emotion they held for each other was released then as they continued their passionate kisses as a song played softly in the background...
Looking at the pages of my life
Faded memories of me and you
Mistakes you know I've made a few
I took some shots and fell from time to time
Baby, you were there to pull me through
We've been around the block a time or two
I'm gonna lay it on the line
Ask me how we've come this far
The answer's written in my eyes
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
I've lived, I've loved, I've lost, I've paid some dues, baby
We've been to hell and back again
Through it all you're always my best friend
For all the words I didn't say and all the things I didn't do
Tonight I'm gonna find a way
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
You can take this world away
You're everything I am
Just read the lines upon my face
I'm all about lovin' you
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
All about lovin' you...
The music ended and they held each other gently. Tori stared at him. This was better than any dream she had ever had. She leaned up against him as they walked back. "Blake...I don't want this night to end," Tori said smiling. Blake stopped and kissed her softly.
"It doesn't have to."
Tori saw the spark in his eyes and knew he was thinking along the same lines she was. They both kissed again and made their way back to Tori's apartment.
Tori's expression turned to one of instant sadness again... "She was killed in a car accident when I was really little. I don't really remember her."
Blake stopped, causing Tori to stop as well. "I'm so sorry," he said softly. Tori gave him a weak smile. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"
"Shane, Dustin, and Cam already know...there was never really a good time to lay all my family stuff on you and Hunter. Especially since you guys lost your parents too," she said. "I didn't want to drudge up any bad memories for you guys...not to mention, I'm still not too comfortable talking about it."
Blake pulled her in for a hug, catching them both off-guard for a moment. Tori wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me."
Tori smiled and gently pulled away from him. "Thanks for listening," she replied. Dustin then popped back through the portal and smiled at the sight.
"Hey! I hate to break this up, but the van's leaving!" he hollered as he jumped back through.
Tori's eyes went wide as she turned to the entrance. "Hey! That's my van!" she streaked off with Blake following right behind her, smiling as he went.
A dinner was set up by Sensei for the rangers at a beautiful outdoor restaurant that was right on the beach that night. The dress was casual and the rangers all met at Shane and Dustin's house before heading over. All the guys were dressed similar in either khakis or dress pants with shirts in their respective colors.
They all sat around waiting for Tori. Blake decided that now was a good time to bring up the issue that was constantly screaming for a decision.
"Guys," he said. The others stopped their conversation and looked at him. "I don't think I'm going to go with Factory Blue."
Dustin spit out his soda. "Are you serious? Why wouldn't you?"
"Well, there are a few reason actually...that's why I need you guys' help," he said. The others all paused for a moment before he continued. "I mean, we JUST got our lives back to normal, and I just don't think I'm ready to go yet. I haven't seen Sensei Amino in almost a year, my brother's here, and so are you guys. Like Tori said this morning, we're a family and I don't know about you guys, but I haven't had one of those in a long time."
"You make a good argument," Cam began. "But I detect that there's another factor you're leaving out in all of this." He smirked then and the others picked up on the vibe.
"I wouldn't be lying if I said that she wasn't in the equation," Blake admitted. The doorbell brought them out of their frame of mind and they all knew who was at the door. "We'll finish this later," he said as he rose and straightened out his navy button down shirt.
Blake walked over to the door and opened it. He had to do a double take as he looked at Tori, who was wearing a short light blue, ruffled skirt with a tight white t-shirt and sandals. Her hair was curled and hung in long waves.
Tori grinned nervously as she saw the look on Blake's face. "You alright?" she asked as she moved inside. Blake was speechless, and soon the others found out why.
"Wow," Hunter said as his eyes went wide.
"Tori? Is that you in there?" Dustin asked. Shane punched him in the arm.
"Of course it's me," she said. She saw the looks she was getting from the others and turned to Blake who hadn't said anything to her yet. Secretly she knew what she was doing to them. She never dressed up. "You guys are acting like you've never seen a girl before."
"Sorry," Shane began. "We're just not used to you being all...girlie I guess."
Tori acted like she was hurt. "Well then, if that's the case I'll go throw on my jeans in the car," she said as she turned to leave.
"No," Blake said as he reached out and gently held her arm. "You look great." Tori blushed furiously and the guys took it as their cue to get going. The guys all filed out of the house until Tori and Blake were left. Tori went to the door and smiled when she felt Blake's hand graze the small of her back as he led her out.
"You look great too," she said softly. Blake smiled and they joined the others.
"Oh man, that was awesome," Shane said as the waiter took the last of their dishes away. The night had been wonderful so far. Their were candles lit everywhere and several tables were set up. The sun had long set and the stars were out in full force. There was a small dance floor set up near the outer portion of the area and music was coming from speakers placed around the restaurant.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for desert," Cam said reaching for one of the menus. The others joined in and soon they were enjoying the sweet treats the waiter had brought for them. Cam, Hunter, and Shane opted for a peanut butter treat, while Tori and Dustin got cheesecake, and Blake got a brownie dish.
"This is so good," Dustin said as he wolfed down his food. Tori took a few bites of hers and looked up across the table at Blake, who was looking at her. Everything was going so great tonight.
Tori couldn't get over how good he looked, staring back at her. His eyes just seemed to shine and she found herself getting completely lost in them. The amount of love she had for him was shown back to Blake in her eyes as he smiled warmly at her.
He took a piece of his desert on his fork. "You wanna taste?" he said as he held his fork over to her.
Tori smiled and leaned in, eating the chocolate off the utensil. Suddenly she felt very hot inside. Blake pulled the fork back and smiled as he watched her reaction.
"It's really good," she said. She couldn't get over the small little things he always did to make her feel this way...whether he realized he was doing it or not. She took a piece of her cheesecake and offered it to him in the same way.
Blake obliged and ate off the fork, smiling as she pulled it back. "Wow," he said as he chewed. He wasn't just talking about the cake. He wanted her so badly. Ever since their little incident this morning, he couldn't keep his mind on track. He loved her so much and wanted to show her in everyway he could.
Dustin leaned over to Shane. "Okay, dude, are you guys seeing this?" he asked as he saw Tori and Blake flirt shamelessly.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Hunter whispered.
Shane just shook his head and they all finished their deserts. A few couples rose from their tables as the music around them grew a little louder. Shane smiled and looked over to Tori. "Hey Tor? Wanna dance?" he asked.
Tori smiled and nodded her head. Shane rose and helped her from her chair. "When did you get so polite?" she asked as they walked onto the floor.
"Hey, I'm not a total loser. I do have manners you know," he said. He put his arms loosely on her waist and she put hers on his shoulders. "So what was all that back there?"
Tori blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
"Right...And all that desert swapping and giggling was my imagination." Tori smiled.
"Okay, I give... I really like him."
"And the problem with that is?"
"Well, what's going to happen when he leaves? I really want to be with him- you know that. But I don't want to be...I dunno. Selfish I guess." Shane laughed.
"Dude, you're so gone."
"Yeah...I guess I am," she said smiling as the music played around them.
Blake watched as Tori and Shane got up and headed to the floor. His eyes never left her and Hunter couldn't help but notice.
"Earth to Blake," he said. Blake snapped out of his trance and turned to three sets of eyes looking at him.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"If you don't get some balls and tell her how you feel then you're going to regret it forever," Dustin said.
"For once I agree with Dustin," Cam said. "You guys were meant to be together and we all know you love her."
Blake sighed. "It's a little more complicated than that Cam...I can't exactly tell her that straight out."
"Why not?" Dustin asked. Blake looked over to his brother who understood all too well what Blake meant. He too had experienced this before.
"We'll explain later," he said. Blake sent him a silent 'thank you' and turned his attention back to Tori who was laughing. They briefly locked eyes for a moment and he smiled. Blake got up and made his way over to them.
When he was out of earshot, Dustin asked the question again. "Why can't he tell her?"
Hunter sighed and fiddled with his napkin. "Because that's the last thing we said to our parents before they passed away." Cam and Dustin's faces fell a little. "We can't even say it to each other...I guess it's a mindset- you say it to someone and you'll lose them."
"But Hunter, there's got to be some way around this," Cam said.
"It takes time and trust Cam. I'm just know beginning to feel comfortable with it."
"What turned you around?" Dustin asked as he sipped his water.
Hunter got a small smile in his face. "I saw our parents in the cavern and knew that they would always be with us, no matter what." The others smiled and watched as Blake made his way up to Shane and Tori.
The song ended and another began as Blake walked up the steps to the floor. He tapped Shane on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked.
Shane grinned and handed Tori's hand to him. Tori smiled and thanked Shane. Blake held her left hand in his right, and splayed his other hand on the small of her back. Tori placed her right arm around his neck and smiled.
"You've done this before?" she asked laughing.
"A few times," he replied as he pulled her in closer, their clasped hands resting between their bodies. She smiled. It felt so good to be in his arms and he loved having her there. They both found it hard to breath suddenly and rested their heads together as they let themselves get lost in the music...
When I fall in love It will be forever Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world Like this is Love is ended before it's begun And too many Moonlight kisses Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart I give it completely Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too Is when I fall in love with you...
The song ended and Tori found that her head had somehow managed to rest on Blake's shoulder. She smiled when his grip loosened a little, but not completely. She didn't want the night to end, but she knew the restaurant was closing soon and the guys were probably ready to go.
"Blake?" she asked ash they were walking from the floor with their hands still loosely clasped.
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to take a walk on the beach? I mean, if you're tired that's okay-"
"I'd love to," he said grinning. Tori smiled back and they reached the others.
"You guys all set to go?" Shane asked. Tori handed him her keys.
"We're going to stick around for awhile. You can take them home and I'll come by later to get the van," she said.
"And how do you plan on getting back to our house?" Dustin asked.
"We'll find a way," Blake said. The guys just grinned and they all went off their separate ways.
The beach was calming and beautiful as they walked down the stretch of sand. They walked around a small rock formation and saw the stars twinkling above them. They could still hear the faint music coming from the restaurant.
"Tonight was fun," Tori said as she took her sandals off. Blake watched her and saw her hair shining in the light.
"Yeah...I had a great time." He paused for a moment and prepared himself for what he said next. "Tor, I have to do something right now before I lose my nerve," he said nervously.
Tori looked at him surprised and turned her body to face his. "Okay..." she said laughing a little. Blake edged closer to her and placed his hand on her back again, pulling her to him.
Her breath left her for a moment, but then her heart leapt when she realized what was happening. She placed her hands around his neck and their lips met in a tender, soft exchange that they held for several minutes without moving.
They parted briefly and caught their breath. "I'm glad you did that," she breathed. "I've wanted to kiss you for the longest time."
Blake ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her cheek. "Me too," he said. They smiled and leaned in again, going deeper than they had before. All the love and emotion they held for each other was released then as they continued their passionate kisses as a song played softly in the background...
Looking at the pages of my life
Faded memories of me and you
Mistakes you know I've made a few
I took some shots and fell from time to time
Baby, you were there to pull me through
We've been around the block a time or two
I'm gonna lay it on the line
Ask me how we've come this far
The answer's written in my eyes
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
I've lived, I've loved, I've lost, I've paid some dues, baby
We've been to hell and back again
Through it all you're always my best friend
For all the words I didn't say and all the things I didn't do
Tonight I'm gonna find a way
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
You can take this world away
You're everything I am
Just read the lines upon my face
I'm all about lovin' you
Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new
That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more
I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time
When I look at what my life's been comin' to
I'm all about lovin' you
All about lovin' you...
The music ended and they held each other gently. Tori stared at him. This was better than any dream she had ever had. She leaned up against him as they walked back. "Blake...I don't want this night to end," Tori said smiling. Blake stopped and kissed her softly.
"It doesn't have to."
Tori saw the spark in his eyes and knew he was thinking along the same lines she was. They both kissed again and made their way back to Tori's apartment.