Chapter 8: Farewells
~*~*At The Bradley House~*~
Tori woke up a few hours later. She looked at the alarm clock on Blake's nightstand and it read 4:30 am. She slowly removed herself from Blake's embrace and proceeded to put her clothes back on. She went to the bathroom that connected to Blake and Hunter's room to freshen up a bit. Afterwards, she headed downstairs to step outside and get her bag from the van. Lucky for her, she kept a bag of clothes and undergarments for when she and Dustin would go riding. She open the front door, ran to her van and grabbed her bag. At the same time Hunter came down stairs and he noticed that the front door was open, "What the heck?" He said aloud to himself. He was about to close it when Tori bounded right through with her bag in hand. "Tori?" Hunter asked as he ran a hand through his dirty brown locks.
"Uh hey Hunter--" Tori was hoping to not wake anyone, especially Hunter. "Did I wake you?"
"No, I was just coming down to grab a quick drink of water and get ready for the day since Blake's flight is at seven." He said as walked towards the kitchen.
Tori followed him, "Well, I'm sorry if I have intruded on your space--"
"Tori don't worry about it. You're my brother's girlfriend, our house is your house." Hunter found it funny that she felt like she had intruded on his space or something.
"Thanks Hunter." She was more embarrassed than anything and that was why she felt that she should apologize. "Do you mind if I go up and take a shower?"
"Go ahead, there is a bathroom down here as well." Hunter said as he gulped down the last of his water. "I'm going to get ready myself."
Tori left to back upstairs as she entered Blake's room, she noticed that he was not on the bed. Then she heard the soft noise of running water and figured that he was in the bathroom. So, she decided to check out his bookcase. There were several pictures that caught her eye the other night. At the bookcase, her eyes fell upon the group picture of them when Blake and Hunter first joined the team. As she was running a hand over the picture she felt a set of arms wrap around her waist. She placed the picture down and turned to face Blake who was in nothing, but a navy blue bath towel around his waist. Tori caught her breath when she saw his slightly toned chest and muscular arms. 'Boy, was he fine!' She thought to herself.
"Good morning Tor," he said to her. He was amused to see the look on her face from him being in nothing, but a towel.
"Hey morning to you too. I guess you beat me to the shower." She said as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Blake had let her go and went to his closet to get his clothes and things. "Yeah, I guess I did. I heard you and Hunter talking downstairs. So, I decided to hop in, I didn't know how long you were going to be."
"Oh, are you packed and ready to go then?' She asked as she inched her way to the bathroom.
"Yep."
"So, I guess you are going to leave that picture of us here huh?" Tori seemed a little sad that Blake didn't have it packed.
"Yep." He paused a moment and noticed the look of sadness in his girlfriend's eyes. "I have a better picture, actually three, to bring with me. Do you want to see?"
Tori's eyes danced with excitement, "Sure!" She placed her bag on the floor and walked over to him to take a look at the pictures. There was one of the group in their ninja uniforms at their graduation ceremony. Tori liked this picture better since Cam was also in uniform, whereas in the other one on the bookcase, he was not a ranger yet. The second picture that Blake held was even better. It was of the group again, but this time this was taken at the dinner celebration after the graduation that night. It was professionally taken and the group was on a white backdrop. Tori was sitting on the floor with Blake on one side of her and Hunter on the other side. Dustin, Cam and Shane were behind them on one bended knee and resting their heads on their fists. The last picture Blake showed her was his favorite. It was of him, Hunter and Tori. The three of them were standing by a tree outside the Wind Ninja Academy. They were all in their ninja uniforms, Blake was in the middle with his arms crossed in front of his chest and Tori and Hunter were on each side of him with their hands resting on his shoulders.
"This one is my favorite." Blake said to her as she stared at the last picture.
"Why is that?" She asked him.
"Because it has the two most important people in my life in it." He wrapped his arms around her one more time and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too, Blake. Oh my look at the time! The others will be here any minute. I better get ready." She then ran off to the bathroom.
~*~*Fifteen minutes later~*~*
The whole group was assembled in the Bradley living room. They were chatting, munching on doughnuts and drinking hot cocoa. Then it was time to get ready to leave. The group filed out of the house and headed over to the airport.
The group arrived and they were sitting waiting for Blake's flight to be called. "Flight 621 for Scottsdale, Arizona is now boarding," was heard over the PA system. Everyone got up and gave Blake a shake of the hand and hug. Hunter and Blake did their special handshake and hugged also.
"Take care little bro and don't forget to rip it up out there!' Hunter said as he let go of his brother from their hug.
"I will man, I'll try not to let you down. You take care too and remember your promise to me, alright?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it. We'll be fine." Hunter said as he moved aside to let Tori say her good-byes.
Tori and Blake met in a warm embrace. "I love you, Blake. Don't forget to keep in touch and good luck. I know you can do anything that you put your mind to."
Blake was so touched by her words. "I love you too. Thanks for all of your support and I promise we will make this work." He kissed her as the final boarding call was made. "I better get going."
"Okay. Wait! I have something for you before you go." Tori said as she stopped him from picking up his carry on bag.
"What is it?" Blake was curious as to what it could be.
"Here, this is a ring my mother gave me when I first learned how to surf. She said that as long as I wore this I would be able to do anything. It's a little small so, I always keep it in my pocket." Tori handed him the silver band with light blue strips on the top and bottom of the band.
"Thanks Tor, I will keep this on my chain and always think of you whenever I ride. I love you and don't ever forget that. I better go."
Blake picked up his bag with his other hand and kissed Tori one last time. "I love you too," she said as he turned to leave for the gate.
"Bye guys!" Blake said one final time before he disappeared into the crowd that was formed around the ramp that lead to the airplane.
Blake's plane took off minutes later. Tori felt a tear escape her eyes and she wiped it away. Dustin noticed this and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Shane did the same. Cam patted her on the back and Hunter offered her his hand and led the group away from the gate and towards the parking lot.
Meanwhile on the plane, Blake took off his silver chain and placed Tori's ring on it. He fastened the necklace back on, kissed the ring and smiled. He settled in for the ride to Arizona. 'Man six months is going to feel like forever, I know it.' Blake thought to himself as he looked out the window.
AN: I apologize for the long chapters and slow plot, but please hang in there! I have read a lot of fics on here and have hung in there for all of you so, I ask that you guys do the same for me, please! I have no clue how long this is going to be, but bare with me. I pre-wrote more than half of this story and tried shortening it, but it just killed everything else that I had already written out.
So, he's finally gone, what will happen during his absence? Stay tuned and find out. (Hint: There aren't too many Blake and Tori moments left.) Don't forget to review because if I get enough of them I will post the next chapter before the end of the weekend!
~*~*At The Bradley House~*~
Tori woke up a few hours later. She looked at the alarm clock on Blake's nightstand and it read 4:30 am. She slowly removed herself from Blake's embrace and proceeded to put her clothes back on. She went to the bathroom that connected to Blake and Hunter's room to freshen up a bit. Afterwards, she headed downstairs to step outside and get her bag from the van. Lucky for her, she kept a bag of clothes and undergarments for when she and Dustin would go riding. She open the front door, ran to her van and grabbed her bag. At the same time Hunter came down stairs and he noticed that the front door was open, "What the heck?" He said aloud to himself. He was about to close it when Tori bounded right through with her bag in hand. "Tori?" Hunter asked as he ran a hand through his dirty brown locks.
"Uh hey Hunter--" Tori was hoping to not wake anyone, especially Hunter. "Did I wake you?"
"No, I was just coming down to grab a quick drink of water and get ready for the day since Blake's flight is at seven." He said as walked towards the kitchen.
Tori followed him, "Well, I'm sorry if I have intruded on your space--"
"Tori don't worry about it. You're my brother's girlfriend, our house is your house." Hunter found it funny that she felt like she had intruded on his space or something.
"Thanks Hunter." She was more embarrassed than anything and that was why she felt that she should apologize. "Do you mind if I go up and take a shower?"
"Go ahead, there is a bathroom down here as well." Hunter said as he gulped down the last of his water. "I'm going to get ready myself."
Tori left to back upstairs as she entered Blake's room, she noticed that he was not on the bed. Then she heard the soft noise of running water and figured that he was in the bathroom. So, she decided to check out his bookcase. There were several pictures that caught her eye the other night. At the bookcase, her eyes fell upon the group picture of them when Blake and Hunter first joined the team. As she was running a hand over the picture she felt a set of arms wrap around her waist. She placed the picture down and turned to face Blake who was in nothing, but a navy blue bath towel around his waist. Tori caught her breath when she saw his slightly toned chest and muscular arms. 'Boy, was he fine!' She thought to herself.
"Good morning Tor," he said to her. He was amused to see the look on her face from him being in nothing, but a towel.
"Hey morning to you too. I guess you beat me to the shower." She said as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Blake had let her go and went to his closet to get his clothes and things. "Yeah, I guess I did. I heard you and Hunter talking downstairs. So, I decided to hop in, I didn't know how long you were going to be."
"Oh, are you packed and ready to go then?' She asked as she inched her way to the bathroom.
"Yep."
"So, I guess you are going to leave that picture of us here huh?" Tori seemed a little sad that Blake didn't have it packed.
"Yep." He paused a moment and noticed the look of sadness in his girlfriend's eyes. "I have a better picture, actually three, to bring with me. Do you want to see?"
Tori's eyes danced with excitement, "Sure!" She placed her bag on the floor and walked over to him to take a look at the pictures. There was one of the group in their ninja uniforms at their graduation ceremony. Tori liked this picture better since Cam was also in uniform, whereas in the other one on the bookcase, he was not a ranger yet. The second picture that Blake held was even better. It was of the group again, but this time this was taken at the dinner celebration after the graduation that night. It was professionally taken and the group was on a white backdrop. Tori was sitting on the floor with Blake on one side of her and Hunter on the other side. Dustin, Cam and Shane were behind them on one bended knee and resting their heads on their fists. The last picture Blake showed her was his favorite. It was of him, Hunter and Tori. The three of them were standing by a tree outside the Wind Ninja Academy. They were all in their ninja uniforms, Blake was in the middle with his arms crossed in front of his chest and Tori and Hunter were on each side of him with their hands resting on his shoulders.
"This one is my favorite." Blake said to her as she stared at the last picture.
"Why is that?" She asked him.
"Because it has the two most important people in my life in it." He wrapped his arms around her one more time and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too, Blake. Oh my look at the time! The others will be here any minute. I better get ready." She then ran off to the bathroom.
~*~*Fifteen minutes later~*~*
The whole group was assembled in the Bradley living room. They were chatting, munching on doughnuts and drinking hot cocoa. Then it was time to get ready to leave. The group filed out of the house and headed over to the airport.
The group arrived and they were sitting waiting for Blake's flight to be called. "Flight 621 for Scottsdale, Arizona is now boarding," was heard over the PA system. Everyone got up and gave Blake a shake of the hand and hug. Hunter and Blake did their special handshake and hugged also.
"Take care little bro and don't forget to rip it up out there!' Hunter said as he let go of his brother from their hug.
"I will man, I'll try not to let you down. You take care too and remember your promise to me, alright?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it. We'll be fine." Hunter said as he moved aside to let Tori say her good-byes.
Tori and Blake met in a warm embrace. "I love you, Blake. Don't forget to keep in touch and good luck. I know you can do anything that you put your mind to."
Blake was so touched by her words. "I love you too. Thanks for all of your support and I promise we will make this work." He kissed her as the final boarding call was made. "I better get going."
"Okay. Wait! I have something for you before you go." Tori said as she stopped him from picking up his carry on bag.
"What is it?" Blake was curious as to what it could be.
"Here, this is a ring my mother gave me when I first learned how to surf. She said that as long as I wore this I would be able to do anything. It's a little small so, I always keep it in my pocket." Tori handed him the silver band with light blue strips on the top and bottom of the band.
"Thanks Tor, I will keep this on my chain and always think of you whenever I ride. I love you and don't ever forget that. I better go."
Blake picked up his bag with his other hand and kissed Tori one last time. "I love you too," she said as he turned to leave for the gate.
"Bye guys!" Blake said one final time before he disappeared into the crowd that was formed around the ramp that lead to the airplane.
Blake's plane took off minutes later. Tori felt a tear escape her eyes and she wiped it away. Dustin noticed this and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Shane did the same. Cam patted her on the back and Hunter offered her his hand and led the group away from the gate and towards the parking lot.
Meanwhile on the plane, Blake took off his silver chain and placed Tori's ring on it. He fastened the necklace back on, kissed the ring and smiled. He settled in for the ride to Arizona. 'Man six months is going to feel like forever, I know it.' Blake thought to himself as he looked out the window.
AN: I apologize for the long chapters and slow plot, but please hang in there! I have read a lot of fics on here and have hung in there for all of you so, I ask that you guys do the same for me, please! I have no clue how long this is going to be, but bare with me. I pre-wrote more than half of this story and tried shortening it, but it just killed everything else that I had already written out.
So, he's finally gone, what will happen during his absence? Stay tuned and find out. (Hint: There aren't too many Blake and Tori moments left.) Don't forget to review because if I get enough of them I will post the next chapter before the end of the weekend!