It was VERY late when everyone finally settled in. Tori's house was
more than big enough to accommodate everyone and she was happy to put them
up in the spare rooms.
When she was sure everyone was settled, she walked back out to her pool and shut all the lights off, leaving the area in the glow of the moon and stars. She placed her hand around the gem that hung from her neck.
'Gram... where are you when I need you?' she silently pleaded to the stars.
Everything was now in motion and, for the first time in months, she felt at ease. To know that there were nine other people in the house that were willing to risk themselves in order to protect her and the earth made her feel secure; as if there was truly more good out there than evil.
She sat back against the large chair she was in and breathed in the night air. Tomorrow they would set up their 'base' on a remote island and set their traps. In theory everything should work and she trusted her teammates.
Blake saw her sitting there and his mind and heart went back to the night where he had first kissed her. Everything seemed so much simpler back then and he wished with everything he had that he could go back.
He clutched her morpher in his hands and knew he couldn't wait any longer to face her. He slowly walked towards her and stopped dead in his tracks when she turned and met his eyes.
Tori saw him and, again, froze. She couldn't think, couldn't breath. All she could do was stare at him and fight the urge to run into his arms like a lovesick fool. Blake slowly walked towards her and sat across from her.
The silence consumed them, neither knowing what to say. Blake knew Tori was hurt and he knew that he was going to do everything in his power to try and make her understand why he did what he did.
Tori felt several emotions go through her when he sat; anger, pain, love, confusion...
"How are you here?" she asked at last.
"I came home and Hunter told me what was going on."
Tori looked at the rippling water. "I thought you were in San Diego."
"I left."
"And you're going back right after this, right?"
"No."
Tori's head shot up to meet his eyes. "What? Why?"
"You want the truth?" Tori nodded. "I left because of you... I couldn't stand the fact that you were mad at me."
Tori felt tears beginning to gather, but she held them back. "Can you blame me? I poured myself out to you and you shot me down Blake."
Blake sighed. "I know I did, and I'm sorry." He leaned over to her and handed her the box that contained her morpher. Tori slowly opened it and took out her powerless device. "I went to Sensei and told him what was going on. He thought it was best if we still had ours; whatever use they may be."
She strapped it to her left wrist, instantly feeling better and not knowing exactly why. "Thank you," she said softly.
Blake took a deep breath and took her hand in his. "Tor, what happened with us... with me... it's hard to explain... but, hopefully, when you're ready to talk I can tell you." He squeezed her hand lightly and headed back into the house.
Tori watched him walk away and let a single tear roll down her cheek.
(((((())))))
"Excellent," Uric hissed as he checked over his records one last time. "I can destroy the family line and get the power at the same time."
The screen he was looking at was a very complex family tree... Lucas' family tree.
"Once I destroy the Navy Ranger, the Blue ranger will have no choice but to give me what I want... that is if she wants to save him."
He rose from his seat and examined the jars in front of him. His creatures were limited, but he knew they were more than enough to destroy three rangers that stood in his way.
"It's just a matter of time before they come after me, and when they do they won't know what hit them..." He didn't know how wrong he was...
(((((())))))
Morning dawned in Blue Bay Harbor and slowly, the rangers began to prepare for their mission. "This is way more organized than when Tommy led that mission against Serpentera," TJ commented as boxes were loaded in the backyard. Billy and Rocky both chuckled. "Organization never really was one of his strong points," Rocky said.
"It was usually me or Jason that set everything up," Billy said.
"Looks like everything on the weapons front is covered," Justin said as he piled the equipment with the rest.
Kai, Max, and Chad gathered all their gear and waited for the others to emerge from the house.
Blake and Lucas came out next with Tori following after them. "Are we ready to do this or what?" Tori asked smiling. The guys all nodded.
"Alright, this may feel a little weird for anyone that hasn't teleported before," Billy said as he held a large remote-like device in his hand. The rangers all braced themselves as they were encased in a brilliant beam of blue light. Their eyes closed until they felt solid ground beneath their feet once again. They all slowly opened their eyes and found themselves in a small clearing, bordered on all sides by a thickly wooded area.
Billy checked over the equipment with Justin and Lucas. "Everything seems to be intact," Billy said. For the rest of the day, the blue rangers set up their base of operations, which was basically a few tents and a larger one where they all met for the final debriefing. It was here that Lucas laid everything out on the table.
"If Uric succeeds in his mission, the world, and the future as we know it, will no longer exist. We have to trap him and get him back to my time as soon as possible."
"We're with you," Chad said.
The others around the table agreed and they relaxed for the rest of the evening. Mostly, they talked about their ranger days and those who had worked together reminisced about their joint efforts.
"So then Cole flew right into it's mouth and blew it up from the inside," TJ concluded. Everyone was awestruck by his retelling of the mission with the Red Rangers. "Leo can't stop talking about it," Kai said laughing. "I guess it's my turn to tell him about my mission when I get home."
Rocky was quiet throughout all this. Tori had liked the fun loving Zeo Ranger from the moment she met him. "Rocky? What's wrong?" she asked gently.
"I was a Red Ranger too, but I couldn't go on the mission," he said.
"But you had good reason," Justin added quickly. Rocky smiled at this.
"Yeah... my daughter was born."
"Andros' too," TJ said smiling. "Well, right after we got home."
It was then that the rangers began talking about their significant others. It seemed like all of them had pretty much settled down, or were in the process thereof. Blake and Tori both were very uncomfortable throughout this whole situation. "I can't wait to get home to Cassie," TJ mused. "She'll be psyched to hear that there's a girl in blue finally," he said as he looked at Tori. Tori smiled.
"I think I'm going to have to meet these ladies at some point," she said. She looked at Lucas who was shifting uneasily in his seat through all this. The last thing he needed was for everyone to start talking about rangers marrying rangers... "Lucas? You have anyone back home?" Blake asked, trying to avert any attention away from himself.
Lucas grinned. "Yeah, actually I have a fiancé."
Max grinned wickedly at him. "Nadira..." he said in a teasing tone. Lucas threw a small rock at his feet and this got a few chuckles.
The laughter died down somewhat, and Max, being the inquisitive person that he is, decided to give Blake the question he had been dreading.
"Alright Blake, your go. Anyone we should know about?" he asked. Tori stared at the ground as her cheeks began to feel very hot. After last night, she had done nothing but think about what he had said. He wanted to tell her what was going on and all she had to do now was listen...
If something went wrong tomorrow and one of them didn't come back, they would both regret not hearing each other out for the rest of their lives.
Blake stumbled over his words as he responded nervously. "Well... I... well, I really don't know how to answer that."
"What do you mean?" Kai questioned.
"I don't have a girlfriend if that's what you mean... I'm not married or anything either."
"But there is someone in the picture, am I right?"
Blake glanced across the fire pit at Tori who met his eyes for only a second.
"Yes," Blake answered truthfully. Tori's face was on fire. The others by now had caught the small exchange and smiled.
"Well guys, I think I'm going to turn in," Tori said as she rose from her seat. "See you all in the morning." She briskly walked into the darkness towards her tent as the guys all snickered behind her.
"Oh man, do you have it bad," Justin said. Blake just nodded his head slowly.
Billy, who was sitting next to him, placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know this sounds a bit morbid, but tonight may be your last chance to try and make amends with her."
Billy's words sunk in, deep. Blake knew he was right... he had to tell her what was in his heart... no matter how hard it was.
A little further away, Tori was sitting on a cliff that overlooked the crashing waves below her. The moon was out and the stars cast a glow over everything. She sensed someone behind her and turned to see Blake.
He didn't speak and just sat next to her. The waves and the breeze were the only sounds for several minutes before Tori found her voice.
"I'm ready to listen if you feel like talking," she said softly. Both of them knew of the unspoken doom that could await them when the sun rose. They needed to make peace with each other.
Blake sighed and looked out over the water as he began his story.
"My parents told Hunter and I that they had to go on a special mission for Sensei Amino... they dropped us off in the morning..." Images flooded his mind as he continued. Tori looked at him as he spoke and saw the pain and trouble he was having in telling her.
"Before they left, they knelt down to us... and the put their arms around us and... and they told us that they loved us... and they never came home." At his last words, Blake let a few tears cascade down his cheeks.
Tori too, had tears on her face as he finished his tale. She reached her hand over and touched his. Without a second thought, they both held each other close.
"Now do you understand?" he asked gently into her ear. Tori began to process everything that had happened between them and she slowly nodded her head. "I can't lose you Tor."
Tori caressed the back of his neck. "Blake... I'm so sorry... why didn't you tell me before?"
Blake calmed his nerves and faced her, his hand framing her cheek. "I didn't know how to tell you. We were both going through a lot of things at the time, and I just couldn't handle the fact that... that..."
"That I loved you?" Blake let out a small breath and shuddered. Tori placed her hand on his. "I still do."
It was then that Tori forgot every bad thing that had transpired between them. She leaned in and captured his lips in a heated, passionate kiss. Blake was completely lost in her as his hands worked on their own, roaming her back and slipping effortlessly around her waist.
They sat there in ach other's arms of several minutes before the winds began to pick up steadily. They broke their kiss as a chill set in. Tori cuddled close to him.
"Kind of like Déjà vu," Blake whispered. Tori smiled a little and they walked back to camp. They stopped in front of her tent and Tori didn't release his hand as they entered.
They lay down and their kisses intensified as their hands continued to roam each other's bodies. Their shirts came off first and they trailed kisses along the new skin that was exposed to them.
Nothing else needed to be said as Blake and Tori gave themselves to each other for the first, and possibly, last time...
When she was sure everyone was settled, she walked back out to her pool and shut all the lights off, leaving the area in the glow of the moon and stars. She placed her hand around the gem that hung from her neck.
'Gram... where are you when I need you?' she silently pleaded to the stars.
Everything was now in motion and, for the first time in months, she felt at ease. To know that there were nine other people in the house that were willing to risk themselves in order to protect her and the earth made her feel secure; as if there was truly more good out there than evil.
She sat back against the large chair she was in and breathed in the night air. Tomorrow they would set up their 'base' on a remote island and set their traps. In theory everything should work and she trusted her teammates.
Blake saw her sitting there and his mind and heart went back to the night where he had first kissed her. Everything seemed so much simpler back then and he wished with everything he had that he could go back.
He clutched her morpher in his hands and knew he couldn't wait any longer to face her. He slowly walked towards her and stopped dead in his tracks when she turned and met his eyes.
Tori saw him and, again, froze. She couldn't think, couldn't breath. All she could do was stare at him and fight the urge to run into his arms like a lovesick fool. Blake slowly walked towards her and sat across from her.
The silence consumed them, neither knowing what to say. Blake knew Tori was hurt and he knew that he was going to do everything in his power to try and make her understand why he did what he did.
Tori felt several emotions go through her when he sat; anger, pain, love, confusion...
"How are you here?" she asked at last.
"I came home and Hunter told me what was going on."
Tori looked at the rippling water. "I thought you were in San Diego."
"I left."
"And you're going back right after this, right?"
"No."
Tori's head shot up to meet his eyes. "What? Why?"
"You want the truth?" Tori nodded. "I left because of you... I couldn't stand the fact that you were mad at me."
Tori felt tears beginning to gather, but she held them back. "Can you blame me? I poured myself out to you and you shot me down Blake."
Blake sighed. "I know I did, and I'm sorry." He leaned over to her and handed her the box that contained her morpher. Tori slowly opened it and took out her powerless device. "I went to Sensei and told him what was going on. He thought it was best if we still had ours; whatever use they may be."
She strapped it to her left wrist, instantly feeling better and not knowing exactly why. "Thank you," she said softly.
Blake took a deep breath and took her hand in his. "Tor, what happened with us... with me... it's hard to explain... but, hopefully, when you're ready to talk I can tell you." He squeezed her hand lightly and headed back into the house.
Tori watched him walk away and let a single tear roll down her cheek.
(((((())))))
"Excellent," Uric hissed as he checked over his records one last time. "I can destroy the family line and get the power at the same time."
The screen he was looking at was a very complex family tree... Lucas' family tree.
"Once I destroy the Navy Ranger, the Blue ranger will have no choice but to give me what I want... that is if she wants to save him."
He rose from his seat and examined the jars in front of him. His creatures were limited, but he knew they were more than enough to destroy three rangers that stood in his way.
"It's just a matter of time before they come after me, and when they do they won't know what hit them..." He didn't know how wrong he was...
(((((())))))
Morning dawned in Blue Bay Harbor and slowly, the rangers began to prepare for their mission. "This is way more organized than when Tommy led that mission against Serpentera," TJ commented as boxes were loaded in the backyard. Billy and Rocky both chuckled. "Organization never really was one of his strong points," Rocky said.
"It was usually me or Jason that set everything up," Billy said.
"Looks like everything on the weapons front is covered," Justin said as he piled the equipment with the rest.
Kai, Max, and Chad gathered all their gear and waited for the others to emerge from the house.
Blake and Lucas came out next with Tori following after them. "Are we ready to do this or what?" Tori asked smiling. The guys all nodded.
"Alright, this may feel a little weird for anyone that hasn't teleported before," Billy said as he held a large remote-like device in his hand. The rangers all braced themselves as they were encased in a brilliant beam of blue light. Their eyes closed until they felt solid ground beneath their feet once again. They all slowly opened their eyes and found themselves in a small clearing, bordered on all sides by a thickly wooded area.
Billy checked over the equipment with Justin and Lucas. "Everything seems to be intact," Billy said. For the rest of the day, the blue rangers set up their base of operations, which was basically a few tents and a larger one where they all met for the final debriefing. It was here that Lucas laid everything out on the table.
"If Uric succeeds in his mission, the world, and the future as we know it, will no longer exist. We have to trap him and get him back to my time as soon as possible."
"We're with you," Chad said.
The others around the table agreed and they relaxed for the rest of the evening. Mostly, they talked about their ranger days and those who had worked together reminisced about their joint efforts.
"So then Cole flew right into it's mouth and blew it up from the inside," TJ concluded. Everyone was awestruck by his retelling of the mission with the Red Rangers. "Leo can't stop talking about it," Kai said laughing. "I guess it's my turn to tell him about my mission when I get home."
Rocky was quiet throughout all this. Tori had liked the fun loving Zeo Ranger from the moment she met him. "Rocky? What's wrong?" she asked gently.
"I was a Red Ranger too, but I couldn't go on the mission," he said.
"But you had good reason," Justin added quickly. Rocky smiled at this.
"Yeah... my daughter was born."
"Andros' too," TJ said smiling. "Well, right after we got home."
It was then that the rangers began talking about their significant others. It seemed like all of them had pretty much settled down, or were in the process thereof. Blake and Tori both were very uncomfortable throughout this whole situation. "I can't wait to get home to Cassie," TJ mused. "She'll be psyched to hear that there's a girl in blue finally," he said as he looked at Tori. Tori smiled.
"I think I'm going to have to meet these ladies at some point," she said. She looked at Lucas who was shifting uneasily in his seat through all this. The last thing he needed was for everyone to start talking about rangers marrying rangers... "Lucas? You have anyone back home?" Blake asked, trying to avert any attention away from himself.
Lucas grinned. "Yeah, actually I have a fiancé."
Max grinned wickedly at him. "Nadira..." he said in a teasing tone. Lucas threw a small rock at his feet and this got a few chuckles.
The laughter died down somewhat, and Max, being the inquisitive person that he is, decided to give Blake the question he had been dreading.
"Alright Blake, your go. Anyone we should know about?" he asked. Tori stared at the ground as her cheeks began to feel very hot. After last night, she had done nothing but think about what he had said. He wanted to tell her what was going on and all she had to do now was listen...
If something went wrong tomorrow and one of them didn't come back, they would both regret not hearing each other out for the rest of their lives.
Blake stumbled over his words as he responded nervously. "Well... I... well, I really don't know how to answer that."
"What do you mean?" Kai questioned.
"I don't have a girlfriend if that's what you mean... I'm not married or anything either."
"But there is someone in the picture, am I right?"
Blake glanced across the fire pit at Tori who met his eyes for only a second.
"Yes," Blake answered truthfully. Tori's face was on fire. The others by now had caught the small exchange and smiled.
"Well guys, I think I'm going to turn in," Tori said as she rose from her seat. "See you all in the morning." She briskly walked into the darkness towards her tent as the guys all snickered behind her.
"Oh man, do you have it bad," Justin said. Blake just nodded his head slowly.
Billy, who was sitting next to him, placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know this sounds a bit morbid, but tonight may be your last chance to try and make amends with her."
Billy's words sunk in, deep. Blake knew he was right... he had to tell her what was in his heart... no matter how hard it was.
A little further away, Tori was sitting on a cliff that overlooked the crashing waves below her. The moon was out and the stars cast a glow over everything. She sensed someone behind her and turned to see Blake.
He didn't speak and just sat next to her. The waves and the breeze were the only sounds for several minutes before Tori found her voice.
"I'm ready to listen if you feel like talking," she said softly. Both of them knew of the unspoken doom that could await them when the sun rose. They needed to make peace with each other.
Blake sighed and looked out over the water as he began his story.
"My parents told Hunter and I that they had to go on a special mission for Sensei Amino... they dropped us off in the morning..." Images flooded his mind as he continued. Tori looked at him as he spoke and saw the pain and trouble he was having in telling her.
"Before they left, they knelt down to us... and the put their arms around us and... and they told us that they loved us... and they never came home." At his last words, Blake let a few tears cascade down his cheeks.
Tori too, had tears on her face as he finished his tale. She reached her hand over and touched his. Without a second thought, they both held each other close.
"Now do you understand?" he asked gently into her ear. Tori began to process everything that had happened between them and she slowly nodded her head. "I can't lose you Tor."
Tori caressed the back of his neck. "Blake... I'm so sorry... why didn't you tell me before?"
Blake calmed his nerves and faced her, his hand framing her cheek. "I didn't know how to tell you. We were both going through a lot of things at the time, and I just couldn't handle the fact that... that..."
"That I loved you?" Blake let out a small breath and shuddered. Tori placed her hand on his. "I still do."
It was then that Tori forgot every bad thing that had transpired between them. She leaned in and captured his lips in a heated, passionate kiss. Blake was completely lost in her as his hands worked on their own, roaming her back and slipping effortlessly around her waist.
They sat there in ach other's arms of several minutes before the winds began to pick up steadily. They broke their kiss as a chill set in. Tori cuddled close to him.
"Kind of like Déjà vu," Blake whispered. Tori smiled a little and they walked back to camp. They stopped in front of her tent and Tori didn't release his hand as they entered.
They lay down and their kisses intensified as their hands continued to roam each other's bodies. Their shirts came off first and they trailed kisses along the new skin that was exposed to them.
Nothing else needed to be said as Blake and Tori gave themselves to each other for the first, and possibly, last time...