Is Love For Real?

Chapter Four - Lost

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Power Rangers, Ninja Storm, and I'm not making any money from this fic

Replies to Reviews:

BloriConra 4ever: Glad you like it

Kitty: Here's the next chapter

CamFan4Ever: What do you mean, don't let anything happen to Dustin? What about poor Hunter? Lol

DarkCat: -Meows, eating her tuna while sending the readers an image of RedFox and DarkAngel locked in separate cupboards... And the author with a big smile of relief on her face-

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Dustin slowly came to, hearing the sound of low voices.

"What happened to him? He looks terrible!"

"He was beaten up. Obviously."

"Oh, I got that. I heard Dustin talking in his sleep, remember? What I want to know is why Dustin beat him up... That's not like him at all."

There was a few moments' silence, and then someone said, "I think that I know... But Hunter wouldn't thank me if I actually told you."

Dustin felt fuzzy. The inside of his mouth tasted like cotton wool. Not that he had ever actually tried cotton wool... But it was sort of like how he had imagined cotton wool would taste like.

What happened? Dustin wondered. The last thing I remember is that monster pointing a blaster at me, and then a crimson blur appearing in front of me. But... that crimson blur couldn't have been Hunter. When I left him, he was unconscious. No way he'd have been able to recover that much to come and help me. But who else could it have been?

Dustin felt guilt wash over his entire body, pushing aside the traces of exhaustion that still threatened to overwhelm him. Clearly, Hunter was hurt. And it was just as obviously his fault.

I reacted badly when Hunter kissed me, Dustin remembered. I don't have a clue why. It's not like I'm homophobic or anything. Hunter's my friend. But how deep do my feelings for him go? Because I think that I might actually, like, love him... But he's hurt now because of me. Because I was looking for an excuse, any excuse, to hurt him. Will he ever be able to forgive me?

"Dustin, are you awake?" That was Sensei's voice.

Dustin blinked. Funny, he could have sworn he just sat up... But he was still lying down. That was quite odd. He must have just imagined sitting up.

Dustin looked around at the others. The first thing he noticed was that Hunter wasn't with them, and that Blake was glaring at him.

Dustin tried to speak, but no sound came out. He licked his dry lips, and swallowed hard, finally managing to get out, "Water..."

Cam held a glass of cool water to Dustin's lips, and helped the yellow wind ranger to take small sips.

Dustin closed his eyes a moment. That was such a relief. He felt the cool liquid slip down his throat, soothing his parched body.

"Dustin, tell us what happened," Sensei said firmly.

"Dude, you don't need me to, like, tell you what happened with that monster," Dustin mumbled. "Blake and Tori were there as well. They can tell you what happened."

"Sensei's not talking about the monster," Shane told Dustin. "He's talking about what happened between you and Hunter, and why Hunter appears to be... dead."

DEAD? Dustin thought wildly, staring at Shane. He searched for any kind of hint that Shane might be joking around, and found nothing. The red wind ranger was deadly serious.

Dustin closed his eyes. "Dude, how can Hunter be dead?" he whispered. This has got to be hard on Blake. It's his brother Shane's talking about.

"We don't know how he can be dead," Tori replied. "But the point is that he is dead. And, Dustin, obviously something happened between you two. You were babbling about Hunter being at the race track while you were unconscious, and Hunter looks like he got into a fight. The logical explanation is that you got into a fight with him... But the only marks you have on you are the ones from that monster you were fighting."

Dustin flinched. And now the truth comes out, he thought. "I beat Hunter up," he mumbled, trying really hard not to meet Blake's accusing gaze.

Shane glanced at Blake. "I was right," he said slowly.

Blake shook his head. "Hunter would never have just stood there while someone beat him up," he insisted. "He would have fought back."

"No, he wouldn't have," Dustin whispered. He looked up, meeting Blake's gaze finally. "And I'm sure that you know why he wouldn't have." After all, Blake and Hunter were extremely close. Hunter would definitely have told his brother about the fact that he liked males as opposed to females... Or even both.

Blake stared hard at Dustin, then slowly shrugged as he said, "Love does strange things to people."

"Love?" Shane stared at Blake and then Dustin. "What are you guys talking about?" he demanded.

"I believe that Blake and Dustin are referring to the fact that Hunter is in love with Dustin," Sensei put in.

"I can't see why he is," Blake muttered, glaring at Dustin.

"So, that's why you beat up Hunter, Dustin." Cam slowly shook his head. "I never thought that you would be homophobic."

"I'm not!" Dustin insisted.

"No, it's just my brother!" Blake snapped. "Or was, rather!" His eyes were filled with a deep pain. "I should kill you! Or, at the very least, put you in hospital!"

"Then go ahead!" Dustin replied. There was no way he could live with the guilt of causing Hunter's death. And at least if he was dead, that meant that he didn't have to live without the crimson thunder ranger.

Dustin didn't even bother to wonder why he felt that way. Didn't bother to wonder exactly why he didn't want to live without seeing Hunter every day. Without being able to work with him.

"Dustin, Blake, stop that," Sensei said sharply. "Violence is not going to solve anything."

Dustin dropped his gaze, not able to look at Blake any longer. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "You'll never know how sorry I am... I'd do anything to take back what I did. I don't blame you for hating me. I hate myself, after all."

Slowly, the anger and hate seeped from the navy thunder ranger's eyes, leaving only the deepest pain. He was a little unsteady as he said, "Your Sensei is right. But Hunter's always been there for me. We were the only family we had left. It doesn't matter that we weren't blood related. We were brothers in every other way, and that was all that mattered."

"I'm sorry," Dustin whispered. Hesitatingly, he asked, "Can I... see his body?"

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When Hunter came to, he could tell immediately where he was. On the Mountain of Lost Ninjas. He remembered when he and Blake had come here when they had thought that the wind rangers' Sensei had killed their parents. It was only later that they had realised just how wrong they had been and how close they had come to making the biggest mistake of their lives.

"Hunter."

Hunter turned at the sound of the familiar voice, and stared. "Mum, dad," he whispered. "What... Are you doing here? Am I dead?"

Hunter's mother moved to gently hug her adopted son tightly to her. The crimson thunder ranger could feel tears falling onto his head, and he was confused. "Mum, what's wrong?" he asked.

It was his father who answered. "No, you are not dead," he told his son. "What do you remember?"

Hunter frowned, thinking, as his mother released him but remained standing close to him. "I remember Dustin beating me up," he said slowly. "And then everything went black... But something brought me to consciousness again, and I could see that Dustin was going to be shot... So I stood in front of him."

"And took the blast for the one you love." His mother wiped at the tears glistening on her cheeks.

"You were in spirit form," Hunter's father explained. "When you took the shot for Dustin, it separated you from your body. You are now trapped between the living and the dead."

"But... Do the others think that I'm dead?" Hunter asked, his thoughts mainly on Blake, his brother in every way that truly mattered.

"Yes, they do," Hunter's father told him. "But... It may be that they realise that you are not truly dead. After all, one of them seems to be quite smart and has clearly closely studied the Ninja Scrolls."

Hunter knew instantly that they were talking about Cam, but how was that possible? Cam had not actually been with them in the Cavern of Lost Souls.

As if reading his thoughts, Hunter's mother explained, "We have kept a close watch over you and your brother, even though neither of you could see us."

Hunter smiled at his mother and at this proof that their parents still loved him and his brother, even though they were dead. He then looked at his father. "How long do I have before I am truly dead?" he wanted to know.

Hunter's father met his gaze, and Hunter thought that he saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "A week," he answered.

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Read and review, please!

-Hears the sound of banging, and looks slightly embarrassed- Heh...