A/N: Sorry for another long update. I had been busy. I shall pick up on the updates quicker now. Here's the next chapter though, totally worth the way. Trust me. How's It Going To Be
Chapter 7: A Broken Mind
Tori and the others had been searching for hours. Checking the alleyway, the mall and even the graveyard a few times. They had arrived at the beach, it was late in the afternoon and everyone was tired. They felt like they were chasing a ghost, and perhaps they were. Tori stopped and looked out in the ocean, letting her wavy blonde hair fluttered in the wind. She closed her eyes, just whispering to herself not to give up. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Rick smiling at her, "We wont give up. I promise." Tori wasn't sure what it was, but those words he spoke, it gave her enough hope to keep going. Enough to smile.
"I so hope you are right." She softly whispered as she hugged him, burying her head into his shoulder, "I really do."
Hunter watched in the distant, before turning away. Amber glanced at him but didn't even say a word, she shifted her eyes around to check where Blake and Shane went off too. The two boys at the bottom of the Blue Bay Cliffs, checking around in any possible places he could be hiding. Blake jumped on a rock, turning to Shane, "This is pointless. He's a ninja, it's almost impossible to find him."
"Yeah, but it's not like we can tell Amber and Ricky that." He rolled his eyes, "We just got to keep looking."
"I know.." He sulked a bit, a part of him didn't want to stop looking either, "So now what?" Amber and Hunter made their way over, right as he said the last three words.
The brunette women flipped back her hair and sighed, "I guess were just going to take a break for a bit." She watched as Ricky and Tori joined them, "We checked everywhere."
"All right." Tori nodded, feeling a bit tired, "Let's call it a day."
"Shall I walk you home?" Ricky turned to the surfing blonde, she smiled and shook her head.
"No. I'll be all right."
"You can walk me home." Amber grinned as she grabbed Ricky, and turned to the others, "We'll leave you guys alone. My Cuz and I have a lot to catch up on." She dragged him away. Ricky waved before turning to chase after Amber. Blake and Shane just glanced at each other.
"Were getting something to eat." Shane spoke up as he grabbed Blake, "Come on. You're joining me." Tori bit her lips, as she stood on the sand alone with Hunter. The two of them shot looks at each other before turning away, in complete awkwardness.
"I'm sorry." Hunter finally shattered the silence between the two. Tori slowly turned around, each starring eye to eye with each other, "I'm just sorry."
"Me too." She whispered in response, "I was just so caught up in the moment. I miss him Hunter. I miss him dearly."
"I know." He walked forward, brushing back her bangs, "Maybe you should go home. See how Van is doing? I'm sure that babysitter is raising hell that you been gone so long."
She just forced a smile, a soft chuckle came out of her, "Yeah. All right."
Cam had been working hours, trying to find a signature on Dustin. It was a bit hard to find one without the power discs, but Cam didn't stop searching. The computer began to scan each part of the city, but nothing was coming up. Cameron leaned forward a bit, yawning. He heard footsteps coming down the stairs, he turned his head to see Hunter appeared. Twirling his chair, Cam stood up, "What are you doing here?"
"We kind of all split off." He informed him, "I had nowhere else to go." He shifted his eyes and starred at the objects all around Ninja Ops, "It's been a while since I was down here."
"You and me both." He smirked, sitting back down, "If you're asking if I had better luck I'm going to have to say-" The computer began to beep and he turned to it, Cam squinted his eyes, "Yes..."
"What?" Hunter shot over, leaning over his shoulder to stare at the screen, "You found him?"
"The signal is very weak." Cam commented as he hit a few buttons, "The Terminal can't pinpoint the exact location but it's coming from within the city. There's no mistake."
"So he is alive.." Hunter sighed, a bit relief but a bit guilty for trying to convince Tori she was wrong.
"Yeah.. I'll inform Tori."
"I'm going to go." He turned and dashed out before Cam could refuse. The Samurai Warrior took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He placed them back on and turned back to contact Tori.
Blake and Shane entered Storm Chargers, Kelly was working on a few papers at the cashier counter. The gang don't visit as often as they use to, so to Kelly, it was a treat when they do. She looked up and smiled, placing her things down and walking around the counter to them, "Guys!" She exclaimed, "What do I owe to this wonderful visit?"
"Hey Kel." Shane smiled, "I needed to pick up some wax for my skateboard." He informed, looking at the television. The Weather channel was on, "Looks like it's going to rain a little later tonight." He listened to the guy on the screen.
"Yeah." She looked over at it also, "Heard it's a bad storm tonight." She shifted her eyes back, "Here, let me help you find some wax." Blake looked over to see a picture hanging behind the cashier counter. Walking over, he took a better look at it. It was, Shane, Hunter, Tori, Cam, Blake, Dustin and Kelly all gathering together for a group photo. Kelly came around and behind the cashier holding a block of wax.
"You actually hung that picture?" Blake spoke up, pointing at it.
She turned and chuckled a bit, "It had been hanging in my house for a while, but I decided to move it here." She stated, finding the price for the item, "It's a great picture."
"Man. We all didn't have a care in the world back then." Shane sighed, starring at it. It was true, it was during the time when Lother was defeated, but before the chain of awful events began to start.
"Dustin seams to really be the topic of the last couple of days." Blake muttered, "Everywhere I go, his name pops in my head."
"I know what you mean." Kelly spoke up, sulking and unaware of what the gang had been up to, "Each day I come in here to open the store. I often think he would come into work. Or at night, he would be the last person to close up with me." She forced a smile, "God. I miss him."
Shane just forced a smile, "Uh yeah.."
Night had fallen upon Blue Bay Harbor, the clouds had rolled in and the storm brewing. Tori walked the dark streets all by herself, she was either looking for Dustin or Hunter. One of the two. It was a bit hard to call a babysitter but she had manage to find one for Van. Shifting her eyes from side to side, she rubbed her arms from the cool air that was embracing her skin. Passing stores after stores, and other variety of places, she noticed the streets were empty of cars. Everyone was taking cover from the storm that was about to hit, one that Tori was unaware of. She crossed the street, as a crack of lightning flashed and the rumble of thunder followed. Tori stopped in the middle of the road as the rain began to pour on her. She shuddered from the cold rain as it began to soak her body. Still standing in the road, she hugged her arms together and looked over at a laundry mat. Inside were people sorting clothes and such, Tori turned her whole body and faced it, noticing a curly brunette sitting in one of the chairs. Flipping a magazine.
"Ricky?" Tori whispered to herself. It almost looked like Ricky, but it reminded her even more of Dustin, "Oh my god.." Tori whispered. She blinked to see if she was imagining things, but she wasn't. He was there, she stood there in the rain. Her clothes were soaked, her hair was frizzled. Dustin looked up from his magazine, and then back down. Taking a double glanced, he realized that Tori was starring right at him. Standing up, he laid the magazine back down on the chair and walked over to the window. Tori let out a surprised chuckle, the kind where she couldn't find any other emotions. She was beginning to tear up as he Dustin moved along the glass and to the door. Walking out into the rain, the water began to quickly soak up his clothes. He stood there on the sidewalk, the two of them locked eyes in complete silence. He then slowly walked over to her, in till the two of them were standing in the streets.
"What are you doing here." He whispered, her joyful emotions began to slip away, "You should not be here."
"I came looking for you." She stammered, the rain fell down her face, "I been searching for you for days now!"
"Just go home. Tori." He turned his back.
She began to breath heavily, her tears joined the fallen rain as she stepped forward, "Why, Dustin?" She screamed, "Why? Why are you doing this to us? To me.."
"I needed to start over. I caused too much trouble to be around. I had to let go."
"You obviously couldn't. Or you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't have held me that few nights ago."
He turned, his soaked face glimpsed with anger, "I came here to do things." He snapped, "If I had known you were still here I wouldn't have come."
"Well I am here." She pointed a finger at herself, "I am here in the flesh. Wondering why the hell you would continue to hurt me like this. I loved you Dustin." She shouted, breaking in more tears, "I-I loved you. And you left me."
"I'm sorry." He roared over her whining voice.
"For what? For faking your own death? Leaving me with our son to raise by myself. To worry each day if I can find another guy to love the same way I loved you?" She choked on her last few words, "You're not sorry Dustin. If you truly were sorry, you would come back. Stop running away."
He walked over to her, grabbing her by the arm. She didn't move, but looked into his eyes. Such pain was seen through his eyes, "Don't you tell me if I'm sorry or not." He said angrily, "Because I am. Each day I regret leaving you, each day I regret the actions I had made. That pain I felt while laying in the hospital those nights. The pain I brought to all of you those many years. I couldn't do it anymore. I realized the more I stayed with you all, the more pain we would experience. I'm tired of it all."
She yanked her arm away, backing away slowly, "All you did was dump your pain on us." She whispered.
Dustin screamed at the top of his lungs, grabbing his hair and trying to pull it out, "What do you want from me?" He shouted, "I didn't ask you to find me. I didn't want anything to do with you anymore. It was for the best! The sooner you realize that, the better."
"I-I hate you." She stuttered. Dustin closed his eyes, pushing back his wet hair. The thunder rumbled again.
"Tori." He whispered, walking forward, she took a step back.
"I hate you." She shouted a bit louder. Dustin moved forward and grabbed her, pulling her close. Tori struggled, trying to break free, hitting him on the shoulder, "Let go of me!" She screamed, "I hate you! I hate you!" She repeated over again. Dustin didn't let go, he held her tightly, hugging her. She buried her face in his shoulder, crying her heart out, "Oh god.." Dustin closed his eyes, as he ran his hands through her hair. A blinding pair of lights caught Dustin's attention and he turned to see a truck come speeding towards him.
"Tori, watch out." He pushed her off of him and to the side. Tori fell into a puddle, rolling over to see him standing there, facing the truck. Dustin turned over to see people getting up and watching. He couldn't ninja streak.
"Move!" Tori shouted, trying to pull herself up, "Dustin, move!" Hunter appeared around the corner, to witness the whole thing. In a flash, he ninja streaked quickly over to grab him. The truck blazed past as Hunter and Dustin crashed and rolled to the side of the street. Dustin hit his head hard against the concrete, knocking himself out. Tori stood up and ran over to them, kneeling down, "Dustin. Dustin, wake up." She begged, "Dustin..."
End Chapter
