Author's note: Sorry for the delay, guys. My RL's getting in the way.
Last Chapter! Enjoy.
Blackwolfnight04: Thank you so much for sticking with this. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
4: Then she left me to Worry
"Should we be worried?"
"No. Not unless she comes back." Cam stretched, turning away from the computer. "I thought you'd gone."
"On my way. Dustin's waiting outside." She took a step closer to him. "You're worried."
"Taran's…unsettling."
"Your cousins?"
"Yeah." He shrugged. "It's nothing."
"We'd help you."
"I know." He smiled faintly. "Go on, Dustin's waiting for you."
"Ok." Tori studied him for a minute. "Get some rest."
"Yes, mom." Cam teased. He was a little brighter, a little less worried, and Tori was satisfied as she turned to leave.
"Thank you."
Unsurprised, Tori turned to see Taran gliding out of the trees. Next to the van, Dustin was suddenly slightly tenser.
"For?"
She tilted her head towards Ninja Ops. "I bother him. It's unintentional, and I had to see you and he needed the warning…thanks for helping him."
"Who are you?" Dustin asked quietly.
"Who am I." Taran repeated thoughtfully. "That's not an easy question, Dustin."
"Thariin." he murmured.
Her eyes were suddenly harder. "I've had many names. Does it matter?" She glanced back at Tori. "I just wanted to thank you."
"It's not a problem." Tori said quietly. "You're…you help us, right?"
"Yes."
"Then we should be thanking you."
Taran shook her head. "I can't fight. I can help you. It's only…it's not special."
"To you." Dustin was…not staring, but watching her carefully. "You actually power us?"
"Your morphers." She shrugged. "I never actually expected to have to do it…I can't fight aliens. You can. You can't do it alone. It's a mutual defence thing."
"Why not?" Dustin asked.
"Why not what?"
"You can't fight aliens."
"Oh—they make me sick. Literally. Can't stand them. Other dimensions I can handle, if I have to, but aliens? Bleargh."
Tori frowned. "Really? Why?"
"It's complicated." Taran shook her head. "And not really relevant. All you need to know is I'm helping you because I can."
Tori nodded slowly. "Thank you."
"No big deal. See you 'round." She turned, vanishing into the shadows under the trees.
Tori glanced at Dustin, who'd drifted up to her shoulder during the conversation. "I wish I knew who she was."
"She's weird, whatever else she is. Come on, Tori. Let's go."
He turned away, opening the van doors. Tori lifted her morpher, studying it for a minute.
"Tori!"
"Coming." She followed him, settling into the van.
They pulled away without looking back.