I was at fanfiction.net earlier, looking for Ninja Storm fics to inspire me. I selected Dustin's name under the category search with all genre, and the first thing that came up was Fight to Keep You. I cracked up. There's nothing quite like looking for inspiration and finding your own work. I was mildly disappointed, though. I appear to still be the only Shane/Dustin writer. Go me, but...it's a little lonely over here. *Waves a little flag with Red and Yellow Wind Ranger symbols*
Weesta: I like Dustin's family, too. Ras is cute. ^_^ I based him on a kid I use to watch for the neighbors. I swear he was permanently on a sugar high. Catching up is what blind-sided people tend to do, I've noticed. As for observant Hunter, just because he's silent and brooding doesn't mean he's oblivious. I speak from personal experience; those of us who keep our mouths shut learn the best rumors and secrets.
I let my mind wander on some of the random comments they made in Ninja Storm for Dustin, which is how I came up with all that. I tried to put him in less of a 'moron' light and more of an 'airhead with something to hide'. Most airheads I know are like that. Heck, I'm like that! (I'm starting to sound like I have split personalities, aren't I? I swear, there's only two of us in here that I know of...)
Another Kelly fan! I think she's among my favorite Non-Ranger characters. As far as I'm concerned, she never got enough credit. I mean seriously, how many bosses would not have fired Dustin after Return of Thunder, when he spent the entire day on the sinking island instead of going to work, then showed up for like five minutes and left again? I want to work for her!
Yes, I'm evil to our poor boys. I think I'm reading too much cmar lately; I get particularly angsty after reading about what she's doing to Wes and Eric. *Glares in cmar's direction* Don't worry; I stole the PC again for the team rally issues. ^_^
And yes, Grandmother is supremely evil.
cmar: Isn't it nice to know homophobia isn't permanent? Heck, I used to hate gays. Look at me now. ^_^ That's where Blake's study came in; I did that during a conversation with my fresh-out-of-the-closet friend, only to realize he was more feminine than I am, but otherwise the same. Not that that says much, but it amused me at the time.
Realistic? Whoo-hoo! I'm getting better! ^_^ The moms are coming in soon; I thought they'd be in this update, but Kelly had more to say, Hunter wanted to notice things, and hartfelt made Tori speak up. So next time. I'm glad you liked the family history. My mind wanders in strange places. Nice to know they're not too strange. There'll be more of Dustin's family eventually.
Dagmar: You didn't miss much. Hunter put his arm around Cam's shoulders, and Cam glared. That was it.
hartfelt: Shane's mom is coming up, but I think she'll surprise you. As for Kelly, man she's turning out to be fun. Such an understated character... And congratulations! You inspired a chapter! (In other words, your comment about Tori's parents made me think.)
Nikytti: I'm torturing them because it's fun! I love them, I swear. ^_~
crazy4nc128: Don't Hunter/Cam amuse us all? Sad and bitter but cute...how do I do this?
Megazord Master: Majorly wicked? Cool. ^_^
This chapter is in honor of Kelly, the Coolest Boss in the World (See author's note to Weesta). I refuse to believe she doesn't know more than she's letting on. Once more, thanks to all of you for your reviews. I *do* listen to what you guys tell me. Ask anyone who read the development of Fade to Darkness. ^_~
This is once again a three chapter update, because the muses like to attack whenever I'm trying to get ready for work. Enjoy! ^_^
Silent Guardian
Kelly glared at the numbers in front of her as though it would make them go away. She *hated* bookkeeping. Math gave her a headache, and number crunching for Storm Chargers was depressing. All she'd been able to figure out so far was that she could squeeze Shane on, if she could figure out something for him to do, but the budget would be tight.
It was her own fault, when she admitted it to herself. She had a soft spot for kids who needed help, namely because she'd been one herself not so long ago. That was what had made her hire Dustin when he'd been looking for something to do outside of his family's money. Then Dustin had brought her Hunter and Blake. She'd originally given them jobs because she knew they were with Dustin, and while they seemed sincere about wanting to make things up for ditching her, she was feeling slightly vengeful. But then she read their applications and saw a motel address, and couldn't leave it alone. So she'd spoken to a friend and found them a cheap apartment nearby, forcing them to move in with the threat that no one else would know if they cooperated. She was slightly meaner than she needed to be about it, but in the end they were safe and she was reassured.
Now there was Shane to worry about, and Dustin all over again. This was a problem close to her heart, as well; they'd been the first kids in Blue Bay Harbor to discover Storm Chargers, had been her first friends, and had passed around the word to get her business going when she'd thought it was going to fail. She'd become a bit of an older sister figure to them after that, at least in Dustin's eyes. As their big sister, she had to make sure they were taken care of and protected.
She shook her head. She knew they'd protect each other from whatever they were up against. They had for as long as she'd known them, and now they had more equipment to protect themselves with. It was just nice to know that she had a part in keeping them safe. Sort of payback for the way they protected everyone.
Not that she'd ever tell them she knew their secret of course. It seemed to be very important to them that no one know, and while she didn't understand why, she pretended not to. That didn't help her situation, however. Wondering without knowing made her worry, and she worried about that group a lot. It was for that reason that she didn't ask the questions she knew they didn't want to hear, and why she had to make sure Shane could work for her. It was doubtful he'd find another boss that wouldn't mind him needing to rush off at odd moments of the day, or being late for vague reasons.
She smiled a little. They underestimated her a bit, though. Shane was the worst; had he actually expected her to stay put with people flying through the air outside her window while he ran off to see? She'd followed him of course, fuming all the way, and watched in horror as he'd been attacked by some sort of monster calling him 'Ranger'. Shock had kept her frozen, staring as he transformed, and he'd taken off to fight in a building before she could run to him. She'd been dazed by the time she made it back to Storm Chargers, and it took her longer than she'd like to admit to calm down.
When she saw him again, she took the time to really *look*. The bright red he wore had her fighting a smile at how obvious it was, even if she hadn't realized its significance until she'd seen him transforming herself. Then she had taken note of Dustin's yellow and Tori's aqua, and the closeness between them that seemed to have been reaffirmed suddenly. Shane had been awfully huggy as well, which Dustin seemed to be tolerating, while Tori just looked mildly amused. Two and one had made three, and she knew. Once she'd known about them, Hunter and Blake had been easy to figure out. Their arrival just happened to be at the same time as the second group of Rangers, as well as their disappearance and return. She wasn't sure who the Green Ranger was yet, but she'd find out soon enough.
"You could save a lot of money if you cut back on the displays, you know."
She glanced up at Shane to find him eating an apple as he read over her shoulder.
"And you should really look into putting this on computer." he added. "It's easier to back up the information that way, and you can do all your taxes and ordering online."
She blinked. "You understand all this?" She gestured vaguely toward the pile of papers.
He shifted a bit, offering a sheepish look. "Math's my best subject." he admitted. "Mom started me managing her accounts a couple years ago."
She stood up, grabbed his shoulders, and plunked him down in the seat she'd been in. "Congratulations. You're my new bookkeeper."
"What?!" he squeaked, staring up at her with wide eyes. "You can't be serious!"
"I hate this." she informed him. "It makes my head hurt, and I always end up having to pay for an accountant anyway."
He looked slightly panicked. "But I-"
She sighed, sitting on the edge of the desk and looking at him seriously. "Shane, let's be honest here. You're going to need a job. You need to work somewhere with loose rules for all the stuff you do, right?"
He stiffened, and that odd tint that seemed to cover his face whenever he was nervous came over him again. "What do you mean?" he asked warily.
She tried not to smile. "You, Dustin, Hunter, and Blake. You're all out doing stuff all the time, right? I don't care if you have to take off or if you're late as long as you get in the work I need you for at some point. And I'm serious about wanting a bookkeeper. If you can do it, you're hired."
He was eyeing her now, trying to see if there was anything to be read into her words. There was, but he wouldn't get it. As much as she liked Shane, he wasn't the quickest on the uptake sometimes.
"What's going on?"
They both looked to the doorway to see Dustin rubbing his eyes sleepily. His curls were rumpled in multiple directions and his eyes were half closed. He yawned and scratched the back of his head. "What are you guys doing?" he mumbled.
"Shane's my new bookkeeper." Kelly informed him. There was no hiding her grin this time. Sleepy Dustin was just too cute.
Dustin went from barely conscious to ecstatic in less than a second. "Really?" he asked excitedly. "You're not gonna do it yourself anymore? Dude, that's awesome!"
Shane blinked. "It is?"
"Dude, do you have any idea how crabby Kelly gets when she has to do math?" He rolled his eyes in exasperation, but he was grinning. "This totally rocks, man!"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dustin." Kelly said dryly, but she hadn't lost her smile. She stood and headed for the kitchen. "How do you boys feel about Harbor Heights?"
"Harbor Heights?" Dustin echoed in confusion.
"It's an apartment complex down the road." Shane told him, then looked back to her. "Why?"
"They've got an apartment open."
They both froze.
"That...that makes sense." Shane said slowly after a moment.
She turned with an apologetic look. "If I had the room, I'd keep you here. But there's just not enough space. Harbor Heights is decent and clean, and it comes furnished. Hunter and Blake live there, too."
"They do?" Shane looked bewildered.
"This is really happening, isn't it?"
Dustin's voice was so soft they almost didn't hear him. The lost and hurt look on his face was heartbreaking. He glanced up and tried to smile, but it only made it worse. "I guess....I was sorta hoping it'd all blow over, ya know? Or maybe it was just a dream. But it isn't, is it?"
Shane stood quickly, wrapping his arms around the other boy. "We'll be okay." he promised. "We can do this."
Dustin glanced back at him with a watery smile. "We've still got each other, right?"
"Definitely." Shane said firmly, giving a slight squeeze and kissing Dustin's cheek.
Kelly made herself scarce, retreating further into the kitchen. Once out of sight, she leaned her head back against a wall and sighed softly. Poor boys. Dustin was lost without the family he barely knew, and Shane was too busy looking after Dustin to let his own situation sink in. There was sure to be disaster when he finally did.
Her eyes narrowed suddenly. Their families might not be there for them, but she sure as hell would. And heaven help anyone who tried to hurt them again. No one was going to hurt her boys if she had anything to say about it.
Weesta: I like Dustin's family, too. Ras is cute. ^_^ I based him on a kid I use to watch for the neighbors. I swear he was permanently on a sugar high. Catching up is what blind-sided people tend to do, I've noticed. As for observant Hunter, just because he's silent and brooding doesn't mean he's oblivious. I speak from personal experience; those of us who keep our mouths shut learn the best rumors and secrets.
I let my mind wander on some of the random comments they made in Ninja Storm for Dustin, which is how I came up with all that. I tried to put him in less of a 'moron' light and more of an 'airhead with something to hide'. Most airheads I know are like that. Heck, I'm like that! (I'm starting to sound like I have split personalities, aren't I? I swear, there's only two of us in here that I know of...)
Another Kelly fan! I think she's among my favorite Non-Ranger characters. As far as I'm concerned, she never got enough credit. I mean seriously, how many bosses would not have fired Dustin after Return of Thunder, when he spent the entire day on the sinking island instead of going to work, then showed up for like five minutes and left again? I want to work for her!
Yes, I'm evil to our poor boys. I think I'm reading too much cmar lately; I get particularly angsty after reading about what she's doing to Wes and Eric. *Glares in cmar's direction* Don't worry; I stole the PC again for the team rally issues. ^_^
And yes, Grandmother is supremely evil.
cmar: Isn't it nice to know homophobia isn't permanent? Heck, I used to hate gays. Look at me now. ^_^ That's where Blake's study came in; I did that during a conversation with my fresh-out-of-the-closet friend, only to realize he was more feminine than I am, but otherwise the same. Not that that says much, but it amused me at the time.
Realistic? Whoo-hoo! I'm getting better! ^_^ The moms are coming in soon; I thought they'd be in this update, but Kelly had more to say, Hunter wanted to notice things, and hartfelt made Tori speak up. So next time. I'm glad you liked the family history. My mind wanders in strange places. Nice to know they're not too strange. There'll be more of Dustin's family eventually.
Dagmar: You didn't miss much. Hunter put his arm around Cam's shoulders, and Cam glared. That was it.
hartfelt: Shane's mom is coming up, but I think she'll surprise you. As for Kelly, man she's turning out to be fun. Such an understated character... And congratulations! You inspired a chapter! (In other words, your comment about Tori's parents made me think.)
Nikytti: I'm torturing them because it's fun! I love them, I swear. ^_~
crazy4nc128: Don't Hunter/Cam amuse us all? Sad and bitter but cute...how do I do this?
Megazord Master: Majorly wicked? Cool. ^_^
This chapter is in honor of Kelly, the Coolest Boss in the World (See author's note to Weesta). I refuse to believe she doesn't know more than she's letting on. Once more, thanks to all of you for your reviews. I *do* listen to what you guys tell me. Ask anyone who read the development of Fade to Darkness. ^_~
This is once again a three chapter update, because the muses like to attack whenever I'm trying to get ready for work. Enjoy! ^_^
Silent Guardian
Kelly glared at the numbers in front of her as though it would make them go away. She *hated* bookkeeping. Math gave her a headache, and number crunching for Storm Chargers was depressing. All she'd been able to figure out so far was that she could squeeze Shane on, if she could figure out something for him to do, but the budget would be tight.
It was her own fault, when she admitted it to herself. She had a soft spot for kids who needed help, namely because she'd been one herself not so long ago. That was what had made her hire Dustin when he'd been looking for something to do outside of his family's money. Then Dustin had brought her Hunter and Blake. She'd originally given them jobs because she knew they were with Dustin, and while they seemed sincere about wanting to make things up for ditching her, she was feeling slightly vengeful. But then she read their applications and saw a motel address, and couldn't leave it alone. So she'd spoken to a friend and found them a cheap apartment nearby, forcing them to move in with the threat that no one else would know if they cooperated. She was slightly meaner than she needed to be about it, but in the end they were safe and she was reassured.
Now there was Shane to worry about, and Dustin all over again. This was a problem close to her heart, as well; they'd been the first kids in Blue Bay Harbor to discover Storm Chargers, had been her first friends, and had passed around the word to get her business going when she'd thought it was going to fail. She'd become a bit of an older sister figure to them after that, at least in Dustin's eyes. As their big sister, she had to make sure they were taken care of and protected.
She shook her head. She knew they'd protect each other from whatever they were up against. They had for as long as she'd known them, and now they had more equipment to protect themselves with. It was just nice to know that she had a part in keeping them safe. Sort of payback for the way they protected everyone.
Not that she'd ever tell them she knew their secret of course. It seemed to be very important to them that no one know, and while she didn't understand why, she pretended not to. That didn't help her situation, however. Wondering without knowing made her worry, and she worried about that group a lot. It was for that reason that she didn't ask the questions she knew they didn't want to hear, and why she had to make sure Shane could work for her. It was doubtful he'd find another boss that wouldn't mind him needing to rush off at odd moments of the day, or being late for vague reasons.
She smiled a little. They underestimated her a bit, though. Shane was the worst; had he actually expected her to stay put with people flying through the air outside her window while he ran off to see? She'd followed him of course, fuming all the way, and watched in horror as he'd been attacked by some sort of monster calling him 'Ranger'. Shock had kept her frozen, staring as he transformed, and he'd taken off to fight in a building before she could run to him. She'd been dazed by the time she made it back to Storm Chargers, and it took her longer than she'd like to admit to calm down.
When she saw him again, she took the time to really *look*. The bright red he wore had her fighting a smile at how obvious it was, even if she hadn't realized its significance until she'd seen him transforming herself. Then she had taken note of Dustin's yellow and Tori's aqua, and the closeness between them that seemed to have been reaffirmed suddenly. Shane had been awfully huggy as well, which Dustin seemed to be tolerating, while Tori just looked mildly amused. Two and one had made three, and she knew. Once she'd known about them, Hunter and Blake had been easy to figure out. Their arrival just happened to be at the same time as the second group of Rangers, as well as their disappearance and return. She wasn't sure who the Green Ranger was yet, but she'd find out soon enough.
"You could save a lot of money if you cut back on the displays, you know."
She glanced up at Shane to find him eating an apple as he read over her shoulder.
"And you should really look into putting this on computer." he added. "It's easier to back up the information that way, and you can do all your taxes and ordering online."
She blinked. "You understand all this?" She gestured vaguely toward the pile of papers.
He shifted a bit, offering a sheepish look. "Math's my best subject." he admitted. "Mom started me managing her accounts a couple years ago."
She stood up, grabbed his shoulders, and plunked him down in the seat she'd been in. "Congratulations. You're my new bookkeeper."
"What?!" he squeaked, staring up at her with wide eyes. "You can't be serious!"
"I hate this." she informed him. "It makes my head hurt, and I always end up having to pay for an accountant anyway."
He looked slightly panicked. "But I-"
She sighed, sitting on the edge of the desk and looking at him seriously. "Shane, let's be honest here. You're going to need a job. You need to work somewhere with loose rules for all the stuff you do, right?"
He stiffened, and that odd tint that seemed to cover his face whenever he was nervous came over him again. "What do you mean?" he asked warily.
She tried not to smile. "You, Dustin, Hunter, and Blake. You're all out doing stuff all the time, right? I don't care if you have to take off or if you're late as long as you get in the work I need you for at some point. And I'm serious about wanting a bookkeeper. If you can do it, you're hired."
He was eyeing her now, trying to see if there was anything to be read into her words. There was, but he wouldn't get it. As much as she liked Shane, he wasn't the quickest on the uptake sometimes.
"What's going on?"
They both looked to the doorway to see Dustin rubbing his eyes sleepily. His curls were rumpled in multiple directions and his eyes were half closed. He yawned and scratched the back of his head. "What are you guys doing?" he mumbled.
"Shane's my new bookkeeper." Kelly informed him. There was no hiding her grin this time. Sleepy Dustin was just too cute.
Dustin went from barely conscious to ecstatic in less than a second. "Really?" he asked excitedly. "You're not gonna do it yourself anymore? Dude, that's awesome!"
Shane blinked. "It is?"
"Dude, do you have any idea how crabby Kelly gets when she has to do math?" He rolled his eyes in exasperation, but he was grinning. "This totally rocks, man!"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dustin." Kelly said dryly, but she hadn't lost her smile. She stood and headed for the kitchen. "How do you boys feel about Harbor Heights?"
"Harbor Heights?" Dustin echoed in confusion.
"It's an apartment complex down the road." Shane told him, then looked back to her. "Why?"
"They've got an apartment open."
They both froze.
"That...that makes sense." Shane said slowly after a moment.
She turned with an apologetic look. "If I had the room, I'd keep you here. But there's just not enough space. Harbor Heights is decent and clean, and it comes furnished. Hunter and Blake live there, too."
"They do?" Shane looked bewildered.
"This is really happening, isn't it?"
Dustin's voice was so soft they almost didn't hear him. The lost and hurt look on his face was heartbreaking. He glanced up and tried to smile, but it only made it worse. "I guess....I was sorta hoping it'd all blow over, ya know? Or maybe it was just a dream. But it isn't, is it?"
Shane stood quickly, wrapping his arms around the other boy. "We'll be okay." he promised. "We can do this."
Dustin glanced back at him with a watery smile. "We've still got each other, right?"
"Definitely." Shane said firmly, giving a slight squeeze and kissing Dustin's cheek.
Kelly made herself scarce, retreating further into the kitchen. Once out of sight, she leaned her head back against a wall and sighed softly. Poor boys. Dustin was lost without the family he barely knew, and Shane was too busy looking after Dustin to let his own situation sink in. There was sure to be disaster when he finally did.
Her eyes narrowed suddenly. Their families might not be there for them, but she sure as hell would. And heaven help anyone who tried to hurt them again. No one was going to hurt her boys if she had anything to say about it.