Well everyone, this is it. The final chapter. Will Hunter finally get a happy ending? Well you'll have to read to find out!

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. You guys have never failed to make me smile:D

Final shoutouts - garnetred: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! CamFan4Ever: Hee hee I know I didn't answer your question. I'll just say this - not in this story! Thanks for all your comments! Crimson-Ranger: Lol! I've said it before but I'll say it again - you're impossible! I'm sure Cam could help Hunter too, but not right now:)Jnr Cpl Scarlett: Ok, I know I'm a meanie but I hope this chapter might improve your opinion of me! Ukume: Thanks for sticking with me! Hope you like this chapter! Yellowwolf: Thank you. Wicked-59: I'm rocking on :p lol! Glad you liked it! RavynOwl: Thank you for a really thoughtful and thought-provoking review. I really appreciate that you took the time to write that! Another Cam/Hunter fan? Hmmm... Thanks for all your reviews!

So this is it, Chapter 16. Thanks again to everyone who has stuck with me and read this! Enough babble from me, read, review but most importantly enjoy!

the real vampire

The End

The next afternoon Shane, Tori and Dustin arrived at Ninja Ops to find Blake pacing the main room. Cam was at the computer and almost leapt up when he saw the three of them.

"Finally," he exclaimed. "Now can you please give Blake something to do or just get him away – he's driving me mad!"

Shane looked from Cam's exasperated face to Blake's worried and tired one. "What's going on?"

"Hunter's talking to Sensei," Blake said, stopping his pacing long enough to answer.

"Oh?" Tori said, "What about?"

"Stuff," Blake replied vaguely.

"Stuff…" Shane repeated slowly.

"Oh all right, me and Hunter had a talk last night." Blake decided to be honest. "A long one, about what happened and what's up with him, why he's not eating and so on." He stopped.

"And…?" Tori prompted when it appeared he wasn't going to elaborate.

"And he finally came to his senses and admitted he needed help. He said he'd talk to Sensei."

"How long have they been talking?" Dustin asked.

Cam answered, "So far, four hours."

"Four hours?" Dustin gaped.

"Yep, and for all but ten minutes of that Blake's been wearing a path into the floor."

Blake shrugged, "I'm sorry. I just want to know what's happening in there."

xxx

Sensei looked firmly at Hunter, "Concentrate, relax," he said.

Hunter sat across from him; legs folded and tried to breathe deeply. His eyes were red-rimmed and tear-strains marked his cheeks. A lot had been said, and discussed, and a lot of home truths had been realised. He knew now that the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his step-father, at the hands of Phil, was not his fault. He hadn't deserved it; no one ever deserved to go through something like that. It had been the work of one man, who was now gone. Hunter had never talked so much in his life, but it would be worth it, for Blake, for his teammates, and for most of all himself…

"Concentrate," Sensei's voice cut into his thoughts. Pushing everything else aside, Hunter shut his eyes and fought to empty his mind. A calm peace descended on him as he meditated, and he began to realise how stupid he had been…

"Not stupid," Sensei said softly. "You were hurting, Hunter, and you tried to deal with it, but in the wrong way."

"I have a lot of making up to do," Hunter replied, equally as softly, with his eyes still shut.

"Your friends will understand."

Hunter's eyes snapped open, "Will you explain it to them, for me? I know I should, but I just can't. Not now; I don't know if I ever will."

"Eyes tell your feelings better than words," Sensei said gently. "Hunter, you hurt them, but most of all you hurt yourself. They will understand. And in time, the pain of this will fade. And remember: Fall seven times, stand up eight." He smiled, "You can beat this Hunter."

Hunter gave Sensei a small smile, "Yeah, I can. Look, I need some time to think this over. Please, tell the others for me and tell Blake…"

"I will tell the others what you want them to know. But as for your brother, you owe him this."

Hunter nodded, "You're right, as always. Ok, I'm ready…"

xxx

"I'm sorry. I just want to know what's happening in there..." As if Hunter and Sensei had heard Blake's wishes the door to the room they had been in opened. Nothing happened for a few seconds, then a streak of crimson shot out past the five waiting rangers, through Ninja Ops and was gone.

"Hunter," Blake yelled, but he had already vanished.

"It's ok Blake," Sensei said, managing to look solemn despite his guinea pig form. "Hunter needs to think a few things over. Meanwhile, he has asked me to explain some things to Shane, Tori, Dustin and Cam. Hunter wanted you to understand the reasons for the way he has been acting towards you lately and has asked me to explain as he doesn't think he can."

"It's not going to take four hours is it?" Dustin asked looking worried. He received a slap from Shane. "What?" he asked surprised. "It's just that I'm hungry and wanted to know what time I can eat – or else order take-out." Everyone groaned in despair. Trust Dustin.

"What about me Sensei?" Blake asked quietly.

"You must go and find Hunter. Some things need to be said between you two."

Blake nodded, then a thought struck him, "But Sensei…"

"You will find Hunter about a mile from here, near the cliffs." Sensei smiled.

Blake nodded and, as Sensei began to tell the others a little of what Hunter had explained to Blake last night, Blake set out to find his brother, unsure of what to expect.

xxx

Blake found Hunter on the cliff where Sensei had said he would be. He stood a little way back from his brother and waited. Hunter would talk when he was ready.

There was a few minutes' silence, then Hunter spoke as he stared out over the sparkling blue sea, "It's like a storm," he said softly. "The weather just keeps on getting hotter and hotter and you can hardly breathe. You know it can't carry on like that – it's got to break at some point. Then suddenly the storm arrives in one violent blast and once it's over everything is cooler and calmer and somehow better."

"And is it better?" Blake asked quietly.

Hunter smiled, still with his back to his brother, "Well, the storm's over." His smile fading, he turned to face Blake with a serious expression. "It will be," he said. "I can't promise it's going to suddenly change but I'm going to try my best to put this behind me. From now on things are going to get better Blake, and I am sorry, for everything."

"It's ok bro. Now you've said that, and promised me things are gonna change, it's ok."

"So we're cool right?" Hunter asked, a flicker of worry crossing his face.

"We're cool," Blake said and the two brothers embraced.

Hunter smiled, the first proper smile Blake had seen on his face in a long time, and took a deep breath. "I'm feeling a bit hungry; what are we doing for dinner?" Blake went quiet. Hunter sighed, "I know my problem's not going to suddenly disappear, but I've got to try. I've got to start eating again. It's going to be hard, but if I take it one meal at a time… I can beat this."

Blake saw the determination on his brother's face and grinned, "Well Dustin was all for ordering take-out before I left if you want."

"Sounds good; I didn't feel very much like cooking tonight anyway."

A mischievous look found its way onto Blake's face, "Good, 'cos I didn't feel very much like eating your cooking tonight!"

Hunter laughed and made to grab at Blake, but his brother ducked under his arm, "You've lost your touch," he said, then ran off yelling as Hunter launched himself at him. Laughing and bickering the two of them ran down through the woods in the general direction of Ninja Ops.

The past was back where it belonged and Hunter could finally look forward to the future. A future that would very shortly involve his brother having an accident with a bucket of ice-cold water…

The End.