"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Ally Fernandez complained as she limped into her Uncle's house that evening with Shane's arm around her waist, to help her keep pressure off of her rapidly swelling ankle. Behind them came Tori and Dustin. Tori smiled sympathetically at her best friend as Jason, who was finishing up reviewing the last of the night, looked up when the four teenagers entered.
"What happened?" Jason asked, as Shane lowered his hurt niece onto one of the purple sofas in the back of the living room.
Dustin started to explain what had happened.
Apparently there were a couple of new riders down at the race track and they hadn't taken nicely to Ally rolling up on her bike, and despite a couple of local riders telling them that Abby was welcome to ride with them, the new riders still tried to prove that she wasn't worthy and had driven her off the track by colliding with her back tire. Dustin also explained what had happened after she had fallen, Ally had managed to twist her ankle but upon closer inspection by one of the track medics it was proven that she had torn a ligament.
That would explain the swelling Ally thought "Are you okay?"
"I'm in pain!" Ally answered through clenched teeth "I don't do pain. At least not this kind of pain!"
Jason nodded "Shane, could you carry her upstairs for me?"
Shane, a close personal friend of Ally's scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs. When he returned Jason waved them goodnight as they left the house and headed home. Locking up the front of the house Jason turned and headed upstairs to check on his niece . She found Ally sitting in the living room with her ankle propped up on the couch and an ice bag resting on it.
"Come here," Jason said, moving to his niece 's side and kneeling down as he pressed the ice bag against the swollen ankle. Ally cringed and attempted to move away but the pain caused her to remain. "Do you plan on getting hurt every time you go out?"
Ally frowned "Yes, Uncle Jason . I do! I've got a diary under my pillow and inside are plans and every morning I pick one and think 'Yes. This is how I'm going to get hurt today.'"
"Don't take that tone with me, Ally!" Jason snapped
The fifthteen year old rolled her eyes and shook her head then don't ask stupid questions she thought, but knew better than to say it out loud. Despite how stupid her Uncle's question was Abby knew that her uncle was only being the concerned uncle that he was. "I'm sorry" Ally apologized
"Its okay" Jason nodded, pulling away the ice pack "I think the swelling has stopped, somewhat"
"Good," Ally smiled "Do you think it will be gone by tomorrow? I've got that race, remember?"
Jason shook her head "Oh no," she started "You're not doing gymnastics, racing, skating, skateboarding, surfing or running until we're completely sure the ligament in your ankle has healed"
"But -"
"No, Ally." Jason interrupted "No buts. I can't risk you getting hurt again."
Ally pouted "Fine. Wait until I get my hands on those guys!"
Jason shook his head at his niece's threats. He knew that Ally was upset that the new riders had ruined most of her activities for the next day because most of them considered her to be on her feet. The only hobby that Ally actually had that didn't require her to be on her feet was singing.
"Why can't guys understand that girls have every right to ride as they do?" Ally asked
"Because it is uncommon for a girl to be seen on a dirt bike," Jason answered "Some boys just classify you, don't let them get to you"
"I'm not some domesticated housewife!" Ally ranted, as Jason smirked, he was used to his niece's ranting. It had taken Ally a while to get the boys at the track to accept the fact that she was a rider and that she wasn't to be taken likely. "Wait until I am fit to ride again. I'll show 'em"
"Just don't go picking a fight," Jason warned "Remember what happened last time? You shouted your mouth off and ended up in a fight you didn't start and couldn't finish either"
Ally stuck her tongue out "One time. Let it go!"
Jason chuckled and got to his feet "Do you need help getting into bed?"
"Nah, I think I'm just going to crash here tonight" Ally answered, carefully propping her foot up onto a cushion and pulling the futon off the back of the couch to cover herself. Jason rolled his eyes and disappeared into Ally's bedroom and returned with a pillow. If Ally was going to crash on the couch then she needed a comfortable pillow.
Once Ally was tucked in and comfortable Jason headed towards her bedroom.
"Night Als," she called
"Night Uncle Jas," Abby returned the favor before snuggling down for a well-deserved sleep.
(Ally is staying at Kelly's while Jason is out of town. She will not be involved in much ranger stuff.)
Despite her foot being covered in a bandage Ally was back at the track with Kelly the following afternoon. It was the day of the race, the one race that was supposed to be hers, but because of the stupid idiots -none of which she could see- had thought it be funny to run her off the track yesterday evening she was stuck sitting on the sidelines watching Dustin hopefully take the win for her. "Good luck Dustin!" she told the boy in Yellow as he pushed his bike towards the starting line "Kick butt out there!"
"I will Als ," Dustin nodded as he jumped on his bike and kicked up dirt as he flew onto the track the second the gates hit the grounds. All around him were the usual racers and as he had passed the place where Ally and Kelly were watching him he glanced towards the only female rider he knew. She didn't look remotely happy about being left out of a race that was supposed to be her's to win. Dustin shook his head and returned his focus to the dirt path in front of him, it was only then that he became aware of the two new riders hot on his tail. Glancing over his shoulder Dustin frowned as he hit one of the jumps before starting to fall behind as the two new racers pulled further ahead of him the moment their bikes hit the ground.
Ally watched from her seat as Dustin came in third behind the two new riders.
"Who are they?" Kelly asked. It was easy to ask Ally if she knew who the new riders where because even though they had helmets covering their faces, Ally was usually able to identify them by their colours. But before Ally could answer Dustin arrived.
"Man, have you seen those guys before?" he asked
"I just asked her that," Kelly pointed at Ally
Ally shook her head "Nope, can't place them. But they ride like Factory Pro's; you don't see that often around here"
"True," Kelly agreed "and beside I would have remembered them if they did.
This time both Dustin and Ally nodded in agreement. Kelly always remembered the professionals. Grabbing a bottle of water from the van, Kelly handed it to Dustin who opened it and took a long draught.
"I'm just glad they don't ride 125s" Dustin said
"That would have been embarrassing," Ally smirked "You getting beaten by two riders on 125s when you've been training with one for how long -" she cut off as Dustin squirted his water at her. Ally squeaked and raised her hands to cover herself. It did little to save her. As the yellow clad rider started to walk away Ally pouted "Hey! I want to come too!"
Dustin chuckled as he returned, pulled her up from her seat, secured his arm around her waist and half carried her towards the two new riders. Ally complaining about her ankle the whole way. "Hush up! It can't be hurting that bad"
"You want to find out?" Ally asked
"No thank you,"
Ally and Dustin dropped their bickering as they neared the pair of new-riders just as they removed their helmets. The boy in Navy had a cocoa coloured skin tone and short spiky dark brown hair, with brown eyes to match. In comparison to his partner he was short. The crimson rider -who had just removed his helmet-, was revealed to have ear length wavy blonde hair and blueish green eyes.
"Hey there," Dustin smiled "How's it going?"
"Track is a little soggy" the Crimson rider answered
"Didn't seem to slow you guys down," Ally pointed out
"I'm Blake." the Navy rider greeted "This is my brother Hunter"
"You guys are brothers?" Dustin asked
Ally elbowed him "They're adopted" she told him
"How did you know?" Blake asked
Ally said "My parents died and I got adopted to."
"Oh," Hunter and Blake nodded realizing that Ally understood their concepts because she was also adopted.
"Well, I'm Dustin. This is Ally." Dustin introduced
"Hi," Ally waved "I've never seen you guys out here before. Where's the home track?"
"Uh, we came down from -"
Hunter interrupted "You wouldn't have heard of it!"
Ally glared at him, as Blake intervened "Easy bro. Hey, you were pretty fast out there" he added to Dustin, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah? Compared to you guys, I must have lost a couple of seconds off my lap time"
"You get too much air in your jumps," Hunter told him
Blake nodded "He's right. Dark and brooding, but right"
Dustin looked down at Ally who shrugged "What?"
"How is it you get major air in your jumps and yet you still beat me?"
"Because I'm good," Ally teased
"You ride?" Blake asked
Ally bobbed her head "Yeah. Kind of how I got the swollen ankle. Dirt bikes are heavy"
Blake and Dustin chuckled at her.
"Really? Didn't realize." Hunter spoke, his tone nothing short of friendly. Ally glared at him.
"Well, listen what are you doing?" Blake started again, directing his question at Dustin "You want to follow us?"
Ally pouted up at Dustin. She hated being left out.
"Actually," Dustin said a little uneasy "I got to rain check. I got to be somewhere"
"Yeah, no worries" Hunter nodded, patting Dustin's protective gear "Next time."
Ally and Dustin said their goodbyes to Blake before Dustin helped Ally back towards the Storm Chargers van. He helped her into the passenger's seat of the van and then returned to help Kelly load his bike into the back "I'm taking my break. I got to be somewhere, like right now."
"Okay," Kelly nodded as she watched Dustin take off. She then glanced towards the two new riders as she slammed the side door and climbed into the driver's seat beside Ally. "Ready?"
Ally nodded "Take it away!" she grinned, and she turned her attention back to the new riders as the van pulled off.
Hunter and Blake looked up and Ally caught Hunter's gaze before she was forced to look away as Kelly turned off from the track. There is something familiar about those guys Ally thought as the ride back to the store became silent.
A few days later Ally's foot had healed completely and she was celebrating by skating around Blue Bay Harbor she had been gone most of the morning and was now returning, but she wasn't alone. Skating into the store the teen ducked as Dustin and Kelly passed the door carrying several surfboards between them over their shoulders. "Careful!" Kelly called after her friend , as she and Dustin placed the boards against the wall near the window and turned back to Ally who had jumped up onto the front counter. Kelly noticed the furious look on her friend's face and sighed "Now what is wrong?" she asked, as Dustin broke away to talk with Hunter and Blake who had just entered.
But before Ally could answer a voice sounded from the doorway "Hey baby. Thought you could get away from me, eh?"
Ally growled as her hands curled into fists.
Kelly, Dustin, Hunter, Blake and a few customers turned in the direction of the door.
"Are you stalking me now?" Ally snapped, as the boy who had run her off the track a few days ago stood in the doorway. "I thought made your point last time!" she jumped down and skated to the back room. Snatching her backpack from the side Ally turned back to the store only to find Derek standing in front of her.
Derek chuckled "Obviously, you didn't get the point"
"Which one?" Ally asked "the point where you believe girls don't belong on dirt bikes. Or the one that if I go anywhere near the track again you'll be waiting to run me off?"
Derek glared "You're a mouthy little bitch, aren't you?"
A heavy silence fell over the whole of Storm Chargers followed by a sickening crack as Derek howled in pain and fell to the ground holding his nose as blood seeped through his fingers. Ally stood over him her hand curled into a perfect fist and her knuckles red from collision of bone on bone.
Kelly snapped her head up and pulled her friend away from Derek as Dustin, Hunter and Blake reached them.
"My nose!" Derek exclaimed, getting to his feet "You broke my fucking nose!"
"Be thankful it wasn't your neck!" Ally spat
The boy glared hatefully "Watch your back, Fernandez. Remember? I know where you live."
"Come there and I'll break something other than your nose!" Ally threatened as Derek shoved past Tori and Shane as he left the store.
"Fighting again, Als ?" Tori asked, reaching her best friend
Ally seethed angrily "He called me a 'mouthy little bitch'" she answered
"When you're done I want to talk to you upstairs," Kelly said, turning to Ally
"But -"
"No buts. You can't go around punching guys like that" Kelly said, with a shake of her head
Ally crossed her arms "He's the stalker, and I get reprimanded for defending myself? So not fair!"
Shane smiled and wrapped his arm around Ally's shoulder "Sometimes it sucks being the youngest, doesn't it?"
"Big time"
Dustin shook his head and then started the introductions "Shane, Tori, Hunter, Blake" he pointed at each of them in turn.
"Dustin's told us all about you," Hunter said, looking between both Shane and Tori
Blake nodded, his gaze lingering on Tori "But not everything"
Shane and Ally exchanged amused grins as Tori blushed. Deciding to break the tension Shane spoke "Hey Dustin, you got a minute?"
"Sure" Dustin nodded, following Shane towards the back room. Neither of them noticed Kelly kneeling behind the front counter.
"Hey dude, you were supposed to be back at Ninja Ops" Shane said
Dustin sighed "Yeah, I know, but I was helping Kelly and then these guys showed up, and we started checking out the bikes. And then Derek showed up and started to harass Ally, and I just lost track of time"
"Sensei is not happy," Shane replied "He is doing that thing with his nose again"
Dustin groaned and rushed forward, he grabbed Tori's arm breaking up the conversation she was having with Ally and the Bradley brothers. He heard Ally exclaim and glanced back to see her hit the ground "Sorry, Als!" he apologized "See ya guys!"
"Catch you later, Tori" Blake called, waving goodbye
After helping Ally up from the ground Shane followed after his friends, but turned back as he realized he had forgotten to tell Ally about the demo at the Skate Park that weekend. He turned back to tell her and found her already heading upstairs, with a shrug Shane turned to walk away before Hunter and Blake's conversation reached his ears.
"Boy, that Tori is fine!" Blake was saying
"Yeah, so is Ally" Hunter nodded in agreement "Question is: Why do they hang out with a goof like Dustin?"
Blake shrugged "Don't know. Maybe they like doing charity work"
The two brothers laughed. Shane, upset by the brother's attitude towards his best friend, turned and walked away.
Kelly, however, had also heard the conversations and decided to intervene especially after Hunter had commented on her sister. She was sure if Ally had heard the conversation she wouldn't have been happy. "Oi," Kelly called waving the two brothers over "Next time you're going to talk trash about someone make sure they're not friends with a teenager who has anger issues"
Blake and Hunter traded looks
"Ally," Kelly retorted "I heard what you said about Dustin. You're picking on the wrong guys and I am glad for your sakes that Ally did not hear your conversation."
The brothers winced as they remembered what Ally had done to Derek.
"Also, do not call my friend 'fine' if you're going to bag on her friends two seconds later." Kelly added, shooting Hunter a wicked look in the process. Walking away from Kelly dropped off the re-stock forms in the back office and crossed her arms watching from the door as Hunter and Blake left. Once she was sure that they were at a safe enough distance from the shop Kelly headed upstairs to speak with Ally.
"Als," Kelly started as her sister walked passed her wearing her motocross gear and carrying her helmet "I really don't think going to the track is a good idea. Especially after earlier."
Ally sighed "I can't just hide because some guys don't like the fact that I'm a girl rider. I'm going to track. Dustin messaged me; he got into a fight with Shane and wants to blow off some steam. He wants to know if I want to meet up. Please can I go?"
"I don't know," Kelly sighed
"Please!" Ally pleaded "I'll be fine. I'll come straight back.
Kelly sighed in defeat "Fine. But if there is no attack you come straight back here, do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal. Thanks Kel." Ally smiled and the next second she was on her bike and out the door.
Dustin was already on the track when Ally arrived. Ignoring everyone around her and not noticing Hunter and Blake, Abby flew over the gates and tore across the track catching up with Dustin in seconds. The boy glanced to his right and nodded when he saw her. Ally nodded back and pulled ahead, hit a ramp and revved her engine whilst still in the air; she hit the dirt once more and flew through the finish line as Dustin came in second.
Skidding around on her bike Ally pulled up dirt and placed her foot on the ground so she wouldn't fall. Removing her helmet Abby turned to Dustin who had stopped a few steps behind her and was already talking to the elusive Bradley brothers.
"I cleared it no problem that time." Dustin smiled
Hunter and Blake nodded as Ally approached, carrying her helmet under her arm "You still lost" she teased
"I'm used to losing to you," Dustin pointed out
"Keep that up and you'll be ready for the 250s in no time." Blake commented, high-fiving Dustin and then turning to Ally "You're faster than half of the riders here"
Abby shrugged "I think that is why half of them don't like me"
"How long have you been riding?" Hunter asked curiously
"My dad started teaching me when I was 13," Abby answered "Kelly started timing my laps a year later"
Hunter looked impressed "and how old are you?"
"Fifthteen"
The taller blonde nodded.
"You know it is been really cool hanging out with you guys." Dustin told the brothers "It is hard to find people that like what you're into"
"And appreciate you for it" Ally added, looking around
"Derek's not here," Dustin told her "He's probably at the hospital. And his friends would never be caught down here without him"
"Good. Kelly would kill me if I got into another fist fight"
Dustin nodded "Yeah, last time wasn't pretty. I've never seen her so angry"
"Be thankful you're not family"
Suddenly the ground started to shake and the four teens struggled to keep their balance. Blake stumbled back into Hunter's truck. Ally stumbled sideways into Hunter. Dustin lost his balance completely and hit the ground, whilst Hunter locked his arms around Ally's waist and somehow managed to keep both himself and her upright.
"What was that?" Ally asked, looking curious
Hunter shook his head "No idea"
"You can let go now," Ally said, tapping his hands which were still locked around her stomach
"Oh," Hunter nodded and released her from his grasp.
The device on Dustin and Ally's wrists bleeped and Hunter and Blake SN caught their arms twisting it around to get a better look "Hey freaky watch man," he commented "does it come with a compass?"
"Yeah. It's got a bunch of cool stuff. Look, we got to go" Dustin said, looking distracted
"How come you've always got to bail, Dustin and Ally?" Blake enquired
"Yeah, Dustin and Ally" Hunter agreed
Ally frowned at the brothers interrogation behavior.
"I really got to go," Dustin said hastily, sending Ally a silent plea for help
"He's got to go. You may not have lives outside of Motocross but we do." Abby intervened
Hunter looked down at her and dropped his hand from Dustin's wrist. Dustin offered Ally a soft smile of thanks and took off.
Hunter smirked as he turned to Blake who nudged him. In Blake's hands was Dustin's backpack which he had dropped when he fell.