Chapter Seven: A Week

It had been a week since Tori had died her hair and started to distance herself from her friends. Her sister was coming in four days, and Tori had just gotten an apartment. She was currently in the main room of Ninja Ops. She was finishing up a letter telling her friends she had moved. She couldn't bring herself to actually tell them. She had barely talked to them in a week. She had to get away. She had this overwhelming feeling she was going to hurt them. She had already started to knock the dominos down the night Cam kissed her. Why not just drop a tone of bricks on the rest of them and be done with it. And, Dustin and Shane had been there for her when everything started to go wrong. Tori just felt like it was time to let them stop worrying about her. She had avoided Hunter and Blake like the plague. She hadn't talked to Blake about the night she went to get her van. And, she had no idea how much Hunter new.

Tori hit a few more keys on Cam's computer and then hit print. The letter printed out, and Tori picked it up. She then set it down again on the table in the middle of Ninja Ops. Tori walked over to the door and picked up her pack. She turned and looked at Ninja Ops one more time. If things worked out the way she was thinking, she would never see Ops again. Tori turned around and walked. She walked all the way out the her van, got in, and drove away. Toward her new home.

Cam, Dustin, and Shane walked into Ninja Ops. Hunter and Blake had stayed at the race track. Dustin stopped in front of Cam and Shane.

"Um, dude, is that supposed to be there?" He asked, pointing at the letter sitting on the table that read across the top:

Rangers

Cam walked over and picked up the note. It read:

Hey guys. Tori here. Guess what? I found an apartment. Thing is, I probable left for the apartment hours ago. I should have told you guys. I should have at least told you I was leaving. But I couldn't. I'm tired of screwing up peoples lives. I needed to leave. I needed to get away from you guys and be on my own. I can barely handle my life right now, and I don't need to give you guys anymore of my emotional baggage.

Love Always;
Tori.

Cam handed the note over to Shane and Dustin.

"When Tori leaves, she really leaves." Shane muttered. Dustin scratched the back of his head.

"Do you think we should go looked for her?" He asked. Cam shook his head and sat down.

"Not yet." He muttered.

Tori stood at the entrance to her new job. She had quit Storm Chargers and started working at the Dive-Diner a town over from Blue Bay. The job was really close to Tori's apartment, which was located almost smack-in-the-middle between the two towns.

"New girl, over here. I have to show you how to work the cash register." Somebody yelled to Tori. Tori sighed and walked over to the register.

Tori's first day had been short. She had learned the basics and was now at her apartment eating a pint of Dutch chocolate Ice Cream. She had made the place nice and home-y in a day. There was a couch, a little T.V. Tori had bought with money she had been saving up for years. There was already a fridge in the apartment. And, Tori had purchased a single bed for her room since it was a two room apartment. And, the couch turned into a bed, so there was a place for Trini to sleep while she was staying there, which was going to be in two days.

Tori had the news turned on. There had been a news bulletin saying there was another monster in Blue Bay Harbor. Tori new, any minute, the rangers would be along to stop the alien, save the day, and bring all around happiness. Tori sighed and looked down at her morpher, which was sitting on her little coffee table. Tori let out another sigh, and went back to her Ice Cream.

"Good Luck Rangers." She muttered to herself.

The alien was gone, and the rangers weren't any happier.

"Dude, do you think we could go looking for Tori now?" Dustin asked. Cam, who had sat down in his computer chair swiveled around in it.

"She doesn't want to be found." He said.

"What do you mean, 'She doesn't want to be found'?" Blake asked. Cam sighed.

"I've been trying to trace her since the night we found the letter. Her morpher isn't on, she doesn't want to be found." He said.

Two more days flew by, and Tori hadn't tried to contact the guys. She was on her way to the airport to pick up Trini. It was a Thursday, and Tori was late. When Tori pulled up into the Pick-Up section of the airport, Trini was already waiting for her. Trini walked over to the van, opened the side door, threw her bags in the back, closed the door, and then climbed into the front.

"Wow, check out my sis' with the White Oleander look." Trini said, smirking at Tori. Tori rolled her eyes. "So, how's daddy dearest?" Trini asked Tori as she buckled her seat belt. Tori shrugged.

"Wouldn't know, haven't been to the house in over a week." She said. Trini raised an eyebrow and smiled a bit.

"Wait, does that mean..." She started. Tori pulled onto the freeway.

"I left." She said as she drove. Trini let out a little scream of glee. Tori rolled her eyes. She knew this was a big thing for her sister, but she wanted to change the subject. "So, how've you been?" She asked. Trini turned in her seat.

"Same old, same old. But, how are the guys? Dustin? Shane?" She asked. Tori moved in he seat uncomfortable.

"Um, I don't know. I haven't seen them for a few days either." She said. Trini furrowed her eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Tori shrugged.

"I just had to get away, okay? Drop it." She snapped. Silence filled the car and within a few minutes, the two Hanson sisters arrived at Tori's apartment complex. "I'll help you get your stuff." Tori said, unbuckling her seat belt. Trini jumped out.

"I can get it." She snapped to Tori as she opened the side door and grabbed her bags. Tori sighed and let her head drop against the steering wheel. When Tori got out of the car, Trini was waiting and they both walked up to the apartment together. Tori unlocked her door once the two had gone up three flights of stairs. "Where am I sleeping?" Trini asked as she looked around the apartment. Tori shut the door and dropped the keys on the T.V.

"Um, I couldn't fit another bed in the apartment. But, um, the couch pulls out." She said. Trini dropped her bags and went over to the couch. She pulled the bed out slightly. She knew Tori was probable feeling a little bad about the situation. Trini turned to her sister.

"I've slept on worse." She said with a smile. Tori smiled back. Then she closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears.

"I don't want to know!" Tori said loudly in response to Trini's 'Slept On Worse' comment. Trini's laughter filled the room, and soon Tori joined in.

AN: The end to this chapter was more than a bit cheesy. But, I hope you keep reading! R/R:)