Comfort
Chapter 1
The headlights shone on the dark road as the black jeep drove along just as it had for the previous six-hundred or so miles. The radio played Christmas music, coming from the all-Christmas music station. The music usually put Adam in a good mood, but this year it just made him sad. He felt alone on Christmas for the first time in years. He had always had his friends to go to, even if his family hadn't been around. But this year would be different.
Two of his friends, Billy and Trini, had just gotten married, and were on their honeymoon cruise. Tommy was taking his class to an archeological dig as a field trip during the winter vacation. Aisha was hung up on some new guy. Kim was in Europe, practicing her gymnastics non-stop still. Usually the coach let her come home for holidays, but he felt like this year she should spend the extra time training since she was going to be participating in the Olympic trials this year. Jason and Zach were distancing themselves from the group for some reason. No one really knew why. And Tanya and he hadn't been close since they broke up years ago. She had come to the group gatherings in the past, but this year, she was dating a new guy and had chosen to spend the time with him, rather in awkward silences with her ex.
So that left Katherine and Rocky.
Rocky had called him up and asked him what the plan was for Christmas. Things had been awkward between Rocky and him since Rocky had been injured all those years ago. Adam had continued on as a ranger, while Rocky felt put on the backburner and ignored by the others. Of course, Adam had tried to maintain the closeness they had always had, but Rocky still felt the way he did, and Adam couldn't fault him. This was the first time in years that Rocky had imitated a get together.
Katherine had left Tommy years ago, and things were always tense between those two. Out of all the rangers, Katherine had missed the most gatherings. She didn't feel that she belonged since everyone seemed to worship the ground Kim walked on as the first pink ranger. The ranger she was closest to was Adam. Katherine hadn't been home for Christmas in years, as it was just her brother left in Australia, and so when Adam and Rocky had solidified their plans for a Christmas with just the two of them, Adam had invited Katherine. Rocky and Katherine had always got along just as well as Adam and her and so he was all for it.
Normally a Christmas with the rangers included all of the rangers, save maybe one or two. This year, just Rocky, Adam, and Katherine.
Adam felt nervous as he came closer and closer to Angel Grove, and closer and closer to Rocky. After breaking up with Tanya, Adam had dated a few girls here and there. He never felt a connection to any of them. Soon after he graduated college, he realized why. He had met Derek.
Derek was a fellow teacher at the school where Adam got his first job teaching History. Derek taught English. He had shown Adam the ropes at the school, helped him set up the class room, and even arranged a welcome party with the rest of the faculty. That was when Adam realized that he had a crush on Derek. They were the last two left at the party, and they had enjoyed a few drinks. Derek had hosted the party at his own house, and invited Adam to stay the night so that he wouldn't have to worry about driving home. Adam stared at Derek when he offered this, and soon found himself making out with the fellow teacher on his couch for hours. Soon, they were involved in a passionate relationship.
That was two years ago. Two months ago, Derek had broken up with Adam after he had met someone new, and moved out of state. Adam was broken hearted, but none of his friends knew, save Kim who was the only one who knew he was gay since she had shown up at his house unannounced one day and caught Derek and Adam in a compromising position. She had promised not to tell anyone, and the day Derek moved out, Kim was on the first plane back from Europe and spent a week helping Adam start his life over again.
Adam had made the decision this year to tell the rangers about his sexuality. He had hoped he could tell them all at once, but it looked like it was just going to be Rocky and Katherine to start.