Disclaimer: As previous parts state, the Ninja Storm Power Rangers and their world does not belong to me.

AN: Thanks to all who have reviewed. I really appreciate your comments. Also, for some reason, I couldn't get the e-mail address format to work. sigh

Moving On

To: bluesurferchick at bbhcomm. net

From : JLangley at FactoryBlue. com

Subject: Hello

Dear Tori,

I wanted to introduce myself and Blake gave me your e-mail address, I hope you don't mind. I guess the first thing I want you to know is that we didn't plan this. When Blake and I first met, when I joined Factory Blue a little over eight months ago, I thought wow, but you know, I'm a racer, and I've been hanging out with guys around the track since I was a little kid, and I know how they operate.

After awhile, you settle into being team mates. You hang out on the bus together, work on the bikes, and play poker in the hotel room at night. Then you start talking about where you came from. I was a tomboy from Kansas, the youngest of four kids and the only girl. We used ATV's out on the farm and I was riding as soon as I could touch the pedals and handlebars at the same time. My brothers rode bikes and I was going to ride, too.

Blake's stories were full of racing at the track with his brother, working at a sports shop with Dustin, Shane and Kelli, playing computer games with Cam and Cy and surfing with you. He talked about you a lot and I totally thought I didn't have a chance.

I didn't know what changed. All of a sudden, he was different. Not that he wasn't still Blake, but we started hanging out more, just me and him and while he told me stories about what was going on back home, there was less of Tori said this and Tori said that. Then there were the flowers and chocolates and my own set of Allen wrenches, which I think is some kind of joke, but was still very sweet of him, if not a little weird.

And we started talking, about all sorts of things, how we felt about racing, about who we are and I was a goner. About a week ago, when Motocross asked us to consider the article, I asked him what changed, how did he know that he wanted to go out with me? He said he knew he liked me because he felt guilty about you and when he talked to you, you told him to go for it, go for me. He also said that you gave him advice every step of the way. That he and I wouldn't be here now if he hadn't had you to talk to, to ask questions, to voice his doubts.

I guess I want to say thank you. Thank you for being the person you are, for being the friend you are. I know he still talks to you. Wednesday night is his IM night and I know it's mostly with you. Back when we first were hanging out, I used to sit and watch TV in his room when he chatted with you. I'd get this really funny one sided commentary. Then after we started dating, he wanted to do the IM thing without me in the room. I think he feels bad about talking to you about me if I'm in the room.

Anyway, Blake and I are thinking about going to Blue Bay for Thanksgiving. I would love to meet you. I would like to be your friend.

Sincerely,

Janine Langley

Tori blinked at the screen. When she had seen the unfamiliar Factory Blue e-mail address, she was a little hesitant to click on the message. It had to be from her, but why in the world was she writing to a complete stranger? How odd. And now, how was Tori to respond? She clicked on the reply button and a blank screen came up. Her hands poised on the keyboard, her mind blank.

She actually jumped when the phone rang. With a sigh of relief, she stood from her computer and went to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Tori," Blake's familiar voice filled her ear and she smiled, even as her chest tightened.

"Hey, Blake, how are you?" She moved to her sofa and settled into a corner, "Where are you?"

"Washington state. We got some down time. It's been raining cats and dogs and the track is soaked. Hunter would love it. It would be an excuse as to why he got all muddy."

Tori smiled, "And it would totally ruin your clean image," she retorted.

"Hey, when you are out in front all the time, no one's kicking mud on you."

"Tell me what's going on."

"I'm sorry."

Tori blinked confused, "For what?"

"I should have told you about the magazine article. I should have told you that there was going to be a big thing about me and Janine going public."

Tori's lips twitched, "Who called you?"

"Yeah, well," Blake broke off and Tori could almost see his sheepish smile.

"I won't pound on any of them and I won't tell any of them that you told," Tori said flatly.

"It wasn't cool for you to find out from someone else."

Tori shook her head and sighed, "Blake, you have got to get over this guilt thing. I was told about the magazine before I saw it and it's not like I didn't know about you and Janine. In fact, I have it on expert authority that I am the sole reason you guys are together."

"Huh?"

"I got an e-mail today."

"Oh."

"She sounds very nice."

"Uh, you o.k. with that?"

"That she wrote to me? It was a little strange, I guess, because I don't know her at all, but she's your girlfriend. You look totally in love with her."

"Dustin said you were crying. Tor, I would never want to make you cry."

"Dustin, huh?" Tori said blinking back tears and trying not to sound stuffy.

"Tori? Tor. God, Tor, I don't know what to do, or what to say."

"Don't," she finally gave in to a snuffle, "Blake, look, this is just a totally girly reaction. I'm not crying because I'm hurt or sad. . ."

"Yeah, right, Tor, because you cry all the time," Blake said in a worried voice.

"Sometimes a girl has got to cry as she lets go. It's not even you I'm letting go of, I did that awhile ago. Maybe it's the fantasy that you'd come back when your contract is done and we could see what would happen."

"Did I make it harder? I couldn't lose you, Tor. Should I have just not kept in touch, let the whole thing between us just go away?"

Tori shrugged, even though she knew that Blake couldn't see her. "I don't think so. I would have just hunted you down and made you miserable for ignoring me. We're too much a part of each other, all of us are. You and me and Cam, Shane, Dustin and Hunter, we're too close to do that to each other."

"Even if you get hurt?" Blake asked gently.

"Even if I get hurt."

"You know you and the guys and Sensei are the closest thing Hunter and I have to family, right."

"I know. We know."

"They all called me," Blake said sounding amused, "Hunter chewed me out and was all upset because he agonized about breaking the news to you when you already knew. Shane was all righteous indignation, Dustin just kept mumbling about principles and thumping and how lucky I was that Sensei would never agree to them streaking up here just to thump on me and Cam was horribly sarcastic about the whole thing and was pretty creative about what he would do to me if he had to sit through another chick flick night. Even Cyber Cam got on the phone to say how uncool I had been to you."

Tori let go of a small laugh, "Now I'm sorry."

"Yeah, and you better watch out for Cy, I think he has a thing for you," Blake said relief in his voice that he had gotten her to laugh.

"Yeah, well, maybe I can get him to go surfing with me."

"I miss you, Tor, you know that right. I miss all of you, but you're our girl, you know that right?"

"I know."

"Look, I got to go. I just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm thinking about you and we are worried about you. And I'm sorry. I love you, you know."

"Love you, too, Blake," Tori said, "Bye." She waited for Blake to say good bye and when she heard the click of him hanging up, she put the phone receiver down. She took a couple of deep breaths as she looked around her empty apartment and sighed to herself.

Suddenly making a decision, she stood and moved back to her computer. She sat at the keyboard and began:

To: JLangley at Factoryblue. com

From: bluesurferchick at bbhcomm. net

Subject: Re: Hello

Dear Janine,

Wow. I was totally surprised to receive the e-mail from you. Thank you for writing. . .