Rocky and Dimitri spent the weekend catching up and trying to decide how they could save Greta and imagining defeating Lillith once and for all. By the time Rocky and Devon had arrived at school Rocky had no idea how to even approach Greta let alone what to say to her. Dimitri tried to help by making suggestions all weekend but unlike Rocky, Dimitri was eternally 'cool', girls had always fallen for him whether he wanted them to or not. He was a lady's man and his ideas were not going to work on a human teenager and Rocky certainly wasn't brave enough to try them.
Kim and Aisha met Rocky as his locker when he arrived. "Hi girls, have a good weekend?"
"Yes, spend yours with your brother?"
"Yeah, he's going to stick around for a little while".
"Come up with any ideas to ask Greta out?" Rocky looked at them like they were insane. "Look Rocky, despite what happened Friday, we know you well enough to know you aren't really the type to just ask a girl out" Aisha said.
"Thanks for that vote of confidence".
"So we thought we could introduce ourselves, get to know her a little and then set the two of you up". Rocky considered it for a moment.
"It could work". He said stuffing a book in his locker. "But I think we need to move faster."
"How quickly does Lillith move?"
"Depends, last time it went on for months. She likes to screw with your head. If I don't come up with something by next week we'll use your plan."
"Deal!" the girls went off giggling to class. Across the hall Heidi and Greta had arrived and a group of girls were already surrounding them and were talking about something they had done that weekend. Eavesdropping Rocky noticed the conversation didn't seem to include Greta. A minute later the group travelled off leaving Greta at her locker.
At the same time she turned to go to class Bulk and Skull came from the other direction running her over. Before Rocky could think he reacted and went to help her up, collecting her dropped books.
"Thanks" she said shyly taking them from him.
"Sure… you're in calculus?" a blush crept over her freckled cheeks.
"Yeah" she hated to admit that she had been bumped into the next class.
"I haven't seen you in class. There is only one calc class".
"You're in calc too?" Her eyes went wide and Rocky noticed how green they were. They reminded him of his mother's.
"Yes, 1st period" he confirmed. "I'm the only sophomore"
"Well, not any more. My school records finally made it and they move me up on Friday."
"I'm Rocky".
"Greta" she said with a grin.
"We should go before we're late".
As Rocky settled into his seat he couldn't have imagined their meeting to have gone any better if it had been planned. He knew the girls would be annoyed. "So how long have you been in Angel Grove?" he asked as they packed their bags.
"About two weeks, what about you? Have you always lived here?"
"Um… no" he said shouldering his bag. "Actually my brother Devon and I transferred from Stone Canyon early in the fall. Then my friends Adam and Aisha moved in shortly after. You are sort of the newest of the new people I guess. Your sister seems pretty popular already", he said as they passed the flock of girls.
"Yeah, Heidi never really lacks for friends or boyfriends". Greta sounded annoyed.
"I've noticed the guys drooling".
Greta stopped and looked at him crossly "if you think being nice to me is going to get you close to her" she started and Rocky threw his hands up in surrender.
"Woah, it was just an observation. She's not even my type".
"I'm sorry' she blushed again. "It's just, well, you wouldn't be the first".
"I have an obnoxiously good looking older brother like that. At least he has the brains to match".
"Heidi, not so much. So what exactly is your type?" she asked, this time making Rocky blush.
"Er, um. Well I don't really have a type" he lied.
"Why are you turning red?"
"My brother would say I have a thing for smart girls. I need to get to class; do you want to have lunch with some of us?"
"Yeah, sure" she smiled, trying to think about his confession.
"Great! See you then". He ran off to class barely sliding in his seat before the bell rang.
"Where were you" Adam hissed.
"Talking to Greta" Rocky whispered back.
"Damn…. Dimitri made it sound like you were a complete idiot when it came to girls".
"I am" he said turning his attention to Miss Applebee.
At lunch everyone was shocked when Rocky introduced them to Greta. Once getting over the surprise the girls immediately fell into girl talk making it less awkward. "So we'll see you in the park after school?" Tommy asked Rocky as if they had been planning something.
"Yeah" he said without hesitation but wondered what was up.
After school Greta walked out with Rocky, Kim and Aisha, "this is my bus" she said. "It was nice meeting you all."
"You too!" Kim said bouncing, "we'll see you tomorrow!"
"Bye!" The girls ran off towards Tommy and Adam.
"They are always that hyper" Rocky warned Greta as they watched the pair leave.
"It's okay. Thanks"
"For what?" Rocky said innocently.
"Letting me hang out with you and your friends today. I didn't feel like shuck and outcast"
"You aren't an outcast. I know how hard it can be being the new kid. You better go" he nodded to the bus.
"Yeah" she said hesitantly, as if there was something she wanted to add but was afraid to.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Rocky hinted.
"Yes" she sounded relieved and headed to the bus and Rocky headed over to were Devon was waiting by the car.
The Rangers were already at the park when Rocky and Devon showed up. Much to their surprise Dimitri was sitting at the table with the group. "What the heck happened after we left this morning?" Kim demanded, "what happened to plan A?"
Rocky shrugged, "plan B presented itself I guess".
"What happened?" Dimitri asked.
"Rocky turned up to lunch with Greta".
"Greta, the girl you are supposed to be asking out?"
"Yes. Her" he confirmed.
"Damn:" Even Dimitri was impressed.
"Bulk and Skull knocked her over this morning in the hall. I helped her up. Then it turns out she got moved to my calculus class."
"Why would she not be an egghead? She probably has freckles too" Rocky didn't say anything but stared at his brother from behind his dark sunglasses. "Oh shit!" Dimitri swore and then started laughing and couldn't stop.
"Very mature" Rocky told his brother who was trying, not very hard, to control himself.
"I don't get it". Adam said.
"Lillith couldn't have picked anyone better if she tried or if she pulled her out of thin air. Seriously Tristan, she must be getting desperate". He said putting on a serious face.
"She has green eyes" Rocky confessed.
"Of course she does".
"So in other words, your mortal enemy picked out the perfect woman for you" Adam guessed.
"Yeah, more or less."
"And you managed to talk to her? I am impressed."
"I borrowed a page from your book".
"Keep it! Keep the whole book! Go! Date! Get married! Have kids! Finally! It took long enough!"
"A: I wouldn't marry a mortal B: we can't have kids and C: I was married once, which is officially once more than you". He was getting annoyed at the big deal his brother was making.
"Maribel doesn't count".
"Yes she does."
"Fine, but you still have to ask this one out."
"Why don't you go home? And take Devon." Rocky tossed the keys at him.
"I think we've been kicked out Devon. C'mon."
The group watched them leave, "your brother is kinda hot" Aisha said.
"Kinda?" Rocky asked.
"Okay. He's super fine".
"And ridiculously charming when he wants to be. When he said he and Nicoli 'escaped' Lillith, he meant she let them go because she couldn't deal with the fact he was better looking and all her vampires kept throwing themselves at him. I mean all of them. She dumped them in the middle of Russia and left them to freeze to death."
"Why Nicoli? Is he hot too?"
"Not as much, but they were partners in crime. Dimitri had the brains, beauty and charm. Nicoli provided the muscle".
"What about you?"
"I provided with someone to put their skills to use". He shrugged, his brothers had explained how they had managed to charm their way into the bedrooms of some of the vampires in the castle where Lillith had taken over in order to get access to the dungeon. "I was the morals and conscious, needless to say, neither get you as far as being super fine and charming". He said using Aisha description. Before the conversation could continue they were summoned by Zordon and Zedd's monster attack.
Dimitri found Rocky spread across the couch in his office, a vial and syringe lay on the coffee table next to it. "Oliver says he is proud of you also". Dimitri moved the vial from the table looking at the label.
"You never quit do you?"
"No" He put the drugs down and flopped in the arm chair. "It's just… you've been alone for so long. You've always been the caring and nurturing type. We all thought you'd be long married by now."
"Sorry to disappoint" he said bitterly rubbing his shoulder.
"Tristan, it's just a legend. A made up fairytale to keep us in line or something. There have been thousands of us, and it's never worked for anyone".
"It's not about that. I don't believe in fairytales and happy endings."
"Then what? It isn't like you haven't had the opportunity".
"I just haven't found anyone worth spending forever with, or even a few years for that matter".
"You don't have to get married".
"It just isn't that big of a deal".
"It's Lillith isn't it? She made you asexual".
"No" Rocky was heading towards the violent side of annoyed, he finally sat up glaring daggers at his brother who knew him well enough to know when to stop, "She broke me. She destroyed everything I once wanted. I wanted to marry Maribel – for a long time. I wanted to have kids and work in the shop. I wanted to grow old. It's like everything inside is shattered. My body is broken, my heart is broken and I can't fix either, not even after all these years. Olaf used to say it would pass, the loss was temporary, and we would fill our lives with happiness. But I'm not happy Dimitri."
"You used to be. For a while, between learning to trust us and finding Oliver, what happened then?"
Rocky shook his head, "Reality. Maybe I had been able to convince myself that what she did to me wasn't real and finding Oliver confirmed that she really was that cruel and evil".
"I miss the old Tristan; it would be nice to see you smile again. At least once before you go". Dimitri stood up, "I'm going to go get a couple days rest. I want to hear more about Greta when I get up".
"If there is anything. You room is still free upstairs. Sleep well".
"Night." After Dimitri left, Rocky lay back down on the couch until morning trying to decide what to do about Greta. He knew if he played his cards right during the week she would say yes to a date. He just wasn't sure how to get there.
Kim and Aisha had found Greta before Rocky and Devon had even arrived. He could hear them chatting about mundane things like their fellow classmates and after school groups. Things any new student would need to know. They were still talking when he closed his locker and headed to class.
He heard the footfalls behind him and Greta appeared beside him "hey" she said causally.
"Hey, I noticed Kim and Aisha found you this morning".
"Yeah… they seem super nice. They asked me to go shopping Friday. My parents will be impressed".
"Why?"
"I've never made friends o quickly before, that's usually Heidi's job."
"Did you move a lot?"
"We did for a while. My dad's job moved him around. My mom's German, they met in Germany and we lived there until I was 7. He finally retired and returned to Angel Grove. My grandparents live here".
"That explains the accent and it will be nice not to have to move for a while and having your grandparents nearby."
"I am looking forward to both. And I already know people!" her wide grin made Rocky smile. "I owe you for that, really".
Rocky shrugged "technically, you owe Bulk and Skull for knocking you over".
"I also owe them for the bruise on my backside, still, thank you".
"Any time. Since your Friday has been taken would you want to go out Saturday?" He thought it was too soon to ask but she seemed to be in a good mood and interesting in getting out with people.
"Like a date?" she asked.
"Um, sure, why not?"
"What did you have in mind?" Rocky laughed out loud, not meaning to.
"I don't know." He shook his head. "I hadn't gotten that far. We can go to Vegas and elope, rob banks and maybe dinner and a movie, or lunch or something"
"Sure. We might want to stick to something closer to home than Vegas. My dad's cool and all but not that cool".
"Deal. We can decide later this week." He said dropping his bag on his desk.
Greta had lunch with the group again, but they didn't say anything about their date. Closer to the end of the week Rocky asked Adam for restaurant ideas to suggest to Greta since she was new in town and he hadn't been to any of them. Adam was surprised rocky had actually asked her out.
Greta and Rocky finally decided on an early dinner and then possibly a movie afterward. She was excited to be going out with the first and hoped to find something new for Saturday.
Rocky and Devon had overheard more than one conversation between the sisters. Heidi was disappointed Greta wasn't going shopping with her and then her disappointment turned towards jealousy because she didn't have a date. She tried to convince Greta not to go out with Rocky because he wasn't all that popular nor that good looking. Greta shrugged her sister off and Rocky tried not to take it personally but he was a little hurt by her words, even though he kept it to himself.
The girls showed up at Rocky's early Saturday afternoon. Oliver showed them to a room they hadn't seen before. The room held several armoires and a dressing table. Rocky sat with his back to the table digging through a small box wearing only a t-shirt and boxers while Dimitri looked through the closet. They were talking about something in Spanish, but stopped when the girls came in.
"Hey" Kim said.
"Hi?" Rocky sounded confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Came to see if you were ready and if you needed help picking something out" Rocky pointed to his brother.
"Romeo beat you to that. But he's been staring at that closet for 45 minutes."
"Greta was super excited yesterday". Kim said opening a closet.
"1920 called, they want their hat back" she turned around wearing a hat. Rocky didn't look impressed.
"Out of my closet".
"Don't mind him". Dimitri said, "he's just being grumpy."
"Why are you grumpy?" Aisha asked.
"Nerves" Dimitri answered.
"I'm not nervous and I am not grumpy."
"Don't be grumpy. You'll ruin Greta's weekend".
"Assuming her sister hasn't already" he said bitterly.
"What did Heidi do?"
"She was trying to talk Greta out of going out with me."
"What?" The other three said.
"You didn't tell me that" Dimitri said. "Why is she trying to do that?"
"Guessing it's because she doesn't have a date."
"What did she actually say?" Dimitri asked.
"Nothing worth repeating. So do you have clothes yet?"
"Almost".
"Dimitri, it's just a date. Pick something".
"Fine". Dimitri finally dug a dark pair of jeans and threw them at his brother. Rocky put on his pants while the others looked for a shirt. Kim picked one out and Aisha picked out another. "They're all missing buttons" Kim said.
"No they aren't" Rocky said taking the wine red one from Aisha. The girls both noticed the scars on his upper arms that peeked out from under his t-shirt sleeve as he put his shirt on. Rocky took his communicator off, laid it on the table and put on a real watch. "Sorry girls, I need a real watch. Can you see if Billy can get these to tell time?"
"We've managed for the last year." Kim said watching him put on black cufflinks.
'"Cufflinks? Really? No one wears cufflinks".
"I do".
"I do too" Dimitri agreed, "they never go out of style".
Rocky found a pair of socks and dress shoes, wiping the dust off of them. "You'll let us know how it goes?"
"Yes, of course"
"What if you run into Lillith?"
"It's too soon for her to make a move. It'll be weeks before we get hints of her again."
Kim nodded, "well don't screw this up. I think she actually likes you". Rocky glanced up at Kim; that was all he needed, some 16 year old falling for him.
"Great" he said sarcastically.
"It will be fine" she hugged him and Aisha followed. "See you Monday", the pair teleported out.
"They are like proud mothers."
"A little bit."
"Do you really think it will be a couple of weeks?"
"She tagged her in the last two weeks, for what we assume was the first time. Maybe we caught it earlier this time. Since we have her address now, I sent Ryan and Josh to go watch the house to see if they are lurking around".
"It's possible, since they are new in town, that they ran into her somewhere". Rocky just looked at him. "Yeah I know".
"We've suspected they were here for a couple months".
"We could really throw a wrench in the works and turn her".
"No. I refuse to take her life from her. She probably isn't even 16 yet".
"Alright. Well don't do anything I wouldn't do" he took Rocky's hand and put a condom in it.
"No. I won't do anything you do". He stuck it back in Dimitri's shirt pocket. "And certainly not on a first date. You are terrible. I need to go" he said giving his brother a final glare before heading out of the room.
"It will be fine!" Dimitri called after him.
Rocky arrived at Greta's a few minutes early. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary or that indicated other vampires had been to the house. Greta's dad opened the door. "You must be Rocky" said extending his hand.
"Yes Sir."
"You can drive?" he asked noticing the car in driveway. "How old are you?"
"Uh, 16".
"Just checking. Come in. Greta's still upstairs getting ready. She's kinda nervous. Excuse the mess, we're still moving in" there were still packing boxes scattered through the room.
"We used to move around a lot when I was younger, so I understand."
"Parent's job?" he asked offering Rocky a seat, Rocky nodded "what do they do?"
"Um… well my parents passed away a few years ago in an accident."
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that."
"Our grandfather lived in Stone Canyon so we went to live with him until he passed away last year."
"Who are you living with now?"
"It's just my brother and I mostly. Our older brothers live in Russia and China but they get home when they can." Rocky felt bad lying to him but it was necessary.
"That doesn't seem like an adequate solution".
Rocky shrugged, "it's been a hard few years, but we're managing. We had to grow up quickly and it hasn't left much time for being a teenager".
"Greta says you're in her calculus class, that's something at 16 and you're living alone?"
"No, I have Devon, he's 16. My oldest brother is in town for a while so he's making us go out and be kids for a while. It's a nice break".
Rocky could hear Greta and her mom upstairs talking and then Greta came bouncing down the stairs. He tried not to react before her father did since a normal teenager wouldn't have heard.
"Dad! Why didn't you tell me Rocky was already here."
"Sorry sweetie, we were just talking while you finished getting ready". Greta rolled her eyes and pulled on a light weight sweater.
"So if you are finished grilling him, can we go?"
"Of course, be home by 11" he told them.
"I will". Greta hurried out the door before he could say anything else.
"It was nice to meet you" her father told rocky.
"You too" he followed Greta out.
"I am so sorry!" Greta apologized when they got in his car. "I hope he didn't give you a hard time".
"No, not at all, I would have been worried if he didn't. Although I don't think he likes the idea of my brother and me living alone.
"Where are your parents?"
"They died. Dimitri lives in Russia most of the time and Nic lives in China. So it's just me and Devon.
"Oh. I didn't know, I'm sorry" Rocky shrugged it off. "I didn't know you could drive".
"Hidden talent".
"Liar!" She laughed playfully shoving his arm.
"Let's see you do it then".
"I won't be 16 until February." She said glumly, "but dad says I can get my learners permit soon".
"February is only a couple weeks away. You look nice, is your skirt new?"
"I got it yesterday" she smoothed is out nervously, "how did you know it was new?"
He smirked, "hidden talent", he said pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. Greta giggled and shook her head; "I guessed" he tried.
After they ordered Rocky nervously played with his straw paper. Greta reached over and turned his wrist poking his cufflink, "cufflinks? That's kinda cool", she said not taking her hand from his wrist letting her fingers linger on his hand.
"Yeah, Dimitri sort of got me into wearing them", he slowly touched her fingers, running them over the back of her hand.
"Is Dimitri the obnoxiously good looking one?"
"Yeah."
"How old is he?"
"27".
"Oh, wow".
"Then Nicoli is 24, then me and Devon".
"Must have been rough having brothers that much older than you" he shrugged.
"They were okay. Dimitri and I are pretty close. He and Nic were adopted when we were living in Russia. And by 'we' I mean before I was born. Devon was adopted a few years ago when we were in St. Louis. Losing our parents was really hard on him."
"I can't imagine.'
"He didn't adjust well to Stone Canyon, so we transferred her back in the fall and he's doing a lot better."
"He seems pretty popular."
"Yeah. He thinks your sister is pretty hot. "
"So does the male half of the school, but she won't date an underclassman."
"For the record, as part of that male half of school, I don't think you sister is hot. I don't think Tommy does either, at least he would never admit it. I', pretty sure Billy wouldn't be interested. She comes off too superficial for him".
"What about Adam?"
"No idea, but I doubt it. So we are all yours".
"Well then, I guess I'm lucky you were there when I got mowed over."
Rocky sort of shrugged, "My locker is just down from yours. It just gave me an excuse to talk to you. So is it just you and your sister?"
"Yeah, lucky me".
"Don't stop now… I had to give a family tree, now it's your turn".
Greta told him about her family and growing up in Germany and moving across the US. When dinner arrived Rocky forced himself to eat it despite it tasting like cardboard. He had nearly perfected the art of moving food around the plate to make it appear less full and he hoped Greta didn't notice. She seemed much more interested in her own dinner.
After they finished Rocky paid for dinner and they left, "it's still early" he said "do you want to do something else? Maybe catch a movie?"
"Yeah, that would be nice".
During the movie Greta reached over and put her hand in Rocky's. They were still hand in hand when they left the theater. "What did you think of the movie?" Greta asked.
"It was okay…"
Greta laughed a little, "you can admit it. I thought it was awful." Rocky laughed too.
"It was awful" he admitted.
"I had a nice time tonight".
"I did too. Maybe we can go out again?" he suggested.
"Yes… unless I get a better offer between now and then".
"Hey!" he tugged her hand pulling her closer. "That makes you sound like your sister".
"What?" she sounded confused.
"I overheard what she said earlier this week, that you shouldn't go out with me".
"Oh… she was just jealous because she didn't have a date. It wasn't about you".
"I sort of figured, but…" he let the sentence hang.
"That's Heidi. She aims to sting, but I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I've heard a lot worse. I have two older brothers remember?"
"You aren't very nice to each other?"
"We're brothers; name calling and insults are like a bonding experience. Like shopping for girls".
"I'll never understand guys".
"And I will never understand girls".
"I guess that makes us even."
"I should get you home so we aren't late and your dad won't let me take you out again."
"Stupid curfew".
"They just want to make sure I haven't kidnapped you to Vegas. It's nice to have people to worry about you." Rocky unlocked the door for Greta but before he let her in he kissed her softly.
"Sorry, I've wanted to do that all night", he whispered.
"I've been waiting all week", she whispered back.
"I didn't want to be too presumptuous", he said kissing her again.
Rocky dropped Greta off at her house. He knew Josh and Ryan were nearby because he could hear and smell them although he knew no human would find them. He looked around studying the area for anything that might stand out. After a minute he turned and left for home.