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Thunderstruck

Chapter 9: A Very Ranger Holiday

"You sure you have to go so soon?" Hunter asked, as he saw Blake off at the airport.

"Yeah…I gotta a race in Texas in two days," Blake replied, as they shared a brotherly hug.

"Okay…but we'll see you at Christmas, right?" he asked.

"Of course…wouldn't miss it, bro," Blake said, as they called for boarding for his plane.

"That's me," he said, as he grabbed his bag.

"Seriously bro…I am really happy for you and Tori," he said. Hunter smiled.

"Thanks…that means everything to us, you know," he replied. Blake nodded and boarded his plane, while Hunter headed back to Tori's van, which she had let him borrow to take Blake to the airport.


The lights were dim and Ninja Ops was quiet, except the clicking of the keyboard keys. Cam sat at the Ops computer, until the lights suddenly went up.

"Cameron…it's the middle of the night. What could possibly be so pressing that it cannot wait until morning?" Kanoi asked. He sighed.

"Sorry Dad…it was more that I just lost track of time," Cam replied.

"Lokar…" Kanoi said in a hushed whisper, as he viewed the digital copy of the scroll Cam was researching.

"Yeah…it slipped our minds I think earlier, because he was absorbed by Goldar. But Lokar appeared to us on the island," Cam said.

"In human form?" Kanoi asked, deeply disturbed by that.

"Yes. Jason and the others had seen him before, but not like that. They said Rita once summoned him and he appeared in a spiritual form in the sky," Cam explained.

"Yes…a group of young ninjas, not unlike you and the others, trapped Lokar in that form centuries ago. Before that, he left a trail of innocent blood in his wake. He had dark followers as well that would sacrifice young ones to him in offering to him for favor and power," Kanoi explained.

"Yeah…the scrolls about him are definitely not for the squeamish," Cam mentioned.

"He had a son before he was locked away," Kanoi said.

"Lothor…the name that my Uncle took up when he was banished," Cam replied. His father nodded.

"Yes…the original Lothor was a horrible demon, much like his father. He too was defeated and killed by another group of powerful ninjas with the powers of air, earth, water, and thunder," Kanoi explained.

"For centuries, it was a name not spoken, except by dark ninjas in hush whispers. When my brother took on the mantle, it created a rise in the number of dark ninjas," he continued.

"But Lokar…he hasn't walked among us since he was banished. His spirit form contained his dark powers to an extent. If he were to walk among the living again…the fate of the entire world would be in great danger," he finished.

"Well…fortunately Goldar absorbed him and took him back into the abyss with him," Cam said.

"Yes…it seems we have truly dodged what could have been an earth shattering crisis. Now…please get some rest," Kanoi said. Cam agreed and shut Ops down for the night.


Three months later…

Reefside

Hayley's Cyberspace

A couple of people walked up to the coffee shop and were about to go in, but noticed the sign on the door that indicated that it was closed for a private event.

Inside, Kimberly, her belly now quite distended, set out another plate of cookies. It was Christmas Eve and through email and phone calls the last few months, all former rangers agreed that it was the perfect time for the first ever ranger reunion slash holiday celebration. Kira and Conner were trimming the tree, while Ethan and Tommy made sure there was enough seating for all their guests that would soon be arriving.

"Brrr…it's so cold…" Tori shivered, as she hurried into the building with Hunter and the others right behind her.

"Yeah, I thought we lived in California," Dustin complained.

"Oh come on, at least it actually feels like Christmas for once," Shane said, as Skyla shivered against him.

"I think it just feels cold," she said. He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Fear not, I have hot coffee and cocoa ready for everyone!" Hayley called from behind the bar.

"You're a lifesaver, Hayley," Tori said, as she exchanged hugs with the redhead and Kimberly.

"So…do you have them?" Tori asked anxiously. Kimberly nodded in excitement and took out her new ultrasound pictures. Tori gasped and studied the picture.

"It's a girl," Kimberly added in excitement.

"Congratulations," Tori said.

"This is awesome Hayley, why haven't we had a ranger reunion before now?" Dustin asked in excitement. The Cyberspace owner shrugged.

"It's hard to get everyone together I guess, but I'm glad we pulled it off," Hayley mentioned.

"Whoa…I left New York to get away from the cold weather. Since when is it thirty degrees in California?" Trent complained, as he arrived with Anton and Elsa.

"I don't know, but they said on the radio that it hasn't been this cold on Christmas in California in like thirty years," Conner called, as he and Kira hung ornaments on the tree. The rangers from Blue Bay Harbor shed their coats and joined those that lived in Reefside on the couches near the tree.

"I think we'll manage to keep warm though," Hunter mentioned, as he and Tori cuddled together on the sofa and shared a soft kiss.

"Merry Christmas!" Rocky called, as the door to the coffee house opened again and more former rangers and family members arrived. The door was busy for the next ten minutes, as all ranger teams arrived, even the Galaxy rangers, and they were soon all gathered together, exchanging stories of their times as rangers and experiences. Zeke, Carly, and Michaela opened presents and played with their new toys, as their parents watched on. And couples cuddled together, grateful that they could be together after what they had gone through just three short months ago.

"They're beautiful Kat…" Kim mentioned, as she watched the twin girls' eyes light up as they opened their presents and sat in their father's lap.

"Thanks…but I hear you'll be having your own little girl soon," Kat replied. Kim lit up with a smile.

"Yeah, Tommy and I tried for so long. I was worried that it was never going to happen. It almost didn't," Kim mentioned, referring to their little adventure three months earlier.

"But all that's over now. We made it, just like we always do," Trini said, as she put her arm around her best friend.

"Trini's right girl, I mean look around. Would you have imagined back in our ranger days that we would someday be sitting here together, with families of our own, most of us married to other rangers, with ten generations of rangers all in one place?" Aisha asked. Kim smiled.

"Definitely not, but I'm glad we're here, but I want us to make a pact that we won't let so much time pass again before we all get together again," Kim stated. The other girls nodded, as Tanya sat down beside them, and they watched Rocky and Adam goof around with the kids.

"It's a pact then, especially since this ranger family is going to grow even more soon," Tanya mentioned. The other women got her meaning and gathered around her.

"When did you find out?" Aisha asked.

"A few days ago. Adam is over the moon. He can't wait to be a dad," Tanya announced with excitement.

"Congratulations!" Kim cried, as she hugged her. As she said that, they saw the guys all gathered around Adam, congratulating him as well.

"Hey…look who is finally joining us!" Ethan called, as Blake arrived.

"About time you showed up, bro," Hunter called, as he greeted his little brother with a hug.

"Yeah, bag on me later," Blake responded, as he and his brother shared a hug.

"I thought you were bringing your girlfriend?" Dustin asked.

"Not this time. We're not that serious yet and she wanted to go home to her family…and I wanted to be with mine. We're thinking next year we'll be ready for the whole meeting of each other's family's thing," Blake explained, as Tori's cell phone rang. She took it out and answered it, before walking to the counter.

"Hey mom, have you and dad landed yet?" Tori asked anxiously. Hunter watched her carefully and felt sad for her when he saw her face fall in disappointment.

"Your flight is delayed?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well…when do you think you'll get home?" she questioned and the frown on her face slowly deepened.

"Three days…" Tori said, trying to keep the quivering out of her voice.

"No mom…I know you and daddy can't help that there's a snowstorm in Chicago. I guess I'll see you in a few days," Tori said, as she hung up her phone, before putting on her coat and going outside. Hunter followed her out into the cold and saw her sitting on a bench, shivering and trying not to cry. Hunter sat down beside her and put his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and he dropped a kiss on her head.

"I'm sorry they're not going to make it home for Christmas," he told her.

"Are you surprised?" she asked. He winced.

"Maybe not…but you still have family all around you," he reminded her. She smiled and nodded.

"I know…you guys have been more of a family to me than my own parents. It's been like three years since we spent Christmas together, so I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up anymore," Tori said, as she took his hands in her own.

"It still hurts sometimes, but this year will be special, because I have you. You're my family now," she told him, as he leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Wow…I think it's warming up out here," she joked and he laughed.

"Yeah, but we should probably go back inside," he mentioned.

"What's inside that's not out here?" she asked coyly.

"Mistletoe," he replied coyly, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She grinned.

"Well, when you put it that way, what are we waiting for?" she asked, as they joined hands and went back inside with their ranger family.


A private airstrip in Washington D.C.

Alana Hanson snapped her cell phone shut and shoved in her pocket with a huff, as her husband drove them and parked their car. Jack Hanson glanced over at her and recognized her sour mood.

"Tori is fine," he assured her.

"Physically, but how much longer are we going to lie to our daughter? We've been so absent from her life that we don't even know her anymore. She doesn't even know us…she never has!" Alana exclaimed.

"You know that we would walk away if it was that easy…but we can't. We're in this too deep and if we back out now, they'll come after us and Tori," Jack argued heatedly.

"I know…I know…" Alana snapped and then sighed.

"It's just that…we've missed the last three years of our little girl's life. God Jack, three Christmas', three birthdays, we even missed her high school graduation last year," Alana complained.

"We have to hope that one day she'll understand and forgive us," he replied. Alana rolled her eyes, knowing that it would never be that simple. There was a chance they could never give their daughter a true explanation of why they were gone all the time.

"Whatever…let's just get this over with," she huffed, as they grabbed their luggage and boarded the private jet…


Reefside

Hayley's Cyberspace

"Come on Dr. O…it's Christmas!" Conner pleaded.

"No," Tommy refuted.

"But…it's almost midnight and you can't have a proper toast without champagne," the red Dino ranger argued.

"Yes you can. It's called sparkling cider," Tommy refuted, as he handed a glass of sparkling cider to Tori and a glass of champagne to Hunter.

"Hey…how come Hunter gets the good stuff?" Ethan whined.

"Hunter is twenty-one, you guys aren't," Tommy said, rolling his eyes, as he heard Adam and Rocky cracking up at his predicament.

"Tommy, it's not like they're going far after this. It's just one glass," Rocky said.

"You're a cop, Rocky. Of all the people in this room, you should agree with me," Tommy replied.

"I should, but it's too much fun watching you be lame now," Rocky retorted.

"Yeah, back in the day, we used to sneak my dad's beer all the time. Rocko's right, you're lame now, teach," Jason joked. Tommy huffed.

"Kim…" he whined and she rolled her eyes.

"He's trying to be responsible, stop trying to corrupt him. He starts to get whiny when it's past his bedtime," Kim teased, earning an offended look from her husband.

"I'm just teasing, handsome," she promised sweetly, as Jason cracked up.

"I forgot…Dr. O has a bedtime now," Jason teased.

"And you've had too much of Rocky's eggnog. You're getting giggly," Trini teased.

"I don't giggle…that's not something a red does," Jason argued.

"Oh hey yeah, the eggnog is spiked too. Let me try it," Conner said, as Rocky poured him a glass.

"No Rocky," Tommy warned.

"Sorry kid, Dr. Oliver says no. Too bad the cool Tommy we knew in high school isn't here," Rocky teased. Tommy rolled his eyes. He wasn't really annoyed. He actually had really missed all the crap they tended to give each other when they were together. It was like old times again.

"Hurry up…it's almost midnight!" Dustin called in excitement, as he grabbed two glasses of sparkling cider for him and Marah.

"So…Dr. O was actually cool back in the day? What happened?" Conner asked Rocky.

"Conner…" Tommy said, in his teacher's voice.

"Come on Dino boy, let's go over here before you get killed," Kira said, tugging him away.

"But I want to hear more stories from Rocky and Adam," Conner whined. Tommy shot a look at the former red and black rangers.

"What stories?" Tommy asked. Rocky tried not to spit out his eggnog laughing and Adam practically choked on the cookie he was eating. Tommy rolled his eyes and held up his hand.

"Never mind, it's probably best I don't know," he said, as he poured some sparkling cider from Kim and Tanya, since they were both expecting and then finished off the rest of the glasses with champagne.

"Okay everyone…it's almost midnight, which means Christmas is here. Let's toast to family, friends, and the New Year that will be upon us in just one week," Trini called.

"Yeah, this is only the first of many ranger reunions, we hope," Kimberly added.

"Here's to us…" Jason said, raising his glass.

"To friends and family," Aisha added.

"To the power," Tommy said.

"And to Zordon, without whom none of us would be here," Rocky finished the toast. The clock on the wall over the bar chimed midnight, as everyone drank and those who were with someone exchanged a kiss with their significant other. Hugs and laughter filled the coffeehouse well into the night, promising that a bond had been formed and solidified into something that truly would stand the test of time.

"Merry Christmas…handsome…" Kimberly said, as she kissed him.

"Merry Christmas beautiful," Tommy replied, as he rested his hand on her pregnant belly.

"Just think, next Christmas will be our baby's first," she reminded him. He grinned.

"I can't wait," he said, as their lips met again.


"What are you thinking?" Hunter asked, as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, noticing the pensive look on her face. She shrugged.

"About everything I guess," she replied.

"Your parents?" he asked. She nodded.

"Something has been bothering me lately about their behavior, but I don't want to talk about that right now, because I was also thinking about how happy I am," she replied, as she put her arms around him.

"Even though your parents are missing another Christmas with you?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I thought I would be thinking that, but I guess I didn't expect them to be home anyway. I know that sounds terrible, but I think I'm just starting to accept it and that I can be okay with it, because I have you. I know that you're always going to be here," she replied. He gave her a lazy smile.

"You're right…I will be, no matter what," he promised. She smiled.

"Merry Christmas, thunder boy,"

"Merry Christmas, Tor,"

Their lips met passionately again, beneath the mistletoe, with their ranger family around them.