Hunter looked at his assembled friends, his expression intent. He looked at each of them in turn, catching their eyes with his, trying to gauge their mood.

"Well, will you help me?" Finally Tori broke the silence and grinned at him.

"Of course we will. What do you want us to do?" Hunter grinned back at her and looked around at each of them, relief in his eyes.

"Okay, I need you guys to come up with a plausible way to get Cam out of Ninja Ops for a few hours tomorrow so Blake and I can go in and do up the surprise we want to give him and Sensei." Tori exchanged glances with Shane and Dustin and shrugged. Shane just grinned and held up his hands, his tone warm but wry as he answered Tori's look.

"Don't look at me. You and Cam are the brains of this outfit." Dustin grinned at her as well.

"Hey, don't even think about it. This is me you're talking about." The four of them grinned at each other and they all burst out laughing. Tori shook her head and looked over at Hunter.

"Okay, I think I have something. Don't worry Hunter, the guys and I will get Cam out of Ops while you guys do what ever it is you have planned." Hunter grinned and slapped her gently on the back. He knew he could count on Tori.

"Great, thanks Tori, I knew I could depend on you." Tori smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Not a problem Hunter. I'll make sure that we all bring our presents around tonight to your place just like you wanted, and then tomorrow we'll drag him out of Ninja Ops so that you guys can go do whatever it is that you've got planned." Blake smiled warmly at his girlfriend.

"Thanks again Tor, don't worry, this surprise is not only for Cam, but for everyone really." Shane nodded, having no idea what Hunter had planned but content to go along with it.

"I can't wait to see the look on Cam's face when he sees what ever it is you two have planned. It'll be nice to get one over him for a change." Shane's tone was one of warmth and respect for the Green Ranger. Dustin raised his hand slightly and cocked his head to one side, confusion on his face.

"Question dude, why won't you tell us what you've got planned, yet we have to bring Christmas presents around to your place?" Hunter just gave the Yellow Ranger a rather wicked grin.

"Trust me." Tori laughed at Hunter's words and shook her head.

"Isn't that what the snake said to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he handed her an apple?" Hunter grinned and didn't say anything in answer to her question. "What gave you this idea anyway Hunter? It's not really like you." Blake grinned at his brother and stood back, holding his hands up.

"This is your idea Hunter, you defend it." Hunter just gave Blake a dark look.

"Gee thanks bro." Blake just grinned back at him and Hunter looked back to see three expectant and confused faces looking at him. Hunter shrugged, looking faintly embarrassed.
"Well, it all stemmed from a conversation with Sensei I had the other day really about a few different things." They looked confused and waited for him to elaborate. Finally Hunter began to cave as he was on the receiving end of four stares; he hadn't even told Blake everything why he wanted to do what he had planned. Finally Dustin took pity on him as the silence stretched out too long.

"About what dude?" Hunter shot the Yellow Ranger a grateful look.

"Well, we were talking about family and traditions. I asked him what he and Cam did for Christmas and he said that they normally have a quiet dinner themselves. Give each other a small gift and that was it. They don't do the huge family thing. So I thought perhaps this year, as a way to say thanks for everything that they both do for us, we could do something for them, celebrate Christmas in a different way this year." Hunter spoke almost shyly, reluctant to explain even more why he felt it was so important to do this for Cam and Sensei. The others could sense his reluctance and Blake put his hand on Hunter's shoulder.

"It's okay bro, the family thing for us for the last few years hasn't been that great either. So it'll be nice to have something special done this year." Hunter gave his brother a grateful look and then looked back at the others.

"So, you'll do it?' Tori nodded on behalf of the Wind Rangers.

"Not a problem Hunter." Hunter smiled.

"So, see you guys at our place tonight then, Blake and I have some shopping to do." Shane and Dustin nodded.

"Not a problem dude." Dustin glanced at his watch and then sprung to his feet. "Yikes, I got to run. I'm late for work! Later dudes!" Dustin took off at a run and the others watched him go, laughing softly at the Yellow Ranger's antics. Shane and Tori stood up and smiled at the two Thunder brothers.

"Tori and I have to get going as well. See you tonight then guys." Shane and Tori left, Blake watching his girlfriend go for a moment and then turned back to Hunter, a small smile on his face.

"This is a good thing you want to try and do for Cam and Sensei bro, I'm glad you thought of it. So, let's get cracking shall we." Hunter looked at his brother and nodded his eyes serious.

"You don't mind do you? That I want to do this?" Blake smiled as they took the other path away from the others in the park, heading towards the shopping district.

"Of course not bro. This is a good thing, and besides, we have a little extra money at the moment thanks to that spectacular win you pulled off the other day. And besides, it's Christmas, this is the time of year you do these little things." Hunter clapped Blake on the back and grinned.

"Have I told you how much I love you little bro lately." Blake blushed and gave Hunter a shove.

"Get over yourself Hunter. Don't go all mushy on me." Hunter laughed and shoved Blake back and the two of them broke into a jog, playfully shoving each other back and forth like little kids again.

Cam sighed, looking up into Tori's Blue eyes. Tori was doing the puppy dog eye thing at him again. The green Ranger just managed a tiny smile and looked at her. She was so good at the whole puppy dog eye thing that all the Rangers just caved when she gave them that look. She used it to great effectiveness when she wanted something.

"Does it have to be done now Tori?"

"Yes Cam. Please? I'll owe you one." Cam just nodded and caved in gracefully, it was easier that way, and it saved time.

"Okay. Let me just save this and then we'll go. You're going to owe me big time for this." Tori clapped her hands and smiled, giving him a hug.

"Thank you Cam! You're fantastic." Cam shrugged and logged off the computer, pushing himself out from the desk and stood up, smiling slightly.

"Yeah I know. Come on then." Tori linked her arm through his and walked with him out of Ninja Ops, heading towards the waterfall.

"You'll love this Cam, trust me."

"I'll just bet I do. Let's get this over and done with." The two of them disappeared around the corner and Sensei leapt over to the console. He quickly jumped on a few certain buttons and spoke softly.

"Cam has left Ops, you may enter now." Moments later, two Ninja streaks came into Ops, stopping just before Sensei, boxes in hand. Hunter smiled warmly at Sensei and bowed slightly as he put down the box.

"Thank you Sensei for letting us do this." Sensei returned the bow as best he could being a guinea pig and smiled at Hunter.

"You are welcome Hunter, Blake. I am glad to say that this year will be a Christmas that Cameron will not forget." Hunter grinned as he opened the box while Blake went back out to get the rest.

"Don't worry Sensei; I'm determined to make sure he'll remember it always." Sensei watched him a moment.

"One must admit to being a little curious as to why you want to do this Hunter, it is a side of you that I would never have expected." Hunter blushed slightly, bowing his head down as he began to unpack some decorations.

"Cam works hard Sensei, too hard sometimes. I think I've barely seen him have fun since we've been around. He needs to have some fun. And I know you've been trying to get him out of Ops more and having Cyber Cam around does help, but this is Cam we're talking about, he's a work-a-holic Sensei." Sensei sighed softly, knowing what Hunter meant.

"Yes, I know. He has always been like this, ever since he was a child." Just then Blake returned with another box and put it on the table next to Hunter's. Blake looked at Sensei, curiosity on his face at hearing the older man's words.

"I've always wondered about that Sensei. How come Cam's such a work-a-holic." Sensei nodded.

"After my wife died Cameron threw himself into wondering how things worked. I think, I think it helped him with his grief. But before that, he was always curious, always wanted to know how things work." Sensei frowned slightly and gave a soft sigh. "He was only four when she died, his memories of her would be vague at best." Blake gave a tiny gasp and Hunter put his hand on his brother's shoulder, knowing exactly what Blake was thinking. Hunter squeezed Blake's shoulder and gave him a supportive smile.

"See Blake, I told you that you and Cam had something in common. We just had to find it." Blake nodded and Sensei watched the interaction between the brothers. He often wondered what would have happened if Miko hadn't died, would they have had more children. He liked to think so. He could imagine that Cameron would make a wonderful big brother, like Hunter was to Blake. Sensei looked up to find Hunter looking at him. "You see Sensei; our parents were killed when Blake was almost four, so that's why he seems a little bit shocked. We didn't know that about Cam. I guess I'm a little bit luckier, I have more memories of them." Sensei nodded.

"That is understandable." Sensei gave them a small, wry smile. "My son can be a somewhat private person." Blake snorted as he began to undo the box he had carried in.

"Now that's the understatement of the century. Come on then bro; let's get this done as I'm not sure how long Tori and the others can keep Cam busy." Hunter nodded and Sensei gave them another smile.

"And I shall get out of your way as well. It is time for my daily meditation anyway. Thank you for doing this my sons." With that, he leaped and flipped his way out of the main room and the two brothers got to work.

Cam had let himself be dragged around long enough. First by Tori, then by Shane and finally by Dustin who had wanted his help with some school assignment or other. Finally, after being dragged around by the nose for three hours he put his foot down and said he'd had enough. So now he was outside the waterfall entrance to Ninja Ops, slightly tired and worn out. He appreciated the fact that the others tried to include him in their activities, but sometimes he just wanted to be alone. And the Thunder brothers were getting just as bad as the Wind Rangers. Sighing softly as he thought about the packages he had brought the other day. He knew that he and his father really didn't celebrate Christmas that much, but this year would be different as they had a few more people around. So, his father had sent him out a few days ago to buy presents for the Rangers and as far as Cam knew, he was planning to give them to the Rangers tomorrow, before they all left to do the whole Christmas thing with their families. Cam absently walked across the water and through the portal. He wasn't sure what Hunter and Blake had planned, but he knew that the three Wind Rangers were all going away or staying home with their families. He began walking down the stairs towards Ninja Ops, his mind still pondering Christmas, and wondered if perhaps he should ask his father if Hunter and Blake could share Christmas dinner with them. With Sensei Omino gone and no other family, they would be just as alone and he and his father usually were on Christmas. He absently rested his hand on the scanner to open the door and walked through it. It took a few moments for it to register that the lights were out and he immediately frowned.

"Dad? Is everything okay?" Cam took a few tentative steps into Ops, his mind going over a dozen possibilities, all of them bad, when suddenly the lights came back on.

"SURPRISE!" Cam jumped as the Wind and Thunder Rangers all jumped out at him, grins mile wide on their faces. His father was sitting on the table, smiling at him. He looked around in shock and his eyes widened.

Ninja Ops was covered in Christmas decorations. A tree was set up in the corner, presents stacked underneath it. Garlands of tinsel hung from the rafters and along the walls. Mistletoe was hanging from the door into Ninja Ops. There were plates of fresh fruit, biscuits, mince pies, all the trimmings of a traditional Christmas. Strings of popcorn were strung from one end to the other of Ninja Ops, filling the area with a buttery smell. The smiles on the other Ranger's faces were warm, loving and welcoming. Cam was suddenly filled with warm feelings and he felt all his irritation slip away in a flush of joy.

"What… what's going on?" The Rangers came and gathered around him, pulling him into Ops further. Tori gave him a warm smile as she linked her arms through his and pulled him over to where they had set up some drinks.

"This is for you." Cam looked at her, stunned.

"Huh? For me?" Cam looked at them all, confusion all over his face. "Why?" They all smiled warmly at him and Tori handed him a soda.

"Because we care Cam." Cam looked even more confused.

"I don't get it." Hunter took his arm gently and led him over towards the tree, brimming with enthusiasm. Cam couldn't remember seeing him so buoyed up about something. Blake was grinning at him as well. They all were in fact. Cam didn't know what to say or what to think, all of a sudden he was filled with warm feelings and felt that he belonged for the first time in a long time. Unable to help himself, he began to blush slightly.

"I don't know what to say." Cam looked around, a smile on his face. "Thank you. Thank you all. This is... I just don't know what to say." They all laughed and Dustin clapped him on the back.

"This is a first, Cam, speechless." They laughed even more at that as Shane and Tori handed around the drinks. Cam looked around at all his friends and smiled.

"Thank you, thank you everyone." Cam's eyes roved around his friends. "So, whose idea was this anyway?" All eyes and fingers pointed straight to the Crimson Ranger and Hunter blushed, ducking his head. "You did this all Hunter?"

"Ah, yeah." The others moved away slightly to give the two eldest Rangers a moment of privacy. The other's knew that the two of them had a somewhat stormy friendship but great respect for each other. Cam looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Thank you. This means a lot, but, can I ask, why?" Hunter looked up, smiling slightly shyly, a look Cam wasn't used to seeing on the Crimson Ranger's face.

"Because you deserve it Cam. You do so much for all of us, and don't think I don't know what you did about our landlord," Cam raised an eyebrow. He thought he had kept the fact he had 'leaned' slightly on the Thunder brothers landlord not to raise their rent when he had threatened to and Cam knew that they couldn't afford it. "So, this is just to say thank you." Hunter gave him a warm smile. "Because out all this mess, the one good thing to come out of it is that we've met you. That you've become like another brother to Blake, to all of us really. So, I just wanted to do something nice, to say thanks." Cam stared at Hunter and then gave him a warm smile, his dark eyes warm as they stared at him. Cam reached over and gently put his hand on Hunter's shoulder.

"Hunter you never cease to amaze me. Thank you. You'll never know how much this means to me. This will be something I'll treasure, always." Hunter grinned, gripping his shoulder as well.

"Then my work is done." They laughed and joined the others around the tree. Suddenly Dustin began to sing Jingle Bells and moments later they all were. Cam glanced around at his friends and father and smiled as he joined in with the singing. Yes, this Christmas would be a good one.