Note: The Power Rangers and all the attendant names belong to Saban. This is being done for love, not money. Thanks to Cheryl Roberts for feedback & a BIG thank you to Willow Blessing for feedback and proofing. Also, thanks to Dagmar Buse for her help with Part II.

You Can't Go Home Again
by Brian Lieske

Part I

He pressed the latch on his suitcase gently, trying to make as little noise as possible. He thought it worked, but he was wrong.

"You know, Will, I do believe you are trying to slip out without saying good-bye."

William Cranston sighed inwardly and turned to face the source of the voice, buried under the covers on the lower bunk bed. "As I told you last night, experience has taught me that discrete, brief departures are best."

"Really? I thought you were just taking advantage of being a morning person." A head popped up out from under the covers and looked over at Billy, standing by the window, packed and ready to go.

"Have I ever taken advantage?" Billy abandoned his faint hope of slipping away quietly and took a few steps to sit down on the bed.

"Never once in all the two years we've been together." Seth reached his hand up to Billy's dark blond hair, pulled him close and gently kissed him on the lips.

"Why do you count all the way back to the night we met?"

"I knew you were a keeper the night I met you. I just can't believe it's really been two years."

Two years, four months, 13 days actually, thought Billy, but he said nothing. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed Seth again, intending for this to the their final good-bye embrace. He thought it worked but, once again, he was wrong.

As soon as their lips touched, Billy felt a familiar warmth spread through his body. The kiss grew steadily more passionate. Before he realized it had happened, Billy was lying alongside his roommate and lover, almost exactly as he had been when he woke up that morning.

~*~

Billy had returned to Earth feeling disconnected from everything. Regret would be too strong a word to describe how he felt about his time on Aquitar (it had saved his life, after all). But the cultural divide between he and Cestria had, ultimately, been too wide to bridge.

Aquitians appeared human, especially within the context of the Earth. They were not.

Cestria was a fine and caring sentient, but she was not a woman. As his health and youth returned, surviving gave way to living, and in the mundane moments Billy constantly found that his assumptions about how the world worked were undercut. Little things at first, not having his favorite science magazine to read or being unable to reproduce a replacement for milk that tasted correct. He began missing Ernie's fruit smoothies immediately. That loss felt acute within three months.

He quickly realized that he was living inside a cultural vacuum. Nothing he had ever read or seen could be discussed without the most fundamental and tedious of explanations. He found Aquitian literature completely inaccessible. Their cycle of childhood and education was completely alien, and apart from many superficial similarities, their culture was almost entirely different from humans.

Fortunately, his primary contact was with the most cosmopolitan residents of Aquitar. He also had access to the single most advanced laboratory on the planet. While this provided some distraction and consolation, Cestria had an extensive schedule of duties and responsibilities, which quickly isolated them from each other after the initial crisis of his rapid aging had been resolved.

~*~

Billy ran his fingers across Seth's close-cropped hair, surrendering for a moment to his familiar passion. Seth teased Billy's mouth with his lips and tongue, alternately caressing and probing as they kissed. Finally, Billy separated their mouths and held Seth's head with both hands, partially to break the moment and partially to have a careful look at his face. "Seth, we knew from the start..."

"That you'd graduate before me. I know. And I know that you have to leave. And I know that we'll only see each other very rarely... that you'll take other lovers and eventually settle down with one. And I know he'll be a remarkably lucky man." Seth brushed his hand across the side of Billy's face and kissed him gently again. "Will, I had all that figured out within a month of meeting you."

"I was that predictable?"

"No. Like I said, I knew you were a keeper when I met you. You were everything I hoped for: smart, sweet, gentle, good-natured, easy to live with. A perfect college lover who would turn into a life-long friend. At least that's what I hoped when you turned up here."

Seth ran his hand down Billy's neck and across the fabric of his shirt, stopping directly over the right nipple, and squeezed gently with his thumb and forefinger. Billy moaned softly in spite of himself. He felt the gentle pressure of Seth's leg, testing his arousal as he had the night they first met. The erection became firmer as Seth tenderly but relentlessly ground his thigh against Billy. "Have I ever mentioned how completely irresistible you are when you're horny but reluctant?"

"I believe that the observation may have been made on occasion." Billy surrendered, just as he had the night he met Seth. He surrendered his reluctance and kissed Seth back; enjoying the feel of his freshly shaved face rubbing against the light stubble of Seth's overnight beard.

~*~

Once his strength returned, Billy had thrown himself into his work, concentrating on establishing an easier means of communication with the Earth. With Cestro's assistance, he was quickly able to modify a communication system at the Aquitian base to allow near instantaneous connection between worlds.

After he had managed to modify the teleport system in a similar fashion, Billy went so far as to enroll in the Angel Grove Community College Distance Learning Program. (It was always a source of amusement to him when he teleported the physical material from Earth that the creators of the program probably never imagined just how far it would reach). It almost surprised him when he completed an Associate's Degree in just over a year's time. It also rather depressed him, as it meant the end of the lifeline the program had offered from his home.

Ultimately, Cestria had suggested that he should perhaps return to Earth "for a while." He strongly suspected Delphine and Cestro had a hand in motivating her. As was Aquitian custom, there was an implicit invitation to return at any time, but Billy knew that, barring another inter-planetary crisis, he would not see Cestria or the Aquitian Rangers again.

They parted briefly, discretely and cordially.

~*~

Sensing a change in mood, Seth began to unfasten the buttons of Billy's shirt. He pulled the shirtfront open, revealing the soft, light brown curls that covered Billy's torso.

"You have the sexist chest," Seth murmured appreciatively, and dove with his mouth onto the closest nipple.

Billy sighed again as he felt the familiar warmth of Seth's mouth around the sensitive nib of his pectoral. Billy straddled Seth (who didn't miss a beat as they shifted positions), stripped off his own shirt, and then pulled off the oversized T-shirt Seth always slept in. As his nightwear came away, Seth released Billy's nipple from his mouth and pressed their naked chests together. "Kick off your shoes, please."

Billy complied with the request, hearing first the left, then the right clatter against the metal bedframe as they dropped to the floor.

"Thank you."

Seth twisted quickly and threw Billy down onto the mattress.

~*~

Considering what had happened last time, Billy was grateful that he had been able to modify the Aquitian teleport system to send himself home quietly. He remembered Jason's comments about returning from the Youth Peace Conference and needing some space before seeing them all again (and that had only been six months in a European country). Billy was fairly sure Zordon was aware he was back, but he knew his old mentor would respect his desire for some time alone. He elected to return across the country >from Angel Grove.

He debated whether to contact his father, but ultimately decided against it for the moment. Not knowing if he would return to Earth one day, he had invested his savings for growth before leaving for Aquitar (and had been able to become more active in administering the account after developing the communications relay). That decision proved prudent; he had enough to survive for some time. That could prove entirely academic if the treatment that reversed his aging failed to remain stable.

Fortunately, his health remained excellent. In fact, he was in better shape that when he left. Sticking to his workout regimen had not been a challenge on Aquitar; there had been precious little else for him to do. Even the periodic technical crisis in the Aquitian Command Center had not disturbed his routine. They were few and far between, and Cestro was an accomplished scientist and technician in his own right.

After a few days of savoring the cuisine of Earth, and trying a variety of dishes that he had only heard the names of while growing up on the West Coast, Billy realized that he was not deteriorating. In the single most impulsive moment of his life, he began hitchhiking south along the Eastern seaboard in search of warmer weather, green plants in flower, and perhaps some direction as to where to go next.

He spent about a week working his way south, until he found himself in Florida, along with several tens of thousands of other people his age cavorting on the beach at Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break. The warmth of the sun and the dry sand under his feet was positively intoxicating after living on Aquitar.

He had been isolating himself from people, surprisingly simple to do while walking and hitchhiking, but he felt ready to interact with other humans again (which was just as well, since there was really no way to avoid it in the mob).

~*~

"Hey!" Billy cried out with a smile, as he fell back onto the mattress.

"Hey, yourself. I have to sleep in here tonight, so no shoes on the bed." From his new vantage above Billy, Seth licked his lips as he freed them both from the sheets. "You know, Will, I really can't decide which I like better, you shaved down for swim team, or like now, in all your fuzzy glory." Seth proceeded to bury his face in the soft brown curls on Billy's stomach, licking and nibbling around his naval until Billy started to shake involuntarily with short giggles.

~*~

Two days of unsuccessful mingling and Billy was almost ready to give Aquitar one more try. He failed spectacularly to maintain any conversation he started; it was worse than junior high before he met Trini. He quickly realized his dilemma. All around him were groups of friends on vacation together. He had no one to share in the experience with, but was not ready to face Angel Grove yet.

Early Thursday evening, he entered a large club with a mixed crowd of college kids in various states of inebriation. After days of observing the revelry around him, Billy made a conscious decision to join in.

~*~

Seth only used his tongue on Billy's tender and ticklish midsection when he was feeling especially playful and affectionate. Billy had come to enjoy the sensation it produced, associating the feeling only with particularly intense sexual encounters.

Billy used to hate being tickled. Kimberly had been the worst. Right after Zordon had called the first team together, she had delighted in sneaking up behind him and tickling his sensitive sides, just to watch him jump. She only stopped after she caught him on a day when Jason had spent an hour working on blocks and counter-attacks with him.

Kim had slipped up behind him and grabbed his sides. He trapped her arms, spun on his heel, and flipped her on her back before either of them knew what had happened. Fortunately, the Youth Center had been almost empty, although Trini and Zack both saw it, and Jason had walked back into the main room with Ernie right afterwards. Kim was still sprawled on the floor. Billy had been standing frozen, watching Trini come past him and help Kim up.

Kim made some forced comment to Ernie about tripping on a step. Zack was trying mightily (and failing) to hide his laughter. Jason quietly told him that his technique was improving. He had been slowly dying of embarrassment when their communicators started beeping. One of Rita's first monsters was in the park with a squad of Putties.

Billy didn't remember what the monster was, or any of the details about the battle except for two things -- at some point after they morphed, but before they called the Zords, he and the Pink Ranger were backed into a corner by a half a dozen Putties. Two of the clay creatures had grabbed Kim's arms and a third was about to strike her, when Billy broke free from his opponent, tripped the attacking Putty, and actually hit the one holding Kim's right arm, causing it to break apart. It was the first Putty he had destroyed on his own and, more importantly, the first time he had gone on the attack in battle.

The second thing he remembered was that after the monster was destroyed and the team was about to teleport out of the Command Center, Kim pulled him aside. He hadn't even had a chance to apologize to her, and before he could, she told him earnestly, "Billy, I can't believe how good you've gotten at fighting. I mean, you've been working like crazy to learn martial arts since this started, and you're already so good at it. And what happened earlier at the Youth Center made me realize I haven't done anything about learning to fight since we got our Morphers. I guess I just thought I could keep dodging the Putties and let Jason, Zack and Trini take them out. So thanks for waking me up, and thanks for the save with the Putties today. I guess I can't just do handsprings away from all of them."

"Kimberly, I'm really sorry about what happened at the Youth Center."

"Don't be, Billy. I'd rather have learned that lesson from you than from Goldar." Kim never tickled him again.

In fact, no one had even tried to tickle him until Seth had started his first naval attack right after the end of swim season last spring. Seth had been downright sneaky the first time he had tickled Billy, sensitizing his ripped abdomen (at the time shaved smooth for the swim team) with his tongue, then really starting to work his sides after going down on him.

It had taken him some time to realize that Seth was deliberately tickling him. By then, Billy was overloaded with sensation. He convulsed with laughter while his cock was totally enveloped by Seth's mouth. The intensity had been so great, he couldn't find his voice to object, and the feeling was so wonderful, he found he didn't want to.

It was the closest he ever came to actually shooting inside Seth. Seth released him scant seconds before Billy climaxed volcanically. When Billy finally caught his breath, he realized his face had been dampened by the force of his orgasm.

~*~

Reflecting later, Billy would refer to this as his "Night of Firsts." He ordered a beer (his first), and sought a visible spot in the club where he could both see and be seen. Standing by the railing that ran around the low rise above the dance floor, he had polished off half his drink (which, to his surprise, he was enjoying) when a group of about five people nearly ran over him. His beer tumbled to the floor, shattering. His glasses, which also fell, remained mercifully intact. Billy barely heard the apology from the large man who had nearly knocked him over the railing as he dusted himself off and looked for his glasses.

"Sorry about that. Rog is really cutting loose tonight. Here you go. I hope they're okay."

"That's all right, no harm done." Billy accepted the glasses and wiped them on his shirt. When he put them on, he saw the person who had handed them to him clearly for the first time. The slim man reminded him of someone, but Billy couldn't quite place whom.

"I'm Seth," and he held out his hand.

~*~

Seth continued to work Billy's navel with his tongue as he removed his partner's pants. Once the waistband was opened, Billy assisted him in sliding the pants off, letting them join his shoes on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Feeling intense throbbing, he reached for the back of Seth's head and said through choking giggles, "All Right! You have fully overcome reluctance. Suck me!"

"Happy to," Seth replied, and promptly engulfed Billy, foregoing any preliminaries and taking all of the shaft into his mouth at once.

~*~

"Nice to meet you." Billy paused for a moment, shaking the offered hand. "I'm... William, William Cranston; just Will."

"Pleased to meet you Williamwilliamcranstonjustwill," the young man responded quickly, as if it were all one word.

"No, I mean..." Billy grimaced as he felt the conversation slipping away already. "Will is fine..."

"I know. Have you ever read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" Seth continued, without missing a beat.

Billy wanted to hug him. That was exactly the sort of thing he had missed on Aquitar. Douglas Adams' HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, when Arthur Dent first met Slartibartfast. Granted, it was an old joke, but it didn't require additional information or translation (actually, Billy doubted an Aquitian could understand the humor of that particular joke at all). That telling was something they shared, a common point of reference, and Billy had missed that feeling bitterly. He replied, "Not for a very long time."

"I hear there may be a new movie version in the works, but I don't think it'll match the old BBC series --even if they do spend millions on the effects," Seth commented.

"I never watched much television, but I remember seeing one episode on the Public Broadcasting station when I was in junior high." Billy caught himself before he tried to explain what junior high was. He was confident Seth understood the concept.

"What were you drinking?"

"Oh, a Red Hook."

"Let me go replace that one."

"Thank you, but that's really not necessary."

"Perhaps not, but I'd like to. Be right back." With that, Seth disappeared towards the bar.

Billy's heart was racing. This is ridiculous, he thought. He had faced mortal danger any number of times, including being trapped alone on an out-of-control rocket spiraling towards the sun, and not felt like this. He took a deep breath, calling on years of martial arts training to center himself (the slight buzz he felt making that more of a challenge than he expected). He closed his eyes in concentration, then jumped when he felt a hand touch his back.

~*~

Billy gasped and then convulsed as Seth made a tickling pass with his hands while his mouth completely enveloped Billy's organ. Involuntarily, Billy's hips bucked, driving his cock impossibly deeper into Seth's throat. It was this feeling that had forever changed Billy's opinion of tickling.

~*~

"Sorry. Are you okay?" Seth asked.

"Affirmative. I was just... collecting myself." Billy accepted the open bottle from Seth, "Thank you."

"Your welcome. Here's to Spring Break." Seth held up a glass filled with ice and a drink Billy couldn't immediately identify.

"To Spring Break," Billy clinked his bottle against Seth's glass and took a small sip. Yes, he was actually enjoying beer and he made a mental note to drink a great deal of water later, to counteract the dehydration the alcohol would doubtless produce.

"So, where are you in from?" Seth asked.

Billy again paused before answering, debating exactly how much to reveal and how to phrase it. "Actually, I've been out of the country for some time. I just got back, so I guess I'm rediscovered the U.S."

"Good place to do it. I'm down from Maryland, myself. I wasn't going to go anywhere this year, but last Friday afternoon Eric knocks on my door, says he and Keith are going on a road trip and they need another driver. So, here I am."

"You just drove here from Maryland on the spur of the moment?"

"More like I got to spend some unexpected time with my friends. It wasn't as if I had any other plans, and Eric's brother has a place down here, so it's been a very cheap vacation. Nothing like friends and relations that live in vacation spots."

"Indeed," Billy replied thoughtfully, remembering the cabin in the hills above Angel Grove his uncle used to let the team use all the time.

Seth was asking another question when the sound system kicked up several notches and the dance floor flooded with people. The night was young and the club was filling rapidly. The volume and activity suddenly made conversation impossible. Billy indicated that he hadn't heard, and after a few more futile attempts to speak to each other, Seth gestured for Billy to follow him.

Billy nearly lost sight of his new acquaintance as they moved through the crowd. He was glad that the area around the dance floor was raised slightly, or he would have been unable to the intriguing young man as he weaved through the throng to the far side of the dance floor. When Seth reached the windows on the far side, he turned back, looking for Billy.

Billy dove through the crowd using instincts honed while swimming with schools of Aquitians (regretting, just briefly, the lack of mobility up and down that water afforded).

~*~

Billy realized Seth would contentedly suck him to climax if he let him (indeed, resisting a tickling assault required no small amount of self-control). Billy was not about to remain a passive recipient in what would likely be their last sexual encounter. He sat up and pulled his hips towards the head of the bed. Seth, who was especially tenacious with a cock in his mouth, moved along the bed, following the object of his attention. Billy rolled onto his side, curling his legs back under himself, then stretched out towards the foot of the bed.

He took Seth's erection into his mouth. Seth was somewhat smaller in size than himself, but it had taken Billy some time to learn how to perform fellatio without difficulty. He reveled in the familiar scent of his lover as he took Seth down to the base, and felt Seth's moan of satisfaction resonate through him.

~*~

Once across the dance floor, he realized there was a long balcony outside the club overlooking the street. Seth opened one of the doors and beckoned him through. When the glass door slammed shut, Billy became aware just how loud it had been inside.

"That, I think, is a little better," Seth exhaled as he moved toward one of the high tables set along the edge of the balcony, above the street and away from the dance floor.

Billy sat opposite Seth on one of the stools placed around the table. The last bit of red faded from the sky and the first stars were joined by their dimmer companions. Inside, the light-show seemed to increase in intensity as more people came onto the dance floor. It struck Billy as very odd-looking, since the music was all but inaudible through the windows.

"What I was asking," Seth continued, "was did you see anything in there you liked?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Was there anyone you found particularly attractive?"

The depth of Billy's isolation had escaped him until he was asked that question. He had been concerned only with observing the people after being out of touch for so long. Gathering data. Preparing his analysis.

"I... I hadn't really..." Billy glanced back at the young men and women dancing soundlessly behind the thick glass. "I guess... No, no one in particular." He found himself scanning the crowd differently, seeking a familiar form: Trini, Jason, Cestria, Tommy... But they were thousands (or billions) of miles away, and no approximate double was immediately visible. "At least no one like some old friends I had been thinking of... " Billy murmured. "And you?"

"Well, there's this adorable sandy blond fellow with incredible green eyes and a perfectly delectable body, but I still don't have a clear read on how he'd react to being approached."

"Is he dancing with someone?" Billy asked, still intently gazing into the club.

"No, actually he's sitting out on the balcony, looking for someone on the dance floor."

~*~

As their sixty-nine continued, Billy began to squeeze Seth's backside. He gripped the muscles firmly and rolled them beneath his hands as he pressed Seth's cock deeper into his mouth.

Gradually, his middle finger began to trace the valley between Seth's tight gluts. Reaching the sphincter, Billy pressed gently, and was surprised when his finger slipped inside without resistance. Seth had at some point apparently lubricated himself very thoroughly. Sliding a second finger in beside the first, Billy released Seth from his mouth. "Someone's been awake a bit longer than he let on."

Seth raised his head to look at his partner. "You thought I was leaving anything to chance this morning?"

~*~

Billy felt himself flush. Though he knew it was physically impossible, he was certain his entire body was red. He turned to face Seth, eyes wide.

"You know, I didn't think it was possible, but you are even cuter when you're blushing." Seth climbed off the barstool. "Will, I'm really sorry I embarrassed you, but as a dear friend once told me, if you don't ask, the answer is automatically no. I'm going to head out. Enjoy your night." He walked around the table, heading for the door.

Billy grabbed Seth's arm, stopping him. "Wait!"

His momentum carried him forward off the stool, so that they stood facing each other. He looked carefully at Seth again. Although their faces were very different, Billy suddenly realized that Seth reminded him of Adam. He was exactly the same height and shared the Black (later Green) Ranger's slight build.

~*~

They stood next to the bed, Billy's arms gently resting on Seth's shoulders as his lover resumed licking and nibbling his nipples. Billy was almost painfully hard. His endorphins were rushing. Seth's stimulation had been relentless. He gripped the upper bunk and felt Seth's forehead pressed against the center of his chest as a condom rolled down the length of his shaft.

"Are you sure?" Billy asked.

"I've never been surer." Seth kissed him and reclined back onto the lower bunk.

~*~

"Will..." Seth pulled himself closer to Billy and kissed his lips, tentatively. A different kind of warmth rushed through Billy's body. To his own great surprise, Billy started kissing Seth back; ecstatic in the feeling of another human so close, actually touching him. Seth pressed against him, and Billy wrapped his arms around the lithe body, holding Seth tightly.

Billy felt the warmth of Seth's body radiating against him, tasting something sweet mingling with the remains of the beer in his mouth. Breath passed gently around his lips as Seth exhaled through his nose and then inhaled sharply. Billy gradually felt euphoria creeping through his body; it took a moment before he recognized that the feeling was oxygen deprivation. He hadn't taken a breath since he pulled Seth to him.

Abruptly, Billy released Seth and gasped for air. Had they not been pressed together, Billy would almost certainly have collapsed. As it was, he sagged into Seth and fought to regain his balance.

"That was some kiss," Seth observed.

Billy said nothing. He reached towards the table, looking for support other than Seth. The smaller man responded by easing him back onto the chair. Breathing rather raggedly, Billy reached up and straightened his glasses. He saw a broad smile on Seth's face.

"Are you all right?"

Billy nodded, still dumbstruck as he processed what had just transpired; yes, he had definitely been kissing back very hard.

"Good," Seth nodded, as he cupped his hand around the base of Billy's neck.

"I have never kissed another male before." And very few females, he added silently.

"Beginner's luck, then." Seth pulled himself closer to Billy and kissed him again. This time the contact was not at all tentative. He pressed against Billy's lips, caressing them with his own, tracing across the upper lip with his tongue, probing gently until Billy opened his mouth with a sigh.

Billy had no sense of time passing. He closed his eyes and surrendered to the sensation of Seth's mouth exploring his in exquisite detail. It had been years since he had kissed a human being, and the experience seemed utterly new to him. This was unlike the furtive pecks he had shared with Violet or any other woman, and utterly unlike his experience with Cestria.

Unconsciously, he reached around Seth's back to gently stimulate the dorsal nerve plexus, but he found no ridges to guide him. As he felt only the regular line of an all-too-human spine, he again remembered he was home.

Well, at least a few thousand miles from home, being kissed in public by a member of his own gender, that he met scant minutes ago while drinking. The disciplined, rational part of his mind was fighting like mad to assert itself, but Billy was successfully keeping it stuffed in a little box at the back of his brain while he enjoyed being kissed.

~*~

Billy pressed against Seth firmly. They breathed in unison as Seth opened to admit him. Assplay was not a luxury their schedules afforded them frequently. In the last semester, they had very little time together, and Billy had almost always taken the receptive position when they had the time and energy for an extended session.

Billy watched as his entire length gently and gradually vanished inside Seth. Hearing a light squeak disturbing the rhythmic breathing, Billy leaned down, drew his partner to him, and kissed Seth's lips lightly as, for a moment, they floated. Perfectly balanced. Yin and Yang.

"Still okay?" Billy asked.

"Perfect," Seth replied, and clinched tightly around Billy. A low, rolling moan escaped his throat and then he inhaled deeply.

"Ready?" Billy whispered into Seth's ear.

~*~

Finally, Seth asked, "Will, you are a great kisser, but I'm wondering, where do we go from here?"

Reality came crashing in on Billy and he stiffened. "Might I inquire exactly what you are asking?"

"This is great fun, but we have been at it for a while, and this isn't exactly private."

Billy glanced around the balcony and, to his horror, realized that at least a dozen other couples had wandered out from the club.

"How long..." Billy asked.

"I'm not sure, but a good 15 or 20 minutes." Billy groaned. "Relax. It's a very mixed crowd. Check it out." Billy scanned the couples on the balcony and saw at least as many same-sex couples as mixed. Everyone on the balcony was in some stage of making out. "I think we jump-started the evening," Seth said, smiling.

"I've been away far too long," Billy wondered aloud.

"No, this is just a unique venue, and the bouncers don't screw around. Back to the question at hand. What do you want to do?"

Billy looked around again, sighed heavily and dropped his head. "I have no idea," he said flatly. "I was very ill, traveled far from home to follow someone I thought was my soulmate, made a full recovery, and found out I was totally isolated from her and her people. Now I've abandoned that and I'm not sure I even have a home to return to anymore."

"I figured you were preoccupied..." Seth commented gently.

"In the old days, I'd lock myself in my lab and stay there, but that's no longer possible, and I don't have anywhere else to run."

"So we're back to the question, what do you want to do? Stay or leave?"

"Going back to her is not an option, so I'll be staying."

"No, I'm talking about right now." Billy looked at Seth questioningly. "I'm not qualified to give you advice on what to do with your life; besides, I just met you. You're in what is arguably the worst place on Earth to make a serious decision about the future, not to mention you're apparently still in culture shock. The question at this moment is, do you want to stay here in this club right now, or go somewhere else."

Reduced to a binary choice, Billy found his confusion abating. "I believe I want to stay."

"Good. Do you want to continue hanging out with me, or shall I leave you alone?"

"I would much prefer not to be alone," Billy stated.

"Works for me." Seth moved a little closer. "May I kiss you again?"

"Definitely affirmative." Billy relaxed and leaned into Seth.

~*~

"Affirmative," Seth purred back, grinning. He expected Billy to begin moving within him; instead, Billy simply adjusted his stance and began to languidly explore Seth's neck with his tongue. Seth gasped as Billy closed his teeth on his earlobe while gripping both nipples firmly in his fingers. "What are you doing?" Seth groaned, trying without success to gain leverage that would allow him movement in his hips.

"I think our objectives are the same," Billy told him, lavishing attention on Seth's upper body, but remaining very still, feeling his cock pulsing within.

"And that is?" Seth arched his back, but was unable to budge his hips.

"Ensuring we don't forget each other." Billy covered Seth, enfolding him in his arms; pressing as deep into him as possible, not backing out at all.

~*~

As he and Seth cuddled and kissed on the balcony, fantasies Billy had developed while on Aquitar began to play across his mind. There wasn't a single member of the team he hadn't imagined being with intimately when he felt trapped and alone on the distant planet. Trini coming to him in his lab at home; Jason taking him after a workout at the Youth Center (sometimes with Aisha, more often not); and, of course, Adam.

He had, at some point, developed an elaborate scenario involving Adam and himself being captured by Lord Zedd and lost in a cavern, trapped in a cold, isolated dimension, out of communication with everyone. To survive, they huddled close for warmth, the tension of the situation provoking intimate confessions. He never thought of it as his favorite, but he realized he had played it out in his mind frequently in the month immediately prior to his departure from Aquitar.

His mind snapped back to the present as he found himself again kissing Seth deeply. Billy blushed anew as he realized he was quite aroused. Worse, Seth's leg was pressed gently but firmly against him; he was certainly aware of Billy's condition. When at last they separated, Billy cast his eyes down, at an utter loss as to what to say next.

"Come on. Let's dance," Seth suggested, as he took Billy's hand to lead him back into the club.

"But I don't know how to dance," Billy objected.

"Me either," Seth smiled. "Look at the crowd, Will, we're not the only ones."

Billy didn't even offer token resistance as Seth took him onto the dance floor.

~*~

"Please, Will."

Billy moved his hips back slowly and deliberately, withdrawing somewhat more than half his length, then equally slowly, slid back into Seth. Seth gasped and his cock jumped as Billy reached his prostate.

Again, Billy repeated the slow and sensuous movement, eliciting the same response. As he withdrew a third time with tortuous slowness, Seth growled, "This is your revenge for all the times I tickled you, it isn't it?"

~*~

Billy felt as awkward on the dance floor as he had the first day of high school. The music was deafening and the crowd almost overwhelming. In spite of that, he enjoyed dancing immensely.

Unlike his previous experiences with school dances, it seemed as if everyone on the floor was dancing with everyone else. He periodically lost track of Seth and actually danced briefly with several other people. One young woman reminded him of Kimberly, and he thought for a moment perhaps it was (was she still in Florida, training?). It wasn't.

Even more curious was his utter lack of interest when the young woman moved in close to him. Billy well remembered the effect Kim had on him (and he had imagined an Aquitian encounter with her and Tommy that was still quite shocking to him in its intensity). But after recognizing the woman as someone else, any attraction he felt faded. Seth appeared behind him and Billy turned away from Kim's shadow to move closer to him.

They exited the club an hour later, soaked in sweat and charged with adrenaline.

"What now?" Seth asked as they hit the street.

"I would like to find somewhere much less cacophonous and significantly more private to sit down and to have something non-alcoholic and cold to drink," Billy replied.

"Your place or mine?"

~*~

Billy did not respond until he completed another protracted stroke.

"Tell me this doesn't feel good, and I'll stop," he said huskily, as the full length of his shaft disappeared, nudging deep inside his partner again.

Seth's fingers dug into the mattress and a deep groan of pleasure rumbled from his throat.

~*~

Ultimately, they decided to return to where Seth was staying. "Eric and his brother are overnighting with an aunt in Orlando, and if Keith is back before dawn I'll be amazed."

The place was a small bungalow about a mile from the beach. It was far from luxurious, but it was relatively isolated on a cul-de-sac and had a small screen porch facing a postage stamp of a back yard.

"Eric's brother said he sleeps out here occasionally. He recommends avoiding using the overhead light at night," Seth chatted as he lit the insect jar candle on the table. "Make yourself comfortable. Soda or water?"

"Water please," Billy requested and sat down at the small breakfast table. The night was cool but not yet cold. Only the brightest stars were visible in the glare of the city lights, but Billy was very glad to see them back in the positions he had grown up with. Lack of constellations had been another hardship for him on Aquitar.

Seth walked back in. "Here you go. I hope non-carbonated is okay."

"Ideal," Billy replied. He took a long draught and felt himself relax.

"Good. Take off your shirt." Billy nearly choked on his drink. "You're soaking wet and it's chilly. Give me your shirt and I'll hang it up to dry out." Seth laid a shirt on the table. "This is the largest one I packed, if it doesn't fit, I'll raid Eric's suitcase. He's about your build."

Billy considered objecting, but he had to concede Seth's point. He'd probably be uncomfortable shortly if he didn't comply. He pulled his short-sleeved top off over his head and was about to place it over the back of his chair.

"Let me," Seth offered, and took it from him. Seth's gaze lingered for a moment on Billy's remarkably defined torso, glowing in the candlelight. Seth again exited the porch, pausing in the doorway long enough to look back and say, just loudly enough for Billy to hear, "Woof."

~*~

Billy smiled and remembered something he had seen months earlier, but hadn't had an opportunity to try. He pressed deeply into Seth. Then, bending forward, he wrapped his arms under his lover.

"Hold on," Billy directed, lifting Seth out of the bed and carrying him out into the room.

~*~

Billy flushed and hurried to put on the shirt Seth left for him, a dark blue, plaid, flannel button down. It was definitely more comfortable than his sodden pullover. Not a great fit, but it would do temporarily, if he didn't try to close the top two buttons.

Seth returned in a fresh T-shirt and sat on the couch near the table with his own bottle of water.

"Blue really suits you, Will," Seth commented.

Billy froze, then started to laugh. He felt tears welling up, and suddenly the laughter broke into a sob. Billy inhaled sharply, and quickly wiped a nearly formed tear from his right eye. He broke out laughing quietly again, chuckling a "Thank you."

Hard as he tried to contain it, he continued vocalizing a broken laugh as he took another drink of water and gazed out into the night sky.

"Okay," Seth drawled quizzically. "If you liked that one, wait 'til I really get going."

Billy looked back at him. "Sorry." He reached over and touched Seth's hand. "It's sort of a... an in-joke from high school. It would be difficult to explain." Removing his hand, Billy quickly changed the subject. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"You can always ask," Seth replied.

"When did you know you were gay?"

"Know it, act on it, or accept it?" Seth countered.

"I assume from that response that the answers are different, so all three please," Billy requested.

"Junior high school, summer after I finished high school, and about six months after I was with my first lover. So," he paused, "eight years from awakening to acceptance."

"Junior high?" Billy asked.

"With the benefit of hindsight. Almost every fantasy I had was centered on another boy at school. Even the ones with women usually had another guy involved somehow."

"But you didn't act on your desire until after high school," Billy stated.

"No opportunity or inclination. Went to the prom, but that was it. I was a eunuch in high school."

"Until that summer," Billy said.

"Chance encounter at a party with a horny Marine. Real jerk, but handsome and built like a brick shithouse," Seth smiled broadly.

"That was," Billy paused, "evocative."

"Meant to be," Seth said, taking a drink. "Don't get me wrong, it's a fond memory on balance, but it was a mind bending, life changing moment for me. For him it was just another blowjob. Never saw him again. Never forgotten him either. My turn. When did you start wondering?"

Billy thought for a moment. "About a year ago. Things hadn't worked out exactly as I planned, and I had a great deal of time alone to think."

He and Cestria had been physically incompatible from the start, as would be any human and Aquitian. They enjoyed each other's company and did the best they could to satisfy each other's physical needs, but neither was capable of participating in what the other would describe as sex. Initially, this seemed surmountable (Billy had foolishly assumed that if offspring became an issue, options such as adoption probably existed there, as they did on Earth. The night he explained the concept of adoption was the only time he had seen Cestria look angry. He never understood why, and she never mentioned the subject again).

"Come here," Seth requested, gesturing for Billy to join him on the couch. Billy hesitated for a moment and then moved to sit next to him. Seth put his arm around Billy's shoulder and leaned into him. "So you are confused and all alone in a strange place on the rebound from a tragic love affair."

"That would be an accurate assessment," Billy responded.

"You also realize that I very much want to have sex with you," Seth stated.

"I had discerned that," Billy replied.

"Good. Let me know when you decide. In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy feeling you close to me."

~*~

Billy carried Seth balanced against his torso. Once they were in the center of the room, Billy directed, "Let go; I've got you."

Seth released his hold and leaned against the powerful arms, which were holding his back. He gasped as Billy began to lift and lower him.

Strong as he was, Billy only managed to move Seth up and down slightly. The expression on his lover's face told him it was enough. Billy held Seth suspended as long as he could and then pulled him back close, biting firmly onto a conveniently placed nipple.

~*~

Billy surprised himself by not tensing as Seth rested against him. In fact, he realized that it felt quite comfortable. Trying to suppress his growing arousal, Billy asked, "What if I decide not to?"

"You'll miss some really good head and go home very frustrated," Seth replied, rubbing his cheek gently against Billy's shoulder.

"So if I say no, I have to leave?"

Seth straightened up and completely disengaged physical contact. "Absolutely not; and I'm sorry if it came out that way. I hope you'll sleep with me if you stay, and if all you want is sleep, that's fine by me. I've been sleeping alone since I started school last fall and it still sucks."

"I have just one more question." Billy turned to look at Seth's face as he asked, "Why me?"

"You're handsome. You've got a very nice body. You're smart and articulate. And..."

"Please continue," Billy urged.

"There's something about the way you're so obviously horny and so reluctant that's just irresistibly charming." Seth shrugged and smiled.

Billy surrendered: to Seth's charms; to his own deep need for companionship; to fate. He leaned over and kissed Seth.

~*~

Billy collected Seth close to him and returned him to the lower bunk. He withdrew and sat on the bed, his legs very tired.

"That was incredible!" Seth exclaimed, sitting up. "It was like flying."

Billy smiled sheepishly. "That was what the book I read it in promised."

"And I don't have anything spectacular planned for you," Seth admonished himself.

"Actually," Billy began, getting his breath back. "An old standby would be fine with me."

"I'm going to miss you, Will," Seth smiled. He kissed Billy and rolled over onto his knees, gripping the bunk-bed posts with both hands.

~*~

Billy gasped and cried out. Orgasm overtook him. As his body stopped shaking, he gasped again as he felt his testicles released, one after the other, from Seth's mouth. Billy lay on his back, breathing heavily, his hands clasped into fists at his side.

They had kissed and fondled one another for some time, finally moving into the "guest room," a tiny utility room that was almost entirely filled by a twin-sized bed. Not nearly as spacious as Billy's motel room, but significantly closer, and more private than the porch.

When his mind stopped racing, Billy noticed Seth reaching off the end of the bed.

"Where is...? Ah!" Seth pulled himself up and regarded the supine figure before him. "You all right?" he asked.

"Affirmative," Billy replied. His mind was euphoric and his body was coiled like a spring.

"Breathe and relax, Will," Seth prompted, as he opened a towel and laid it across Billy's torso.

Billy jumped as the fabric touched his skin.

"Shhh," Seth whispered, as he wiped down Billy's chest and stomach. "As a wise man once said, always know where your towel is."

"That was..." Billy spoke between ragged breaths. "Morphinominal."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, but don't stop." Seth smiled, tossing the towel onto the floor. "Goodness sake; relax, will you?"

Billy's awareness was slowly returning. He willed his hands to unclench and breathed deeply, forcing the tension from his body.

Seth curled up beside him and draped his arms and legs across Billy. Billy rolled onto his side and hugged Seth tightly against his body.

"Thank you," Billy whispered into Seth's ear.

"Your welcome," Seth replied, kissing Billy on the neck.

Billy held him, saying nothing. Finally, he spoke. "What about you?"

"I'm a little crushed, but I'll survive," Seth replied with forced tightness in his voice. "You know, you're even stronger than you look."

Billy eased back, suddenly aware how tightly he had been gripping his slender companion. "I'm sorry... I... I..."

"Relax, Will," Seth went on in his normal voice. "I'm kidding. That felt really nice, actually. Well, nice up to a point. I needed to breathe eventually." They were holding each other loosely now, and Seth began to caress Billy's back.

"I meant you haven't... uhm... you haven't yet, have you?" Billy felt his face go bright red.

"No, I haven't come yet." Seth continued to run his hand gently across Billy's broad shoulders. "Mmmm, I thought you had a great chest, but your back is really incredible too."

"Would you like... I mean, I could..." Billy was trying not to stumble as he spoke, but he suddenly felt as if he were fifteen again.

"Will," Seth stopped him. "You've never fooled around with another guy before, have you?"

"No," Billy answered.

"Then this is your night. Height notwithstanding, I'm a big boy, and I can take care of myself. Reciprocation is not necessary."

Billy paused, then kissed Seth saying, "Perhaps not, but I'd like to."

~*~

Initially, Billy had felt awkward asking Seth to position himself on his hands and knees. Eye contact had been an integral part of their sexual activity to that point. But Seth had embraced the idea enthusiastically when Billy suggested it. He told Billy later that it was an easier position for him, given Billy's size, especially at the start of an evening.

Billy found the view exciting, and more reminiscent of his fantasies about Adam than he was willing to admit for some time. Today, that fantasy played across his mind briefly, then came crashing into the reality that this was not Adam, nor was it a fantasy. This was the man with whom he had formed the best (not to mention longest lasting) relationship of his life, and Billy was about to leave, not knowing when he'd see Seth again. For the first time, Billy found himself wondering if someday he would fantasize about Seth when having someone else this way.

~*~

He rolled Seth onto his back and lowered his mouth onto Seth's nipple. Billy was surprised as he felt it grow noticeably in his mouth. Seth's low vocalizing (which for a brief moment reminded him of Aquitian distance calling) encouraged him to become more aggressive.

"Mmmm. Harder is fine, Will. You aren't going to hurt me."

Billy hesitated, then increased the pressure he applied with his lips and tongue. Tentatively, he pressed the sensitive flesh between his teeth. Seth inhaled sharply, and Billy released his hold.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. His whole body jumped back and he moved away from Seth. He would have retreated off the edge of the bed had the wall not prevented it.

"Will," Seth told him patiently, "I realize you're new at this, so let's go over some basics.

"There are generally two types of sound made by one's partner when one's mouth is on their body: good sounds and bad sounds. 'Ah...Mmmm'..." He then inhaled sharply as he had before. "...is a good sound, and should be interpreted as meaning 'That's good; do more of that please.'

"Bad sounds generally go something like, 'Uugh, Easy!' or 'Ow! Stop that!'

"Personally, I'm quite vocal, and can assure you you'll be able to recognize when I want you not to do something." Seth moved closer to Billy and gently directed him back towards his nipple.

Billy sighed saying, "I intensely dislike feeling inadequate performing any task."

"Will, there's no reason to do this if you're not going to enjoy it. I can't stand obligatory sex; so if neither one of us is having fun, what's the point?"

"I don't view it as an obligation," Billy stated. "I only want very much to make you feel as good as you made me feel."

"Then just pay attention, follow your instincts, and please don't think of it as a task. I'm not grading you."

"Even if I asked you to?" Billy asked, only half joking.

Seth kissed Billy's forehead, saying, "You are utterly irresistible."

~*~

"Mmmm... Ahhhh... Rrrrrh... Oh! Why did you stop?"

"You were shouting," Billy informed him.

"I was?"

Billy nodded.

"Sorry," Seth stage whispered, releasing the bedframe and rolling onto his back.

Billy turned Seth onto his side and lay down behind him. He wrapped his arms under Seth's head and over his shoulder and began lightly brushing Seth's nipples with his fingertips.

"Keep that up and I'll be shouting again," Seth advised, as Billy slipped back into him.

"Like this, I can cover your mouth if I have to," Billy deadpanned.

A satisfied smiled appeared on Seth's face.

"What?" Billy asked, recognizing the expression.

"You just reminded me of someone."

"Who?"

"Me about three years ago." Seth twisted around to face Billy. Billy raised himself as they kissed.

"How so?"

"All grown up and ready to fly away. Can you imagine yourself saying something like that when I met you?"

"Point taken," Billy conceded, as he reached to stroke Seth in rhythm with his trusts.

~*~

Billy bit lightly into Seth's nipple and remembered. He remembered how he had needed to learn everything about Aquitian sexual response when he and Cestria had become intimate. It was a daunting task, as he had no frame of reference (not to mention the totally unfamiliar variety of orifices and appendages that comprised Aquitian genitalia). Cestria had always claimed she was contented with the accommodations they had devised to compensate for the anatomical differences, but Billy had never been completely certain. Here he had practical experience on his side.

He remembered the first weeks he had been in Jason's martial arts class, and how utterly out of place he felt. Then he remembered the day he tested for his black belt. He was more proud of that accomplishment than any of his other (not inconsiderable) scientific achievements. Science came to him naturally; the black belt required hard work.

This, he realized, would require a melding of the two. Recognizing and using his own natural response, and practicing its application. Billy smiled and returned to Seth's body, listening carefully for the subtle signals to guide him.

~*~

Very quickly, Seth grabbed Billy's wrist and pulled him away.

"What's wrong?" Billy asked.

"Nothing," Seth replied. "Curled up against you like this feels great. But I don't want to have to twist around see your face when I come."

Billy lay back on his side and returned his fingers to Seth's nipples, gently increasing the tempo of his thrusting as Seth writhed against him.

~*~

"Teeth! Teeth!" Seth exclaimed. Billy winced and released Seth's cock from his mouth.

"Bad sound," he stated.

"Very bad sound," Seth confirmed.

"Sorry."

In fits and starts, Billy had worked over Seth's body much as Seth had done his. The results had been mixed, but decidedly satisfying.

The low point had been when he first attempted to take Seth all of the way down. Fortunately, he had managed to swallow back the bile that rose in his throat, and that there had been mouthwash in the bathroom to eliminate the taste.

"You're a quick study, Will," Seth said when he returned. "But you're trying to do too much, too fast. Take it at your pace. And don't try to take me all at once. That takes practice. Believe me."

When he resumed, he avoided trying to deep-throat Seth and concentrated on the portion he could accommodate easily.

As Billy resumed his oral ministrations, carefully pulling his lips over his teeth, Seth voiced his approval. "Yes, that's better."

Eventually, Seth directed Billy to a particularly sensitive spot on the inside of his leg and had him gently bite it. Billy was surprised as Seth came quite suddenly and forcefully.

~*~

Both of them were slicked with sweat. This was the longest they had spent making love since before Christmas, and it was proving as memorable as Billy had hoped. But he realized that it had to end some time. They had both been excruciatingly close to climaxing several times, but had forced themselves back, wanting to savor this encounter as long as possible.

The banter that usually marked their liaisons had ceased. Seth was on his back, legs above him, as Billy drove into him with abandon. Billy heard Seth inhale sharply and felt him tighten; his eyes opened wide locking onto Billy's gaze.

That look sent Billy careening over the edge. He pumped quickly several more times, then pulled himself out of Seth, tearing the condom off with his hand once he was free. They came loudly within seconds of each other. As he all but collapsed on top of Seth, Billy smiled as he realized he didn't care at all if the entire hall had heard their exclamations.

They remained motionless so long, by the time they tried to separate they found themselves stuck together.

~*~

Eyes closed and body languid, Seth murmured, "Oh, I needed that!"

Billy regarded him, and felt a sense of satisfaction at his role in producing this state.

"There's another towel at the end of the bed. Would you pass it over, please?" Billy complied. "Thanks," Seth said wiping himself off. "Come here."

Billy maneuvered himself back next to Seth and let the smaller man wrap around him again.

"Thank you," Seth whispered. "That was wonderful. This is nice too," as he snuggled against Billy.

"Was that really adequate?" Billy asked.

"Will, that was far more than adequate. It was delightful. You're sexy, you're responsive, and you're eager." Seth kissed his cheek. "That works for me."

They lay in each other's arms and drifted to sleep.

~*~

Seth sent Billy to the shower room first. Billy was pleased to find all of the stalls deserted (probably half the usual population of the dorm was already gone). He had just gotten the temperature the way he liked it when he heard the door open and close. He jumped when Seth poked his head around the curtain into the stall.

"Hey, sailor boy; you new in town?" Seth chirped.

"Seth, what are you doing?" Billy demanded.

"Joining you in the shower to wash your back," he informed, stepping all the way in. Two people in a stall that was designed for one (preferably narrow) person presented a wealth of logistical problems.

"What if someone comes in?" Billy asked.

"I don't care, and you're leaving. Don't fret so much, even I'm sated right now. I haven't been able to shower with you since last summer, and may not get to again."

Billy knew better than to argue. Besides, Seth was right. Sharing the flowing water felt wonderful after all of their exertions, and washing each other was a pleasant coda to the morning.

Seth eventually jumped to another stall to wash his hair and left Billy to complete his shower in peace.

~*~

Billy startled awake several hours later when he heard someone enter the house.

Seth stirred and pulled Billy back down against him. The front of Seth's body was pressed along Billy's back as they lay spooned together. "That's just Keith," Seth mumbled. "He'll crash on the sofa in a minute."

Billy remained awake for some time, feeling Seth's gentle breathing against his neck, marveling at how good having another warm-blooded body pressed against him felt.

~*~

Billy's schedule was essentially shot by their torrid morning (not that he really minded, their respective Finals schedules had allowed them almost no time in the last week), so they did the only reasonable thing and went to their favorite off-campus restaurant for brunch.

Sitting in the Nelson Avenue Cafe with a plate of gingerbread pancakes before him was the only time Seth reminded him of Rocky.

~*~

They slept late. Billy awoke first and watched Seth. He sat engrossed, observing the rhythmic rise and fall of Seth's chest for what he realized was an inordinate length of time. When Seth finally opened his eyes, Billy curled up in his arms again.

Billy was torn about wanting to initiate another round of lovemaking, but the prospect of someone in the next room overhearing restrained him.

Seth showered first, not really speaking to Billy until he returned from the bath. "You're a morning person aren't you?" Seth observed. "Ah well, no one's perfect."

As Billy finished his shower, he heard more voices in the kitchen. He dressed in the bathroom and came out to see a tallish man with glasses giving Seth a set of keys.

"Hey, Will, up for some breakfast? We've got wheels."

~*~

"What?" Seth queried, a large hunk of the plate-sized gingerbread pancake hanging from the end of his fork.

"Nothing," Billy replied, dipping his french fry into the blob of ketchup on the edge of his plate.

"I know that look..." Seth prodded with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm impressed by your ability to enjoy breakfast so thoroughly at any time of the day or night." Billy dodged.

"Nice to know I can still impress you," he said, lifting the pancake to his mouth.

Billy ignored most of his meal and continued rolling his french fry in the ketchup. "Seth..."

"Don't," Seth interrupted, not looking at him. "You don't like long good-byes and I don't like maudlin ones. Eat your nice burger. I bet you miss this place more than you miss me, before Fall."

"Highly improbable," Billy stated, acquiescing and biting into the hamburger.

"Good answer," Seth replied, catching Billy's eye as he carved out another chunk of pancake with the edge of his fork.

~*~

Over breakfast Billy asked, "You had a lover?"

"Yes. Taught me everything I know. Never pressured me, except about college. I finally applied when he got transferred."

"You didn't follow him?" Billy asked.

"Nope. He was only the third person I'd had sex with, and we both knew there was a whole world for me to explore. I do miss him though," he sighed.

"Do you wish you had followed him?" Billy asked.

"Absolutely not. We had a wonderful time together, but he prefers a partner who's just coming out. It would have ended with or without the transfer. He had taught me everything I was ready to learn from him at that point."

"You said earlier you're a freshman now?" Billy asked.

"I took some time off before college. I wanted to see the world a little, in case it wasn't around to see later."

"What do you mean?" Billy asked.

"This is always a little tough to explain to people from the East Coast," he said rolling his eyes. "But I'll try. I grew up in a small town on the West Coast called Stone Canyon. Nobody's ever heard of it, but it's a few miles inland from Angel Grove. The Angel Grove; and, yes, it's all true.

"I only went over there once, to watch my sister play in this broom ball tournament (don't ask, it's not worth explaining). Everyone went there half-expecting not to make it back home. Nothing happened, at least that we saw. It was just a very surreal place to live. I mean, every evening, the local news carried weather, traffic and how much of the neighboring town has been destroyed by giant monsters."

"I know exactly what you mean," Billy smiled.

~*~

They took the scenic route back to the dorm, wandering through the various green spaces that broke up the campus. Billy found they were not speaking a great deal, but he was enjoying the walk and Seth's company. He surprised himself by taking Seth's hand as they entered the quad behind their dorm. They reached their room again at about noon.

~*~

"I'm sorry I'm leaving today, but we all have to be back home and alert, early Sunday morning."

"So am I," Billy said with feeling.

"You've got my email address. Stay in touch," Seth said in parting, dropping Billy off at his motel.

"Count on it," Billy replied, stealing a kiss as he climbed from the car.

When Billy reached his room, he pulled out his laptop and launched the Web browser, happy that he had rebuilt the modem from the ground up for quicker, wireless connection. "Open page... dot edu."

The online application to Seth's school took him less than an hour.

~*~

The small box on his suitcase, wrapped in electric blue paper, hadn't been there when they left. Billy shot a glance to Seth, who smiled innocently.

The card said simply, "Happy Graduation. Love, Seth." The box contained a ring, a heart with a crown held by two hands.

"How do I wear it?" asked Billy.

"That depends. The heart pointed out means you're available. Pointing in means you're taken."

"I am familiar with the custom of the claddaugh. I meant how did you intend I should wear it?" Billy clarified.

"Out," Seth replied. "But if you ever feel lonely, turn it in and remember there's someone who loves you." He actually said that without his voice cracking, but his eyes were wet.

Billy slipped the ring on and embraced Seth. "Thank you."

After a moment, he released his lover. "I should go now." He pulled his knapsack over his shoulder and picked up his case.

Before he reached the door Seth said, "One last favor."

"Name it."

"Leave from here," Seth requested.

Billy swallowed.

"I figured it out a while ago, Will. I just... I'd just like to see once, and know for sure I didn't imagine it."

"This may take a moment," Billy stated. He didn't waste the energy trying to figure out how Seth had discerned his identity, and he respected him too much to lie to him. He had probably been quite obvious about it, and Seth had simply had the discretion not to mention it until now.

He confirmed the coordinates on the wrist device he had carefully modified and rebuilt over the last six months. His trip to Aquitar had made him aware of just how large the Morphin' Grid actually was, and the scope of its power. Learning that had allowed him to refine his teleport interface design, and create a 'space available' system to travel through the Grid when it was not otherwise occupied (practically all of the time). He had some old friends to visit and catch up with.

He kissed the shorter man lightly on the lips, and then rested his forehead against Seth's. The slight vibration from the control pad signaled that the system was clear of other traffic.

"My ride is ready."

"Don't be a stranger. And don't delete my email address," Seth teased.

"Never," Billy assured him, giving Seth's forehead a final peck.

He stepped back, bringing his right arm in front of his body. Pressing the glowing activation stud, Billy bid his lover farewell saying, "May the Power protect you."

"Go, go, Power Ranger," Seth whispered, smiling through teary eyes. But the words were lost as a column of white light surrounded Billy. When the light faded, Seth stood alone in the room.


Part I Part II Part III


E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net