***Okay, sorry for the late-night post, buuuuuuuuuuuuuut here we go. This chapter had a lot of  mixed feelings...I had to change the ending so many times LOL And the song choice is cute, but not perfect...oh, whatever. Enjoy! <3***

***(Kai's POV)***

I anxiously tap my foot in the food court. I usually keep pretty good tabs on Nya, but she and Skylor have been out of my sight for at least forty-five minutes. What if something happened to my sister? What if I can't save her, just like I couldn't save my parents?

I guess it's not right to worry about her as much as I do, but I can't help it. Nya is all I have left. If I lose her...I'm nothing.

Finally, I see distinctive red hair. My body immediately releases all its stress in a huge sigh of relief.

It's replaced by anger.

"What did you two think you were doing?" I demand, racing up to them. I throw my arms around Nya, happy she's safe.

"We were shopping, Kai," Skylor yawns. Her face is defiant, and I glare at her.

Nya probably wants to imitate her friend's cavalier attitude, but she instead rubs my back.

"It's okay, Kai," she whispers. "We're okay. There's nothing to worry about."

I pull back. "You can't just leave without telling me where you're at," I chide her, making her understand with my eyes. "Any number of things could happen to you."

"She can take care of herself pretty well," Skylor argues. "Plus, she had me to back her up."

"Stay out of this!" I growl. "You're trying to steal my sister from me."

Nya pulls out of my embrace, as if to emphasize my point. "Don't talk to my friend that way, Kai," she frowns.

"She's a bad influence, Nya. Isn't she the reason you've been rebellious lately? Don't think I haven't noticed."

She opens her mouth, then closes it. "Kai, I think I deserve a chance to explore the world a little. I'll be sixteen next week."

Something squeezes my heart as I stare at her. Four years ago, she needed me to protect her. She needed me to raise her. But – the thought floors me –

What if she doesn't need me like that anymore?

Fighting against the pain of that idea, I shake my head. I try to act angry, but my words only come out hurt.

"Leaving me behind and not telling me where you're going is not a sign of maturity," I bite out.

Skylor crosses her arms. "In your sister's defense – "

"We'll talk later, Skylor. This is between me and my sister." I put an arm around her shoulder. "Let's go, Nya."

"You can't be serious," Skylor fumes, stomping after us. "You're just going to leave me here with the birthday presents I got for your sister?"

"Return them!" I shout. "Or I'll pay you back, or whatever. Just stay away from her."

"Kai..." Nya tries.

"Not now. You're grounded."

"Okay," she sighs.

"You're giving me your phone as soon as we get back home, and then you're heading straight to bed."

"What about dinner?"

I hear quick, unhappy strides next to us, and I know Skylor is following. "Remember what I said about puppy eyes, Nya."

"Like I'd fall for – "

I look down to see my sister staring up at me with the saddest expression I've ever seen. Well, great.

"We'll see, Nya," I moan. My gaze turns to Skylor. "Leave us, please. I'll talk to you later."

"I'll be ready," she spits.

Nya and I make our way out to the car. She's unusually quiet, which makes me feel like a monster. But what am I supposed to do, let her run off and get hurt? The world is a hard place. It took our parents, and it can take her.

It's a silent drive home. I try making small talk, but she shoots down my attempts with one-word answers. I mean, I'm also lecturing her with the few words I do say, so she probably doesn't want to speak to me.

This is all Skylor's fault. I can't believe she wants to turn my sister against me! How does she think I'll be able to raise a spoiled princess on limited funds?

At the blacksmith's shop, Nya slides her phone onto the counter and goes straight to our bunkroom.

I feel bad, but what am I supposed to do? This is for her own good! I wish Skylor had never come into this mess.

But...I do feel sorry for Nya. I was a little hard on her. I'll make sure she gets dinner.

I rummage through the cabinets, finally finding her favorite cereal. I pour her a bowl and get her a glass of milk on the side, just like she always makes it. Then, I knock on our door.

"Sis?"

"I'm fine, Kai. You can go out and party and break girls' hearts, or whatever it is you usually do on Friday nights."

I cringe. I didn't know she'd noticed my sneaking out.

"Um, this isn't about that. I actually brought you some food."

"I'm not hungry anymore, but thanks."

I sigh, knowing I won't get through to her. "Okay. I'm leaving it at your door."

Right as I'm about to leave, her voice stops me. "When are you going to let me out of this castle, Kai?"

"What do you mean?"

"When can I have friends and go out by myself and wear what I choose?"

I slump down against the door and sigh. "How many years is it until you're thirty?"

No reply comes, and I know she's not interested in talking anymore.

I snatch her phone off the counter and search through her conversations. No, I'm not that much of a stalker, but I need to find something...

There. Under that pretty redhead's face is an address, and I intend to use it.

I climb back in my beat-up car and plug in the address on my phone. I can already tell it's on the richer side of Ninjago City, but I kind of expected that. Skylor's family has to be wealthy for her to own a sports car, dress like a model, and try to dress my sister like a model.

I guess she wouldn't understand anything about pain and loss. She's had everything handed to her in life, while I was left to raise my sister when I was just fourteen.

When I pull up in front of the mansion, I'm amazed. It's even more grand than I thought. It's a large white building with a manicured front lawn and a backyard the size of a football field.

I double check the house number to make sure I'm right, but everything matches up. Well, I knew she was rich, but I didn't know she was this rich.

"All right, Prissy Pants," I mutter, reaching for the doorknob. "Let's get this over with."

***(Skylor's POV)***

When I pull into my driveway tonight, it's dark. I'm still fuming over Nya's stupid brother and his stupid rules. He's so blinded by overprotectiveness, he can't see how he's hurting her! And now he wants to take me, the one normal thing she has in her life, away! That boy makes me so mad.

I swing open the door to my house, but that's when my anger morphs into curiosity. I hear a loud, unusual voice coming from down the hall.

Why is Dad back so early from his business trip?

Being a good daughter, I decide to snoop. I press myself up against the wall and creep toward the dining room.

"Why do you let her stay out so late?" my father's muffled voice asks.

"You never cared before," Clouse replies.

"Yes, but I need her now!"

I feel a presence trying to creep into my mind. Clouse must sense my nearness.

I take that as my cue to walk into the dining room. I plant a huge kiss on my father's cheek. "Hi, Dad. Back so early?"

"Skylor!" he cries, a smile lighting his features. "My only daughter. I missed you."

"You, too." I mean, he's a little crazy, but he's a lot better than Clouse. "But you failed to tell me how you got back so fast."

"I missed you too much to stay away for long."

Fat chance. The guy was gone for two weeks this time, when it's usually more like two months. However, I don't call him out.

"Skylor," he continues, "I was thinking we should spend some quality time together soon. I know you're grown up and all, but you're still my daughter."

"I'd like that." Maybe. "Listen, though, it's kind of been a long night. Mind if I go ahead and go to bed?" And plot ways to kidnap my adopted sister from her evil older brother?

His face falls. "Oh. Well – of course. We'll talk more tomorrow."

That's when I sense it – the fire. It's a well-kept secret in my family, but I'm the master of amber. That means I can absorb and use the powers of other elemental masters.

And I can tell when the master of fire is around. I mean, he doesn't think that I know he has powers, but I do. After our annoyingly amazing kiss four years ago, I absorbed the element of fire. It's kind of hard not to know.

"Uh, I left something by the door," I excuse myself. "Good night, Dad."

"Good night, Skylor. Think about what I said!" he calls after me.

I slip into the hallway and gravitate toward Kai's power. He should be right around the –

Arms reach out and grab me, and I immediately go into attack mode. I have my fist poised, ready to assess my enemy's weaknesses...when I see a pair of alluring brown eyes looking down at me.

"Slow down, Princess," he smirks.

His voice is low, inviting, and I realize how close we are. I take a huge step back.

"Kai, do I have to add breaking and entering to your list of faults?"

"Hey, I didn't break anything to get in here. I used the door."

"Obviously not the bell."

He shrugs. "I wanted the element of surprise. Now, let's get down to business."

"Right, business. I assume this refers to your crazy obsession with controlling your sister's life?"

His face hardens. "You know nothing of what it's like to raise your sister as a daughter."

I scrunch up my face. "No. That's messed up."

"It is, so I don't need you messing around in that messed up mess."

I laugh and cross my arms. "You are such a dolt. I'm trying to help your sister. You are aware that she's a human being, not just a responsibility?"

"Says the girl who thinks she's a dress-up Barbie." He snaps his fingers. "That's it! I do know you."

"I wish you didn't."

"You're the noodle girl," he laughs. "Still playing dolls?"

My face turns red. "Listen, hothead, can you quit it with your flirty act so we can talk about your sister?"

"You're the reason I changed my hair, you know," he says casually. "I can't believe I let a little girl boss me into that." He laughs. "But, you know, after I tried a little gel, I kind of liked it."

"Stop talking about yourself!" I explode. "This is about Nya!"

"Okay," he shrugs. However, his smile turns sour. "Stay away from her."

"No. I'm the one normal thing she has in her life."

"Are you kidding me? Okay, I'll admit that maybe living with her brother instead of parents isn't normal. However, she still has some normal friends."

"Like whom? Lloyd Garmadon, the son of the dark lord?"

"Wait - you know that Lloyd is Lord Garmadon's son?!"

I ignore him. "And I can't help that your jerk parents sent her to stay with you – or whatever actually happened – but I can help her by being her one girl friend!"

He stalks toward me. "Don't you dare say a word against my parents. You have no right to insult them."

I try to calm myself down. "Look, I'm sorry I called them jerks."

"They weren't jerks." He swallows. "I mean, aren't."

*Maybe cue music here :) *

Pain flashes in his eyes, and something within me causes me to step toward him. "Kai, I can tell they hurt you. I'm sorry."

"They didn't mean to. It just happened." Then he shakes his head. "Whatever. The point is, you can't be spoiling my sister. We don't have the money for that. And don't corrupt her fashion sense! I don't need guys checking her out."

"Like you checked me out earlier?"

He stares me down, then bursts into laughter. "Wow. I didn't think one little kiss could make a person this bitter."

I blush. "I didn't think good older brothers flirted with girls who could corrupt their sisters, or whatever you call it."

He sighs, running a hand through his styled hair. "Okay. You got me."

We're both quiet for a moment, but he finally speaks up.

"So, you'll stay away from her, right?"

"Can't promise that, Bud. She needs me."

His eyes flash fire. "No, she doesn't. She needs me, and nobody else. I'm the one who got her through the past few years."

"And look where she is now. She barely knows how to stand up for herself, she hasn't been to a mall since she moved to Ninjago City, and she doesn't know how to associate with other girls her age."

He sighs. "I can't help that. It's for her own good."

I rack my brain. "What if we make a truce?"

"You mean, I compromise my sister's morals so you two can be friends? No way."

"No, like, I help your sister see a different side of life, but we work it out together."

"Like...two parents raising a kid?" He starts to crack up.

"No, like two siblings teaching the youngest how to spread her wings."

"That doesn't work. We've kissed, and I seriously hope siblings don't kiss in your family."

"Ugh, you are so gross!"

"You didn't seem to think that four years ago." He steps a little closer, and I can smell his cologne. "I wonder if you still find me so irresistible."

I want to move, but my legs are rooted to the spot. I'm lost in his eyes. They connect with the fire in me.

The fire I absorbed from our last kiss.

"Kai...I don't know this is a good way to deal with our problems." My heart speeds up.

No, no, no. It doesn't work like this. You don't have lip action with someone if you're trying to win them over to your side of an argument.

His arms snake around my back. "It's not, and I probably shouldn't do this," he mutters, "but there's just something about you."

"Remember your sister. Remember you hate me because you think I'm turning her into a stuck-up socialite." Meanwhile, I'm reminding myself that I hate him because he's too proud to see he's destroying Nya.

Why can't I just pull out of his arms and get this over with?

Why don't I want to?

His lips hover ever closer, and I can almost feel the sparks fly when -

He leans back. "I told you, you find me irresistible."

I stomp my foot. "You are such a...a..."

"Hot, charming guy with no sense of propriety?" He shakes his head. "And remember, I'm way too old for you."

"Are not! You're my age, Kai. Nya told me that."

"She...what? But she wasn't supposed to - "

"She trusts me, Kai! And good thing, or she'd never have anyone to talk to."

"You..." He sighs. "Okay. Maybe you have a point."

I furrow a brow. "Did you just say...that I'm right?"

"I can do a truce," he continues, not responding. "I mean, I'll have to write off ninety percent of your ideas, but whatever."

"So...you're really giving in?" I don't believe that.

"I'll obviously have to keep an eye on you two, but as long as I'm the one calling the shots..." He rolls his eyes. "Let's just say I'd rather not be on your bad side. It's wearing me down."

I laugh in triumph. "Because you find me irresistible?"

"No, because you're a brat."

"I don't believe that." I step toward him. "You're giving up because I'm too much for you. You're on girl overload."

"Stop. Don't come any closer."

"Why? Afraid of what I make you feel?" I taunt him, moving in even more. "You're the one who chose to kiss me, after all."

"I can't believe you're still obsessing over that. It happened four years ago." I see his gaze drift to my lips, and I can't help but be drawn to it.

"Hmm, I could say the same about you." 

His hand reaches out. "Stop, Skye. Neither of us wants this."

"Oh, but you - "

"Skylor, what on earth is going on in here?"

Oh, great. The night my parent gets home is the night I decide to almost kiss a stranger in a dark room.

Kai swallows. "Um...Skye? You didn't tell me your dad was – "

I sigh, pulling away from his entrancing touch. "Dad, meet Kai. Kai, meet my father – the founder of Master Chen's Noodle chain."