About a week later and they were all strolling through the city together.

Jay and Kai had been looking for video games, Jay for comics and Zane and Nya for books.

They had all filled Nya into the story and believe me when I say, she was MAD.

Cole's mood was better, the sun was shining and his friends laughter was contagious.

He just came with them for fun, but helped picking out an awesome new video game and so they all were excited to try it out this evening.

Cole was still thinking about his father, but now that he brought more distance to the whole... situation.... his mind was clearing a bit, his thoughts stopped spinning in circles and he actually considered reaching out to his father for a clearing conversation.

He was still mad at Sabrina, but mature enough to understand that none of this was her fault.

It was Cole's father replacing his mother..And why, Cole wanted to understand.

Maybe it was totally stupid or Lou had a good reason.

Whatever it was, Cole was ready to swallow down his own emotions and try to understand his father's.

But then, just the two of them, without...

"Cole?"

... Sabrina.

Cole immeadiatly came into a halt, causing Jay to bump into him.

"Wha-", Cole didn't even understand the rest of the lightning ninja's complaint.

Sabrina.

Across the street. Waving at him.

Called you on the phone today
Just to ask you how you were

"How are you, stepson?", she giggled, it almost sounded hysterically.

Cole almost barfed.

He looked at his friends for support, but they only looked puzzled.

Of course, they don't know what she looks like.

Now, she was approaching him.

Stepson... barf, barf, barf. Cole was grinning, it probably looked exavtly as forced as it felt - hopefully it does.

"Sabrina", he said, not only to greet the woman that was currently ruining his life, but also to give his friends a hint.

They immediately came to closer, almost like some sort of wall to protect Cole.

"What a beautiful day for some shopping, huh?", she kept on talking.

Barf.

She stopped in front of him. "Haven't heard from, since... uh, yeah. How are you? Do you wanna talk to your father? He must be here somewhere..."

For Cole it was almost like the time stopped. The cars stopped driving by, the birds stopped chirping, People around them stopped talking. No. They vanished. Disappeared in front of Cole's eyes, at least it felt like this.

And then Lou came around the corner.

And then also Cole's heart stopped.

It was hot, the sun was stinging down merciless and Cole grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be Lloyd's waist, to not keel over.

All I did was speak normally
Somehow I still struck a nerve
You got me fucked up in the head, boy

"Lou! You two-timing-", Jay needed all his strength to hold Nya back.

And Cole needed all his strength to not run away.

Never doubted myself so much
Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy?
I hate that I give you power over that kind of stuff

And then Lou stood in front of him, an arm around Sabrina's waist.

Barf.

Placing a kiss on her cheek.

Barf.

Handing her a bouquet of forget-me-nots he was holding in his hands.

Barf.

"Wait, you remembered?", Sabrina chirped like an bird, putting her long blonde hair behind her shoulders. "My favorites!"

"I got them from the market. They are freshly picked"

Barf- Wait what.

Her favorites?!

All eyes were on him now, Cole hadn't even noticed that he said that out loud.

He cleared his throat.

"You used to pick some for Mom there. White Lillies", he said.

"Oh, hey son", Lou said, as he had only noticed him now, his eyes looking up and down, as he had only noticing him now FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE!

'Cause it's always one step forward and three steps back
I'm the love of your life until I make you mad

Cole felt a familiar rush of anger flodding him, but he forced it down.

He wanted a normal, civilized conversation with his father.

But not here, not now.

But anger wouldn't help either.

"How are you?", he asked, banning every emotion from his voice.

It's always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand
No, I don't understand

"Ah, we are so good. We just had lunch at THE best thai. Really you have to-"

"Sabrina. Maybe you wanna go to the market and pick out some pretty necklace. I'll buy it for you", Lou stopped her talking-flow and handed her his purse.

She squeaked like a little girl, or maybe she had more of a pig, and off she went.

In her pink high heels, she was clacking down the street.

Short white dress and blonde hair.

She was the exact oppostie of Lily, so Cole couldn't even blame on Lou's type of woman.

What was it that they had?

Lou was still eying him, talking, saying something?

Wait what was he saying? Cole didn't understand, his ears were ringing.

After a while he understood that his friends were talking to him.

Small talk.

And eventually Zane confirmed that they knew what happened a week ago.

That was when Lou shot Cole an ice-cold look.

And maybe in some masochistic way
I kinda find it all exciting
Like, which lover will I get today?
Will you walk me to the door or send me home cryin'?

"Do you always send your friends ahead. In fighting, talking. Can't you stand up for yourself? Thought I raised you better..."

That was when the earth started moving again.

Somewhere a car honked, a birds flew by and a kid was crying for ice cream.

Cole let go of Lloyd's waist and straightened up.

"Oh, so you admit now, that there was definitely something that would acquire sending my friends ahead? Of course I told them about Sabrina, you hit me in the face because of her!"

Cole was loud, he didn't care. But now, they were drawing attention, earning looks.

It's one step forward and three steps back
I'm the love of your life until I make you mad

Cole didn't care.

"What is wrong with you, Cole? Are you jealous because even I have a girlfriend and you don't?"

That hit Cole right where it hurt the most - not.

He laughed. Again, way too loud.

"Pff, some sort of girl you got. Barbie and Ken or what?"

Lou now looked helpless at the other ninja, Cole didn't understand why.

What was he helpless and worried about?

It's always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand

"Listen, I know what I said and did. But if you wanna talk about it-"

He did..He wanted to talk about it so bad. He wanted his father back so bad.

What he didn't want was bleached blonde guinea pig StEpMoM.

So he shook his head violently.

"You don't understand. And you never will. Go for her then. Buy her a necklace and new shoes and flowers and her next hair-dye", he maybe was acting childish, but again he stormed off.

Leaving his friends and father behind.

No, it's back and forth, did I say something wrong?
It's back and forth, goin' over everything I said
It's back and forth, did I do something wrong?
It's back and forth, maybe this is all your fault

Lou looked after him. Then looked at his friends. "He thinks I am replacing Lily with Sabrina. But Love... Love is something more complex than that. It's not black and white. It's... complicated. I love Lily and I love Sabrina"

Instead it's one step forward and three steps back
And I'd leave you, but the roller coaster is all I've ever had

"Then why did you put away all her stuff?", Zane asked.

Lou shook his head. "I wanted to do it a long time ago, and really, I wanted to tell Cole about my plans. Sabrina... because of her I just had a reason to really do it"

"Do what?", Kai.

"Restart. But not by forgetting Lily. But forget my grief. I can't live with being reminded of my loss all the time.
But Cole... He sees it different, and so he doesn't understand..."

Yeah, it's one step forward and three steps back

"You slapped him!", Nya. Jay again needed to hold her back.

"I am so sorry... Tell him, I'm sorry", Lou mumbled, turned around and crossed the street again, where Sabrina already awaited him, a brand new necklace, with a bright pink heart-shaped pendant on it, in her hands.

Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy

She lifted her hair and turned around so that Lou could put it on.

I don't understand

The ninja watched as the two of them left in the opposite direction Cole went. Hand in hand.

No, I don't understand