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

I storm away from Kai, trying to put on a façade of anger.

In reality, I'm just scared. I'm weak.

And he doesn't need to see that.

My legs pump faster and faster as I run away – run away, just like the fear locked inside would – from my problems.

I shouldn't have treated him so bitterly, but it was like seeing him for the first time in two years brought all my long-lost anger and resentment to life. All my emotions were suddenly before me, wrapped up in the nice little person-package of Kai Smith. Here to ruin my life – again.

I wish I could just escape the world, just take all my girls and live on a desert island in the middle of nowhere. The scene is perfect in my mind: I can put all thoughts of exes and danger aside. We could all live in relative contentedness and safety.

But then I'm struck by reality once more. My girls' lives exist in Ninjago City. I can't pull them away from that. One day, they'll all grow up to have careers and marriages and wonderful lives.

I guess the island part is for the one girl who can't have any of that – me.

One high heel digs into my foot, and I bite my lip, halting in the middle of the sidewalk. I bend down to tug my shoes off only for Kai's jacket to fall from around my shoulders.

Crap. I forgot to take it off, and now it looks like I actually wanted it.

Why has my life come to this?

I finish tugging off my heels, then slip my arms into the jacket. I guess there's no harm done in using it as a windbreaker if I've already ruined my reputation by wearing it.

Heels in hand, I slowly make my way back the rest of the distance to New Beginnings. Cole said PIXAL and Zane were left in charge while I was gone, so I suppose my girls are fine. Still, just thinking of how they could've been harmed had that android been just a few blocks away – it breaks me. What if the house had fallen instead of the banquet hall?

Fear grips my heart, and I break into a run again.

My bare feet slap against the sidewalk. I know I can't be everywhere at once. I can't be everything these girls need. I've tried so hard, but in reality, I'm not enough.

I'm never enough. Not enough to give these girls a life, or to change Kai, or to fix a broken team, or to make my dad love me, or to boss around a police force, or to break up with an emotionally and physically abusive ex in my sophomore year of high school.

I see the warm and welcoming lights of New Beginnings up ahead and breathe a sigh of relief, slowing my run just a bit. The building is all intact.

I should've trusted PIX and Zane to take care of the girls, but when they're not in my sight, it's like I'm some old worrywart.

I used to judge Kai for how he protected Nya far too much, but I realize now that love does desperate things like that.

I reach the steps of New Beginnings and shove open the front door – only to remember that it's after-hours. The house is locked up.

Drat.

I pat my hip for my purse just as I realize I left it back inside the banquet hall. The now-crushed banquet hall.

Double-drat.

I bang my fist against the door, wincing in pain as dry, cracked skin collides with hard wood. I glance down at my hand only to realize it's scraped up and skinned from earlier today. The paramedics checked everyone out and declared them okay, but I frustrated their attempts to bandage my hand. I was too busy chewing out the police force for not knowing their job.

In my defense, they really weren't making much progress on their own.

"Just a minute!" PIXAL's voice says from somewhere inside.

My heart twists. I don't have a minute – not when it comes between me and my girls.

"You could use your powers," a voice from behind me suggests.

I jump, inhaling sharply right as I realize it's Kai Smith.

Why can't I escape you?

"I – you followed me," I accuse, trying to control my overwhelming emotions.

He shrugs, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his dress pants. "Yeah. Cole and the others are driving back with the police now. I guess they're too pooped to walk an eighth of a mile."

"Oh." I take a deep breath, trying to overcome my stress. "Whatever." I close my eyes and concentrate on teleporting into –

A pair of warm hands clasp my shoulders, causing my focus to shatter.

"You sure you don't want to take a minute before you head inside?" my ex asks, having the audacity to inject some compassion into his voice.

I lock my jaw, trying to keep from insulting him again, but it gives me a moment to think about what he said.

And sadly, I know he's right.

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Darn.

"That's it," he says encouragingly. "Just take a deep breath, and then – "

"I don't need you to coach me on coping with stress, Kai," I huff, getting my bearings. "Okay. I'm going in – "

PIXAL opens the door, greeting us with big, innocent green eyes. "Oh, Skylor, it's so wonderful to see you back! The girls and I were all concerned for your welfare, and – "

She frowns, suddenly noticing Kai's presence beside me.

I grab his hands and push them off my shoulders. "I...Cole's having a meeting with everyone tonight. He's here for that." I blush fiercely and shove my way inside.

Only to be tackled by fourteen frightened teenage girls.

I'm all of a sudden surrounded by a tangle of arms and a barrage of questions. "Are you okay?" "What happened?" "Are we going to die?" "Who's that guy out front?"

I soak in all their affection, and it fills me with grounding peace. "I'm all right, guys. And we're not going to die."

The youngest – Stella, who's twelve – wiggles her way to the front of the group and wraps me in a tight hug. She leans up and whispers for just me to hear, "I was so scared you weren't coming back."

I tighten my arms around her as well. "It's okay, Stel. I'm here now." I rest my head on top of hers, silently cursing a world where parents leave their daughters, whether by necessity or by desire.

"A'ight," Seliel says above the noise, shrilling a whistle to catch everyone's attention. "Back away from Skylor, please. She needs some space to speak with a few old friends."

My troop reluctantly let go of me, clearing enough space for me to see the former ninja team all gathered at the door. They all awkwardly pretend not to watch my embrace with the girls – all except Kai, who shamelessly watches with a blank look on his face.

I knew he never would've done well helping me run a girls' home.

I clear my throat and angle my head toward the hallway. "Follow me. We can meet in the kitchen."

Without waiting for an answer, I say hurried goodbyes to my girls and pad down the hallway.

I feel much more collected now that I know the girls are okay, just...all that adrenaline drained me. What I wouldn't do for a latte right now.

Zane smiles as soon as I enter the kitchen. "Hello, friends," he greets. "I have leftovers from supper if you are interested." He crosses to the refrigerator and grabs a platter out of it.

"Oh, good," Jay says from the doorway. "I'm starving."

I'm surprised anyone feels like eating after a night like this.

Cole helps Zane set out dinner before seating himself at my bar-turned-snack counter. "All right, guys. First of all...it's good to see everyone here together."

Almost everyone. If they haven't forgotten, my ex-fiancé is currently standing in my kitchen. As though he has any right to be here.

"Second," Cole continues, "we have no idea where that android came from or what its purpose was."

Jay plops down in the chair next to Cole. "I know the cops have already heard my story and stuff, but that thing did say it was hunting enemies of Unagami."

"Unagami?" I frown.

"I have no record of that name in my database," Zane puts in.

Nya nods. "The police were confused about it, too. So essentially, we're going to have to do a little snooping to figure out what's going on."

Jay pumps his fist in the air. "We're gettin' the gang back together, guys! This is –,"

Nya taps his shoulder. "Um, I meant you and I would do the snooping. We're the only ones in a position to go android-hunting right now." She shoots me a look from the corner of her eye.

"Oh." He shrugs off disappointment, then turns and laces his fingers with hers. "We're gettin' the Jaya gang back together! It's been so long since we've had a mission together, Nya! Isn't this awesome?"

From the corner of my kitchen, Kai snorts.

We all swivel our heads toward him.

He brushes a piece of lint of his dress shirt. "Sorry. I'm not used to my sister and Jay being a married couple. Actually, I'm not used to them being a couple, period."

Resentment rises in me, and I step toward him. "I can't believe you – "

"Settle down, guys," Cole sighs. "Let's go over the rest of the plan."

Kai glances up with a smirk.

What happened to the caring guy on my front porch, huh?

Cole goes on, "So Jay and Nya will look into any leads involving this Unagami person. Meanwhile, I'm going to be upping security here at the girls' home." He runs a hand through his dark locks. "I'm duty-bound to protect these girls."

"So am I," I agree.

Cole looks up. "That's something else I found interesting – how the android showed up at a charity ball to attack. Maybe that was random, but I'd hazard to guess he was looking for someone there who could be an 'enemy of Unagami'."

"Like who?" Jay asks. "I mean, we don't even know who Unagami is."

"It's interesting odds that there were several elementals on the premises," Cole suggests. "After all, Skylor was there, Kai was there, and Griffin Turner and Shade were – "

I sputter. "Shade was there? For charity?" I resist the urge to spit in my pristine kitchen floor.

It's not usually that way. Zane must've cleaned while I was gone.

Cole nods. "Yep. We ID'd everyone we got out of the building, then fact-checked their identities with the guest list. And although we didn't find Shade or Griffin with the guests trapped inside the party, they were on the invitee list."

"Disgusting," I snort. "That doesn't even – "

"Let's go on," Cole prods. "Anyway, it's possible that android was hunting elementals. It wouldn't be the first time we've dealt with something like that."

Nya frowns. "But there were even more elementals here at New Beginnings. Jay and I were here, and so were Cole, Zane, and Cassie."

"Cassie?" Kai asks, confused.

I massage the bridge of my nose. "Cassie is one of my girls. She's the elemental master of...well, I don't quite know what to call it, but she can tell the future."

"Like...determine the future?"

I stifle an eyeroll. "I said she can tell the future, not determine it. It's an interesting element – I haven't been able to wield it even after touching her. She says that I have the power, but it's latent."

Cole clears his throat until he has all our attention.

"But it's not like we knew we would have extra elementals on hand here tonight," he continues. "Jay and Nya popped in as surprise guests. At most, there would've been two masters here. Statistically, it was better for that android to go by the guest list and crash the mayor's party."

Jay holds up a finger. "But...that means that the android must not be able to sense elementals. Somebody had to direct it to the party."

"Exactly," Cole nods. "And you and Nya are going to find out who that was."

"I already have a good idea of who did it," Nya says solemnly.

Cole goes on, "And...if that android really was after elementals, then we need to stick together. Skylor and I can stay back here with Cassie, Nya and Jay are a team..."

I look toward Kai, not needing to hear Cole's unspoken question.

"No way," I growl. "Send him away to go stay at college with Lloyd or something."

"Lloyd's actually heading home for the summer in two weeks," Nya says sympathetically. "His semester's ending. He asked if he could stay with Jay and me over the summer."

I grip the counter. "No. No. Kai, you go stay with someone – anyone – else."

"I completely agree," my bewildered ex nods. "Sorry, Cole, but Skylor and I – we don't really work well in the same environment."

"Just put up with each other for a few weeks," Cole pacifies us. "Kai can help me with security during the day and be far away from – "

"No!" I exclaim. "Don't you understand that he's the very thing I've been working so hard to keep the girls away from? I don't want them thinking it's okay to have hoity-toity, self-absorbed men around! That'll just lead them down paths of failed relationships and toxicity! How –,"

Nya places a hand on my arm. "Skylor, it's not like he can stay with Jay and me. You know how –,"

Kai snorts, approaching us. "Now don't blame me for not being able to stand the emotionally abusive little girl who tried to ruin my life. In fact, you did ruin my life. You stole pretty much everything that gave me purpose."

"I could've died trying to save you today!" Nya bellows, shoving him away from us. "And if you'd stop for a moment and think, 'Hey, maybe my memories of Nya are all wrong', you'd be able to see that."

"How am I supposed to trust someone else's memories?!" he exclaims. "I know what you were like in private, Nya – how you tried to coerce mom and dad into giving you what you wanted, how that led to a fatal car accident –,"

"Stop lying about me!" Nya cries. "You're so stuck-up! You don't want to believe you're wrong, so you pretend everyone else is!" She locks her jaw and storms out of the kitchen.

Jay gulps. "Um...see, somebody should probably...er...I'll go after her." He grabs a potato chip out of its bowl and heads out of the kitchen.

Cole sighs. "Seriously, Kai? You're still holding onto that bitterness?"

"Only because she trash-talked me first," he complains. "No regrets here."

I stomp up to him and snatch his tie, pulling his face down to eye level.

For the second time tonight.

I snarl, "I'll make you regret –,"

"Guys!" Cole exclaims. "Just put up with each other for one night, and I promise we'll make arrangements for everyone in the morning, okay? But seriously, do you have to ruin every attempt at planning we make here? We're trying to save Ninjago from possible danger if you didn't realize that."

I turn my back on Cole. "Fine – fine! Keep him around for one night. But if he comes anywhere near my girls, I won't be held responsible for whatever happens to him!"

And with that, I teleport out of the kitchen.

***(Nya's POV)***

~Music Cue~

I wince as I tug my pajama top down over my bruised and busted shoulder. I would've left the crime scene unscathed today if it weren't for my valiant attempt to save Kai.

Which he didn't need, nor did he thank me for.

I release a heavy sigh and plop down on the dewy toilet seat, wondering why I ever agreed to stay at Skylor's for the night. I get that she's a mess and that she wants to surround herself with people who can protect her girls (and her heart, given that my brother's back in our lives).

I just don't understand why sometimes...sometimes, it feels like you give and give and give and give, and at the end of the day, there's nothing left for yourself. Jay and I have been on the road for so long, and we got back yesterday just in time to deal with an indecipherable crime in Ninjago City this evening. And now we're staying at Skylor's so she can actually get some rest tonight and have time to process all that's happened in one fateful evening.

I really need some sleep.

I sigh, standing up and shoving open the bathroom door. It leads into a cute little furnished guest bedroom. It's comfortable, sure, but it's not home.

Jay looks up at me and smiles from his spot on the bed. He's resting on his belly, flipping channels on the TV like it's an Olympic sport. Whatever an 'Olympic' is.

"Hey, Nya," he greets. "You look comfortable."

I look down at the pajamas Skylor lent me and hold in a sarcastic laugh. The pants are far too long – she's always been a good three or four inches taller than me – and the top exposes the angry bruises and abrasions on my shoulder.

"I'm ready for bed," I admit, crawling in beside him and tucking myself under the huge comforter. I rest my head against my pillow and feel it puff up around the sides of my face, cooling my warm cheeks.

Jay rolls off the bed and pads over to the light switch. "Are you all good?"

I nod. "Yeah." Just dealing with more drama than a girl needs in her life.

"You don't sound good." He flips off the overhead light, leaving only dim lamplight to illuminate our surroundings. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really." I close my eyes and try to clear my mind of all the stress I'm dealing with right now.

I feel the bed cave beside me as Jay slips in. "Well, I'd like to talk about something."

"Wow, really?" I play the words off in a joking tone, but in reality, I just want to be left alone so I can sleep.

"Yeah." He rests his head on my shoulder affectionately. "I'd like to talk about how amazing this girl right here is."

"Really? Because I'd like to go to bed." I lean my head up and kiss his cheek. "Good night."

"It stinks that she doesn't like talking about herself," Jay goes on in a forlorn tone.

I ignore him, reaching over to turn off the lamp on the nightstand.

"Nice battle scar," he tries, brushing his fingers over my upper arm. "Brings a whole new meaning to road rage." He reaches out to grab my hand that's reaching toward the lamp. "Hold up a sec. Do you want a bandage?"

"No, Jay," I sigh, annoyed. "I got one from the paramedics earlier, but I hardly need it, so I threw it away after my shower."

"Maybe it just wasn't the right kind of bandage. You know I always carry smiley face bandages around with me, and in my opinion, they make everything better." He gives me a stupidly cheesy grin.

I look away. "Why do you always act like a puppy when you're trying to be affectionate?"

"Girls like puppies," he shrugs, brushing the hair away from my face. "I figure it's worth a shot."

"This girl likes her space." I grab my pillow and smash it against my face. "Go to bed."

"You need a smiley face bandage, though."

"You need to leave me alone."

I feel a pair of soft, warm lips press against my shoulder.

I frown. "Are you...kissing my booboos?"

"Hey, it worked when my mom did it with me," he replies. "Maybe I don't have her magical healing powers, but I wanted to try."

I can't help the slight smile that tilts my lips. "Whatever."

He grabs my pillow and tugs it away from my face. "So it does work!"

I close my eyes and force my expression to remain annoyed. "No, it doesn't."

"Huh. Maybe I'll just have to try again." He smacks a loud kiss against my shoulder.

I roll my eyes. "That was more saliva and sound effects than anything, buddy."

He begins peppering the area with tiny kisses. "Tell...me...when...you're...happy...again," he says through interspersed smooches.

I reach my free arm toward the lamp again, but with lightning-fast reflexes he captures it again, not letting up on his fusillade of kisses.

I sigh as I watch his fluffy head of curls continue to try to 'magically' heal my arm and temper.

He's sweet and silly, and that does make life so much better. But he can't fix my problems – especially my relationship with my brother – with lots of kisses and humor.

But he gets an 'A' for effort.

I trace my finger under his chin. "Hey, look at me."

He places one last long kiss on my shoulder before turning his gaze to my face.

"I'm not mad at you," I say gently. "I just need to process all that's happened today, okay?" I lean forward and rest my forehead against his.

"I can help you process," he softly suggests, tucking one arm around my waist to keep me close.

"Not tonight, okay?" I peck his forehead, then smile down at him reassuringly.

He opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again.

"Okay," he finally sighs, relinquishing all hope of getting me to spill. "I know you like to internalize stuff. Let me know if there's something I can do to help, okay?"

"You already have just by being you." I run one hand through his curls before reaching over to turn off the lights.

And this time, he doesn't stop me.