By the time I made it back to Skylor's apartment, the sun was well above the horizon. Might as well just use the front door.

I tried the apartment door. Locked. Well I'm already here, I'm not gonna go back to the window. I figured Skylor would be up, but why wait for her to answer the door? Nonchalantly, I removed a hairpin from the waistband of my gi and quickly picked the lock before entering the apartment.

As I glided past the kitchen, Skylor glanced up from the stovetop, unphased by my sudden appearance. "I know you did not just pick the door lock."

I didn't answer in effort to keep from breaking down in tears again. I just silently made my way to the bathroom, closed the door, and sank down on the floor. Curling my knees up to my chest, I covered my mouth to muffle the sobs.

Skylor's light, padded footsteps trailed to the bathroom door and she knocked softly. "Celine? What's wrong? Are you sick?"

I didn't answer, just buried my face in my knees. The bathroom door squeaked open on the hinges we said we'd oil weeks ago as she walked in.

Skylor slid down on the floor next to me. "Did you go see him?"

"How did you know?" I choked out.

"I think you forget we lived almost the same life at times." I can hear the soft smile on her face. "I heard him on the fire escape. And when he left, I went to investigate and found his note."

"I can't do this anymore!" I sobbed, burying my face against her shoulder. Skylor stiffened a little, physical touch was never really her thing. After a moment, she seemed to relax a little, wrapping an arm around my shaking frame.

"Shhh, it's okay," Skylor soothed as she smoothed a strand of hair away from my face. "You didn't do anything wrong. He's pushing your boundaries and you're standing firm with where you've placed them. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I'm hurting him, Sky," I mumbled. "I'm destroying him and he's just letting me. I wish he'd just scream and yell at me or something. Him chasing after me like this is just making things worse. I don't know how to feel anymore."

Skylor leaned her head against mine. "I wish I knew what to tell you, but I don't."

She let me cry it out for about an hour. It was the first time since I showed up at her door a few months ago that I had really just let my emotions out, and strangely it felt cathartic. We opened Chen's later in the morning than usual, but people rarely show up right away, and if anyone complained, they knew better not to voice it in the restaurant.

This cycle continued for months. I'd do my part to fight what crime I could as the ninja seemed to be on sabbatical. All except Cole. Each night, I'd roam the city. And each night, I'd evade Cole as he incessantly searched me out. But eventually, even he gave up on me.

I was almost upset that he had given up. I once again came to terms with what I had done and who I had become. I felt like a monster. I had done nothing wrong, but it didn't change how I felt.

The days dragged by. Each one the same as the previous. Long days working at Chen's. Stalking the streets to rid the city of vandals into the dead of night, and when I finally made it back to the apartment for a few hours of sleep, it either evaded me or was plagued with nightmares of my past. I began to feel like a zombie. Skylor became concerned with my health, both physical and mental.

I hopped across rooftops towards the sound of the sirens. It had been a few nights since any major incidents, which set off alarms in my head. Something seemed to be up.

As I reached the source of the noise, I stopped abruptly on the roof, dumbfounded. Below, six figures, seeming to be dressed in ninja gis, were already handling the situation.

"How in Ninjago...?" I murmured to myself. I watched as cop cars pulled up and the figures approached them. Dejectedly, I began to make my way back towards the apartment.

I slid in the window. Skylor looked up from a chair where she was reading as I shuffled back to my room.

"You don't look so hot," she remarked.

"Someone stole my job."