".... And is it really true that the other day, Lloyd went to the shop and got makeup for Misako? I mean-"

" Woah, Dude!" Cole exclaimed, taking his fake glasses off.  " You've been talking for...." He skimmed through his notebook. " 45 minutes!"

' Oh."

" Jay, why in the world do you have SO many worries?!"

" Because."

" .... That doesn't make any sense."

Jay rolled his eyes. " You're supposed to be my therapist!"

" Yeah, but I'm not certified in these things!"

Then, Kai walked in.

" Uh Jay?" He said, " Your time is up."

Jay sighed and crossed his arms as he left.

Kai walked to Cole. " How was it?"

" The usual. He talks about his worries, and half the time he makes me question what I'm doing."

Kai blinked. " That's.... Intense. You want one, too?"

Cole shrugged. " Sure."

He passed the stuff and flopped onto the chair.

" Okay, Cole. Spit it. What did my brother-in-law say?"

Cole cleared his throat, and sighed. " He just said how he thinks no one likes him and how he thinks you're way too cocky and Lloyd needs to chill and that he thinks Nya doesn't really like him as much as he loves her and Wu needs to trim his beard and how Zane's hair might be real or might not be and how he combs it if it's metal and how he's able to do all these things and how Mia always tells him to-"

" Woah, woah, woah, what?!" Kai looked at Cole, who was nodding.

" Aieaieaaie." he muttered, shaking his head. " What are we gonna do?"

" I dunno."

Kai looked at Cole. " Really helpful, COLE."

" I'm sorry, KAI."

Kai shook his head. " It doesn't matter." Then, he muttered, " I'm gonna need some counseling."

" Really?! You too?" Cole groaned, taking his things. " It's hopeless."

" For once, I agree."

" Kai, not helpful!"

" Well, I'm sorry!"

Cole sighed. " It's okay. We just need to figure out where these insecurities are coming from."

Both friends paced around the room, deep in thought.

Then, a thought occurred to Cole. " Wait. Didn't Jay break down one day and say he was afraid he wasn't a good member on the team, and he thought we would poison him and kick him and stuff?"

Kai nodded. " He also thought me, as in the cocky me, don't accept him for who he is."

Cole shrugged helplessly. " What do we do?"
Kai sighed. " I... don't know. We might want to consider asking Wu."

" We can't, remember!" Cole said in frustration. " He's in Hawaii, studying scrolls."

Flashes to where Wu is. He is sunbathing, not reading.

" Well then, what do we do?!" Kai asked, throwing a stuffed animal that was lying around to the door.

" We could ask Mia- oh, wait. She's with Nelson, in Australia."

Cole groaned. " Why does everyone have to be on vacation when we need them?!"

Kai shrugged. " I don't know."

Cole flopped head first on the couch. " It's useless," He said, his voice muffled. " We'll never be cured from the curse of Jay's horrid thoughts."

Kai, although wanting to agree, couldn't bring himself to do it. Jay was their friend.

" We could try showering him with love and stuff!" Kai suggested.

Cole looked up and gave Kai a cross look. " Nope."

" Make food for him?"

" Kai, you don't know how to cook. And you all complain that my cooking is bad."

" We could bake him a cake!"

" And what? Tell him our plans? Say, ' Oh, Hi, Jay! Here's a cake, to show you we love you. And please stop having those thoughts.'"

Kai glared at Cole. " Not helping."

"  Never intended to."

Kai slapped his head. " Why don't we just have a nice conversation with him?"

Cole shrugged. " Worth a shot."

They trooped to Jay's bedroom and knocked.

" Jay? Are you in there? Can we talk?"

When no reply came, Kai turned to knob.

It was locked.

" Jay? Are you there?" Kai called again.

" Buddy, you're worrying us!" Cole said, pounding on the door.

When no response came, Cole muttered, " Sorry, Jay," and mashed the door. They stepped in, and gasped.

There was writing on the walls.

Specifically, how he was worthless and no one liked him.

" What are you guys doing in here?" A voice asked, alarmed. Both friends whirled to see Jay.

" Jay, what is all this?!" Kai asked, pointing to the walls.

Jay sighed and walked to his bed. " Nothing," He said. " You weren't supposed to see this."

" Jay, we're here now, so just please, tell us why you have all this on the walls!" Cole said.

Jay curled up on the bed, facing the wall, and they could both see splotches of red on his shirt.

Blood.

" Jay, talk to us!" Kai said, desperately, walking to his brother.

Jay was trembling, and Kai turned Jay's face.

He was crying.

" Jay, please talk to us." He said, more gentler, putting his hand on Jay's.

Jay's trembling intensified as Kai gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Cole moved closer, his concern evident. "Jay, we're your friends," Cole said softly. "Whatever you're going through, we want to help you."

Jay remained silent, his face turned away from them. The writing on the walls was a painful reminder of the dark thoughts that had been consuming him. Phrases like "I'm worthless" and "No one cares about me" were scrawled in various sizes, a physical manifestation of Jay's inner turmoil.

Kai sighed, his heart aching for his brother-in-law. "Jay, you've always been the heart of our team. You're the one who keeps us laughing, who keeps us together. Why would you ever think that we don't care?"

Jay finally spoke, his voice shaky and filled with pain. "Because... because I'm always the one who messes up. I'm not as strong as you, Kai, or as grounded as you, Cole. I'm not a leader like Lloyd or a genius like Zane. I'm just... I'm just me. And sometimes, it feels like that's not enough."

Kai's eyes softened. "Jay, being 'just you' is exactly what makes you special. You have a heart bigger than anyone else, and you're always there for us, no matter what. We need you just as much as you need us."

Cole nodded in agreement. "And let me tell you something, Jay. If any of us were in trouble, you'd be the first one to drop everything and come to our rescue. We know that. We count on that. But you have to know that you can count on us too."

Jay's tears fell more freely now as he finally turned to face them. "But... but what if you guys get tired of me? What if one day you decide that you don't need me anymore?"

Kai shook his head firmly. "That's never going to happen, Jay. We're a team, and more than that, we're family. We're in this together, for better or worse. And we're not going anywhere."

Cole sat down on the bed next to Jay. "We're sorry if we've ever made you feel like you're not important. That's on us. But we're here now, and we want to help you through this. You don't have to go through it alone."

Jay's shoulders shook as he let out a sob, finally letting go of the pent-up emotions that had been suffocating him. Kai and Cole both moved closer, wrapping him in a comforting embrace.

"We've got you, Jay," Kai whispered. "We're here, and we're not leaving."

For a few moments, they all sat there in silence, the weight of the situation settling over them. But in that silence, there was also a sense of healing, a promise that things would get better. They would make sure of it.

Finally, Jay spoke again, his voice still trembling but with a hint of relief. "I'm scared... but I don't want to be alone."

"You're not alone, Jay," Cole reassured him. "Not now, not ever."

Kai nodded. "And we're going to help you get through this, one step at a time. But first, let's get you out of this room and clean up those wounds."
Cole and Kai exchanged a worried glance as they guided Jay to the bathroom. The tension in the air was palpable, and Jay's reluctance only deepened their concern.

"Jay," Kai said softly, trying to keep his voice calm, "we need to see what's going on. Please, just pull your sleeves up."

Jay hesitated, his eyes wide with fear. "Sorry?" he mumbled, as if he didn't quite understand what they were asking of him.

"Jay," Cole said gently but firmly, "we can see the blood on your shirt. We just want to help you, but we need to see how bad it is."

Jay shook his head, backing away slightly. "No... no, you can't," he whispered, his voice tinged with desperation. "You can't see... you'll... you'll hate me."

Kai's heart ached at Jay's words. He took a step closer, his tone becoming more insistent. "Jay, we would never hate you. You're our brother, and we love you. Whatever's going on, we'll face it together. But you have to let us in."

Tears welled up in Jay's eyes as he looked down at his hands, his fingers trembling. He slowly began to roll up his sleeves, revealing the raw, red marks that crisscrossed his arms. The sight of the self-inflicted wounds was enough to make Cole and Kai's hearts break.

"Oh, Jay..." Cole breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kai gently took Jay's arm, his touch careful and compassionate. "We're so sorry you've been going through this alone," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But you don't have to anymore. We're here, and we're going to help you, okay?"

Jay's tears spilled over as he finally let go of the fear and shame that had been consuming him. "I... I didn't know what else to do," he confessed, his voice trembling. "Everything just felt so overwhelming, and I thought... I thought hurting myself would make it stop."

Cole wrapped an arm around Jay's shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. "We're going to get through this, Jay. You're not alone, and we're going to help you find better ways to cope. You're too important to us, to everyone, to let this take you down."

Kai nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "We're going to figure this out, together. But first, let's get you cleaned up, and then we'll talk about what comes next. One step at a time, okay?"

Jay nodded weakly, feeling a small flicker of hope as his friends stayed by his side. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel so alone.

Kai wrapped his arms around Jay, holding him close while Cole carefully cleaned the wounds on Jay's arms. The silence in the room was heavy, filled only with the soft sounds of running water and the occasional sniffle from Jay.

As Cole worked, Jay mumbled, "You can just put band-aids on it or something. It's not a big deal."

Kai pulled back slightly, looking at Jay with a mixture of disbelief and concern. "Seriously?" he said, his voice firm but caring. "Jay, this is a big deal. We're not just going to slap a band-aid on it and pretend everything's fine."

Cole nodded in agreement as he continued cleaning the wounds with gentle hands. "We care about you, Jay. We're not going to let this slide. We're going to help you, but you have to take this seriously too."

Jay looked down, guilt and shame washing over him again. "I just... I didn't want to be a burden," he whispered. "You guys have enough to deal with."

Kai shook his head and gently lifted Jay's chin so their eyes met. "You're never a burden, Jay. We're a team, and that means we take care of each other. No matter what."

Cole finished cleaning the last of the wounds and started applying some ointment. "And that means taking care of yourself too, Jay. We need you. You're a big part of this team, and we're not going to let you hurt yourself like this."

Jay's eyes filled with tears again, but this time, there was a glimmer of gratitude in them. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely audible.

Kai hugged him tighter, his voice softening. "It's okay, Jay. We're going to get through this together. We'll figure it out, one step at a time."

Cole nodded as he carefully placed clean bandages over the wounds. "We'll get you the help you need, Jay. You don't have to go through this alone anymore."

Kai, still holding Jay in his arms, asked gently, "Jay, when was the last time you ate?"

Jay didn't respond immediately. His brow furrowed as he tried to recall, but the truth was, he couldn't quite remember. It had been days of worrying, sleepless nights, and now this moment where everything seemed to have blurred together.

Kai, seeing the confusion on Jay's face, sighed softly. "Okay, it's been a while, hasn't it?" He didn't wait for a reply, knowing that Jay might not even have the energy to argue. "Come on, Jay. Let's go get you an apple or something, just to get something in your system."

Cole helped Jay stand, and they slowly made their way out of the bathroom. Kai kept a supportive hand on Jay's shoulder, guiding him gently but firmly toward the kitchen.

"An apple's a good start," Cole said as they walked. "We'll find something more substantial after that, okay?"

Jay nodded slightly, his body still heavy with exhaustion but feeling a small bit of comfort knowing his friends were there, taking care of him. "Yeah... okay," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

In the kitchen, Kai quickly found an apple and handed it to Jay. "Just take it slow, alright? We're here for you."

Jay took the apple and managed a small bite, the taste and texture grounding him a little. As he chewed, Kai and Cole watched him closely, their concern evident but tempered with relief that he was taking this small step.

"Thanks, guys," Jay finally said, his voice a little stronger now. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kai smiled softly, patting Jay on the back. "You don't have to find out, Jay. We're not going anywhere."

After Jay had eaten the apple, Kai and Cole guided him back to his room and encouraged him to rest. Jay, still emotionally and physically drained, didn't resist and lay down on his bed, curling up under the blankets. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

Kai and Cole quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind them. They headed to the living room, where they sat down and began whispering to each other, trying to process everything that had just happened.

"This is worse than I thought," Cole whispered, running a hand through his hair. "Jay's not just stressed; he's... I don't know, on the edge."

Kai nodded, his face drawn with concern. "I've never seen him like this before. He's always been the one to joke around, to keep us all upbeat. But now..."

Their conversation was interrupted by a gnawing feeling in Kai's gut. He decided to check on Jay once more, just to be sure he was okay. When he quietly entered the room and approached the bed, he noticed something that made his heart sink.

Jay was curled up under the blankets, his thumb in his mouth, sucking it softly as he slept. The sight immediately brought a wave of sadness and worry crashing over Kai. He knew all too well what that meant—Jay was regressing, slipping into old, childhood habits as a way to cope with overwhelming stress.

Kai returned to the living room, his expression grave. Cole looked up at him, sensing something was wrong. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

Kai sighed and sat down heavily on the couch. "He's sucking his thumb."

Cole blinked in surprise, then his eyes widened in realization. "Oh boy... That's bad. Really bad."

"Tell me about it," Kai replied, his voice laced with concern. "He only does that when he's completely overwhelmed, like he's shutting down emotionally."

Cole shook his head, feeling the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders. "We need to help him, Kai. We can't let him go on like this."

"I know," Kai agreed. "But we need to be careful. If we push too hard, he might retreat even further. We've got to find a way to get through to him, to make him see that we're here for him no matter what."

They sat in silence for a moment, both deep in thought, knowing that they needed to tread carefully with Jay in this fragile state. They were determined to help him, but the path ahead was uncertain, and they knew it would take all their strength and patience to guide their friend through this dark time.

* Next day*

The next morning, the sun cast a soft, golden light through the curtains of Jay's room. Kai, determined to check on his friend, walked quietly down the hall and gently tapped on Jay's door. When he heard a faint, shaky voice from inside, he pushed the door open and stepped in.

Jay was sitting on the edge of his bed, his shoulders hunched. He was staring at a photo of the team on his nightstand, his eyes red and puffy from crying. As Kai approached, Jay quickly wiped his tears and attempted a weak smile.

"Hey," Kai said softly, sitting down next to Jay. His voice was filled with warmth and concern.

"Oh, hi, Kai," Jay replied, his voice barely more than a whisper. He tried to sound casual, but the sadness in his eyes betrayed him.

Kai settled beside Jay and gently placed a hand on his back. "How are you doing?"

Jay hesitated, taking a deep breath. "I'm... okay," he said, but the tremor in his voice gave him away.

Kai's eyes softened. "Jay, don't lie to me. I can see your nose twitching." He reached out and turned Jay's head gently so he could look him in the eye. "It's okay to not be okay. You don't have to hide it from me."

Jay's resolve crumbled, and he buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking as he cried. Kai moved closer, wrapping an arm around him. He guided Jay's head to rest on his shoulder and began to stroke his hair soothingly.

"I just... I think that people hate me because I'm so clumsy," Jay managed to say between sobs. "I tripped so we weren't able to catch the villain last time. And the time before that! I keep messing things up."

Kai's heart ached at Jay's words. He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to comfort his friend. "Jay, I know it feels like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders right now. But you have to understand that we don't hate you. We all have our moments, and we all make mistakes. What matters is that we learn from them and support each other."

Jay clung to Kai's shoulder, his cries becoming more desperate. Kai gently rubbed Jay's forehead with his own, a comforting gesture meant to convey solidarity and love. "Jay, I may appear cocky sometimes, but in the end, I love all of you. You're my family. You're not alone in this."

Jay's sobs gradually began to subside as he absorbed Kai's words. He looked up at Kai, his eyes still watery but filled with a glimmer of hope. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do," Kai said firmly, giving Jay a reassuring squeeze. "You're an important part of this team. We all rely on each other, and that includes you. We're all in this together, no matter what."

Jay nodded slowly, his breathing starting to even out. "Thanks, Kai. I needed to hear that."

Kai smiled softly, still rubbing Jay's forehead. "Anytime, Jay. Just remember, no matter what happens, we're always here for you. We're a team, and that means we stick together through thick and thin."

Cole walked in, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of Jay, still leaning on Kai's shoulder, his face streaked with tears.

"What happened?" Cole asked, his voice tinged with alarm.

Kai, still holding Jay close, turned to Cole. "Jay thinks we still hate him. He's been struggling with his feelings, and... well, he wrote something new on the wall."

Cole's gaze shifted to the wall, where he saw the latest addition: "Master Wu hates me." His heart sank as he read the words.

"Jay, why would you think that?" Cole asked, his voice filled with genuine confusion. "Of course Master Wu likes you! Why else would he have asked you to join our team?"

Jay looked up, his eyes filled with a mix of hurt and resignation. "Because he couldn't find anyone else. Face it, guys, he doesn't need me for anything but to just operate the Nunchucks of Lightning. That's it. I eat a lot, I'm taking up a room, and I'm just a baby!"

Cole's face softened with sympathy. He stepped closer and knelt down in front of Jay, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jay, that's not true. Master Wu values you. We all do. You're a crucial part of this team. Without you, we wouldn't be as strong or as effective. You're more than just the guy who operates the Nunchucks."

Kai nodded in agreement, his arms still wrapped around Jay. "Jay, you have to understand that we see so much more in you than just your role on the team. You're a friend, a brother, and someone who brings a lot of heart to what we do. You may think you're just taking up space, but you're really filling a place in our lives that no one else could."

Jay's eyes brimmed with fresh tears, but he looked at both of them, searching for the truth in their words. "But I'm always messing up. I feel like I'm not contributing enough."

Cole shook his head firmly. "We all mess up. It's part of being human. What matters is how we support each other through those times. You're a vital part of this team because you're you. Not because of what you do or don't do."

Kai gave Jay's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "And Master Wu wouldn't have asked you to join if he didn't believe in you. You're more than just your abilities or your mistakes. You're part of our family, and that means we stand by each other, no matter what."

Jay wiped his tears, trying to absorb the words of his friends. "I... I just didn't know how to handle all this. I didn't mean to push everyone away."

"It's okay," Kai said gently. "We're here to help you through this. We're a team, remember? And that means we face challenges together."

Cole nodded, offering a warm smile. "And we're not going anywhere. We're with you, Jay. Always."

Jay took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his insecurities slowly lifting as he listened to his friends' reassuring words. "Thanks, guys. I guess I needed to hear that."

Kai ruffled Jay's hair affectionately. "Anytime. We're family, and families support each other. Let's get you some food and then we can talk more if you want."

Cole stood up and offered a hand to Jay. "And maybe after that, we can work on that wall together. It might help to replace those words with some positive reminders."

Jay managed a small smile as he took Cole's hand. "That sounds good."

With Kai and Cole's support, Jay began to feel a sense of hope and comfort, realizing that he was not alone in his struggles. The bond of friendship and the unwavering support of his teammates began to mend the cracks in his heart, and for the first time in a while, Jay felt like he was exactly where he belonged.