***Sorry for no update yesterday, guys! I'll try for a double update today - I should have the time.

Also, the Coliel-specific stuff for this chapter doesn't come until Seliel's POV. Cole's POV is essentially the aftermath of what happened in Chapter 6.

AND this is the only chapter with a flashback that does not appear chronologically - you'll figure out when it is by the context.***

***(Cole's POV)***

Seliel and I have been searching for Nya all day, but nothing's panned out so far. We're just now getting back to the monastery at 8:30 in the evening. I need dinner, and then I need answers. Probably in that order – I'm not much good without food.

"Sorry I ruined your day off," I sigh, unbuckling my seatbelt and climbing out of the earth drill.

Seliel smiles sympathetically. "It's okay, Cole. I can be your shoulder to lean on – as long as you're wearing deodorant, that is." She flashes her teeth at me in a smile.

I can't help but find what she says a little humorous. "Thanks, Sel. It means a lot." Hands in my pockets, I come around to the driver's side of the vehicle and accompany her inside the monastery.

The first thing I hear is Kai's angry yelling. "What do you mean, I can't report a missing person until twenty-four hours after they're gone?!"

"He must be on the phone with the police," Seliel realizes.

"It's not like she's entirely missing, right? I mean, Jay knows where she is, and once we get him to crack, things will be a piece of cake." Oh, I could use a piece of cake right about now.

"I'm not cracking, Cole," Jay says from the couch.

"Oh. Hey, buddy. I didn't realize you were in here." I come to sit beside him on the sofa, pulling Seliel along with me by the hand.

"Stop talking to me just to get answers out of me," Jay grumbles.

"That's totally not what I'm doing." I am a liar. "Um, I just wanted to know...how you're dealing with all this."

"How am I dealing with all this?" He laughs humorlessly. "Nya would still be here, if it weren't for you! She wasn't going to run away until Kai and Skylor's wedding – she promised me – and now, she's just gone."

"I'm sorry, pal. I really didn't mean to let things slip, I just..."

"You just what?" Jay sniffles.

"I probably shouldn't have told Kai everything while we were all so emotional." I pat his knee. "And I'm sorry for that."

Jay's shoulders sag. "I get it. Secrets like that just kind of eat you up inside, and it feels so good to finally have them off your chest."

"Secrets like that, huh? You mean like...where Nya's at right now? Because I'd be happy to hear that secret."

Jay abruptly stands. "I'm going to go talk to someone who actually understands me."

"Like a phone call with Nya?"

"She left her phone here, idiot." He moans miserably. "I'm going to go talk with Mr. Cuddlywumpkin." And with that, he leaves.

"Jay..." I say, stopping him in his tracks.

"What now, Cole?" His tone is hard.

I release a breath. "I really am sorry for what happened this morning, okay? I should've tried to relate to you a little more. Maybe the conversation I tried to have with you would've been better if Nya were around." If she would've even let me talk about it.

"Everything's better when Nya's around," Jay sniffles. "But...thanks. And even though I really don't want to, I'm working on forgiving you."

"Thanks, buddy. You know, once this is all over and I'm not mad at you for hiding Nya's location, we should hang out."

"Maybe. I don't really feel like doing much anymore – not without Nya, anyway."

"You know, counseling could really – "

"For the last time, counseling won't make any of this better. Only Nya can do that." He closes the door to the bunkroom behind him.

Seliel pats my shoulder. "What now, fearless leader?"

Kai stalks in, shoving his phone in his pocket. "What we're going to do now is tell Kai all about why his little sister wanted to run away from him."

Skylor places a hand on his arm. "Kai, I really think – "

"No. Whatever you're going to say about 'back when I was a camp counselor and had to deal with second-grade brats', I don't want to hear it. I want answers!"

"Kai," Skylor warns. "Watch the tone, please."

His strong expression cracks. "I'm sorry, Skye, I just..." And the anger returns. "I just really need to know why the idiots on this team didn't see fit to tell me my only living relative – okay, the only one I care about – is running away!"

"You have other relatives?" I frown.

"My mom's sister," he sighs. "But we don't care about her. What's important is – "

Lloyd pushes open the front door, interrupting Kai. "What's important is that we make a plan – a well thought out plan – and find Nya. That means we all need to stay calm."

Zane enters behind him. "I sense we all faced similar bad luck in locating Nya."

"Yes!" Kai exclaims, exasperated. "So I want to know all the secrets you guys have decided to hide from me. All of them. And where's Jay?!"

"Having a chat with his teddy bear," I sigh.

"While my sister is missing?"

"He knows where she is, Kai," Skylor says placatingly. "It makes sense that he's not as worried as the rest of us."

"He's about to be," Kai growls, stomping into the bunkroom. He comes out a moment later, dragging a heap of blankets behind him.

Apparently, Jay's wrapped up in said blankets. His muffled voice says, "Go away, Kai. Stop using your superior muscular strength to drag me into conversations I don't want to have!"

"All right, start talking," Kai commands. "Lloyd, you first, since you know my sister the best."

"I used to know your sister the best," he sighs. "You'd be better off asking anyone else on the team."

"Fine," Kai grunts. "Skylor, what did you see when you read her mind today?"

"She thinks she's going to hurt the team, Kai, and that's why she feels like she has to leave."

"Why does she think she's going to hurt the team?!" he yells.

"Calm down, Kai." She gently pushes him down on the sofa next to Seliel and me. "It's not for me to say why she feels like she needs to leave. That's really personal, and she didn't tell you for a reason. I think it's more important that we make sure she's physically safe, and then we can focus on her emotional and mental wellbeing."

"Why does everyone feel the need to keep secrets from me?!" Kai cries.

"It's for everyone's good, babe." Skylor rubs his shoulders gently. "Cole, would you like to tell the team what Nya was comfortable with telling you?"

"She told me she planned to run away after your guys' wedding," I start. "And she promised to counsel with me and a psychologist if I wouldn't tell you about the whole running away thing."

Kai sighs. "Why wouldn't she tell me? I raised her for four years of her life! Doesn't she know that I love her?"

Skylor massages the base of his neck. "It's okay, Kai. She's just struggling right now. It's not like she wanted to leave you. Right, Cole?"

"Right," I quickly reply. "She told me that if I could give her a good enough reason, she wouldn't leave."

"Am I not good enough?" Kai grits.

"That's not what she meant," Skylor soothes. "Remember that she was afraid of hurting you. She needed evidence that she wasn't going to do that."

"Normal people hurt people!" Kai yells.

"That's what I told her," Jay pipes up.

Kai scowls. "Jay, I thought you were intent on not talking about this!"

"I am, but I just thought I'd say that I have tried to get your sister to stay." He tucks his blankets tighter around him, still laying on the floor.

"Obviously, you weren't successful," Kai huffs.

"Kai," Skylor frowns.

"Okay, okay! I'll leave Jay alone." He heaves a sigh. "Anyone else have any pressing secrets they need to tell us?"

"I...have one," Zane says quietly.

"You can keep a secret? I thought you were perfectly honest!" Kai exclaims.

"I'm actually keeping two." Zane sighs. "First...Wu told me he was leaving before he disappeared two months ago."

We all blink.

"He...did?" I ask. "Well, where is he?"

"Another realm," Jay puts in.

All of our heads swivel to him.

His blue eyes peek out from under his blanket shelter. "Sensei Wu's in another realm," he repeats.

"And...how do you know this?" I ask.

"I thought you all knew. Back when Nya and I were captured by the Sons of Garmadon, my mom" – his voice breaks – "my mom essentially told us that she and Wu had switched places so she could return to this realm after being imprisoned in another." He tears up. "Oh, I need Nya! She's the only one who understands when I talk about Mom."

"Then help us find her, buddy." I walk up to him, placing my hand on his back.

"No," he whimpers. "I can't. She doesn't believe I love her, and I have to prove that she can trust me!"

"Or you could do what's best for her, Jay. Not everything's about how she thinks of you – her wellbeing matters a lot more."

"She's safe," he argues, wiping tears from under his eyes. "And she promised to stay for the wedding. She'll be back."

"We don't know that, Jay," Lloyd says comfortingly. "But we can make sure, if you help us – "

"What do you care about Nya?" Jay accuses him. "You're the reason we have this whole problem in the first place!"

"What happened now, Lloyd?" Kai groans. "Clearly, you all have left me out of the loop!"

"I messed up," Lloyd answers. "I messed up bad, Kai. With your sister."

Kai narrows his eyes. "Don't tell me that when I found you two sleeping outside back in February, you had actually been doing something." He covers his face with his hands. "Oh, no. You got her pregnant, didn't you? And then you pressured her into aborting the baby or something, and she went to Jay for emotional support – don't ask me why – and that's how those two ended up a thing, and then – "

Lloyd throws his hands in the air. "Yes, Kai," he sasses. "That's exactly what happened. Because that works so well with the timeline of events – "

"Wait – what?!" Kai stands straight up, stalking over to Lloyd and grabbing his shirt collar. "You actually – "

"No!" he yells. "I was being sarcastic, Kai. You were starting to ramble like Jay!"

"It's true," Jay puts in. "You really did sound like me, Kai."

He releases a strangled noise. "Would somebody with actual secrets please step up to the podium?"

"My second secret is that I'm an android," Zane whispers almost imperceptibly.

We're all silent for a moment.

Jay giggles. "Thanks, Zane. You relieved the tension in this argument really well. I didn't know you had it in you!"

"I was being serious," he swallows. "I am, indeed, an android."

I get up, cross over to him, and place my hand on his forehead. "You feeling okay, buddy?"

"I assure you, I am fine." He pushes my hand away. "I am, indeed, a robot. PIXAL proved that to me back in February."

Kai rolls his eyes. "And I suppose PIXAL's a robot, too?"

"Yes," Zane nods.

We all take a moment to think about that.

"Maybe we should all call it a night," Lloyd finally suggests. "We're on information overload, Zane should probably get some rest until he's thinking clearly again, and I personally am going to call Nya's phone until she picks up."

"She left it here," Jay monotones. He begins picking himself up off the floor.

Kai huffs. "Phone or no phone, I'm going to look for my sister, too."

"And I'd better take you home, Sel." I look down at her. "Again, I'm sorry I kept you out all day."

"It's okay, Cole. I understand." She takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. "Let's go."

***(Seliel's POV)***

Cole's letting me drive back. He said I did such a good job with the earth drill – his baby – that I'm officially his new chauffeur.

I don't mind. I never get the chance to drive, given that neither me nor my father actually has a car.

"Are you hungry?" Cole asks from beside me.

I snap out of my thoughts. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Um, a little." It's not like I ate most of what he got me this morning.

***Music Cue***

"So am I. Let's stop by a drive-thru." He draws his wallet out of his pocket. "I'll pay."

"I..." Fear grips my heart. "I don't really want to."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like fast food?"

"There are lots of different kinds of fast food, Sel. We could get tacos, noodles, burgers...you know, whatever. And given that we haven't eaten since breakfast, I don't think whatever you eat is going to hurt you."

"I'm not interested, Cole."

He raises an eyebrow. "O-kay? Um, well...why don't you just get me some food, and you can steal a few of my fries or something?"

"No!" I realize once it's out of my mouth that I said the word a little too adamantly.

He turns down the radio, and I can feel his eyes boring through the side of my head, seeing my inmost thoughts and...how terrifying they are.

"Sel?" he says softly.

"What, Cole?" I snap.

"Why do you hate drive-thru food so much?"

"Because I don't like it."

"Okay. Why won't you get me something, or at least agree to have a fry?"

I heave a sigh. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it something that could hurt you? Do you just not like food, in general?"

"Stop prying, Cole." I pull into the parking lot of some hole-in-the-wall to-go restaurant. "You can go inside and get yourself something. Have fun."

He stays seated. "Seliel, why won't you use a legitimate drive-thru? There's nobody around. I'm sure it'll be much faster than going inside."

I clench my eyes shut against tears. "Because then I have to touch it, Cole. I have to touch your stupid, calorie-ridden bag of food so I can hand it over to you!"

I let my statement hang in the air a moment, petrified of how he'll respond.

His hands cover mine. "You're...afraid of calories?"

A swear escapes my lips. "Yes, Cole," I bite out. "I hate them."

"But why?"

"Because..." I throw one of my hands in the air, effectively pushing his comfort away. "Because they're evil. Because to me, they don't just represent energy – they represent too much energy, which means stored fat, which means I get huge."

"But you're not huge. You're not fat at all."

"You don't see what I do, Cole. You don't have to look at yourself in the mirror every day and live in a body you legitimately hate." I press my face to the chilled window.

"I get it, Seliel. I really do. You know I'm already muscular – there's no denying it – but I'm still tempted to judge myself based on that. When I see other guys playing sports at school or weightlifting, it makes me think, 'I should be doing that. I should be competing and trying all these new health potions.' But, you see, that doesn't work for me. I'm a ninja, and I can't survive on a fad diet of kale and juiced lemons. And the only person I should be competing with when I train...is myself." He sighs. "Was that even coherent?"

"Not really." It's nice that he's trying to relate and all, but there's no way he gets me.

"Seliel...is it okay if we talk about this?"

I bite my lip. "Depends on what you want to know."

"Okay. Tell me honestly: Do you think you have an eating disorder?"

Familiar denial rises in my mind, but I try to push it away. "I don't know."

"I think you do know, but you just don't want to say the truth aloud."

"Ask me something else, please."

"Okay. When did all this weird stuff – the aversion to food – start?"

"February."

"And...do you know why?"

I release a strangled breath. "Food is the only thing I can control, okay?"

"And what makes you think that?"

I close my eyes tightly.

"Seliel, what makes you think food is the only thing you can control?"

I can see the anger in my father's eyes. His words echo in my head: "I need more money. What you're giving me isn't enough. Where's the rest, Seliel?" He said my name like a curse that day.

"Sel?" Cole whispers.

My mouth opens and closes. "I..."

I recall my footsteps pounding along the pavement. I was running – running fast. If my father got me this time –

"Seliel, please say something. I'm worried about you."

"Get back here!" my father yells through the darkening air.

But I won't listen. I can't, if I have any hope of getting out of this alive.

I push my legs harder, faster. If only I actually exercised, I'd have no trouble outrunning him. Right now, I'm depending on my will to survive and his poor health.

"Seliel!" he shouts.

The neighbors won't stop to help. None of them will. They're used to yelling in this neighborhood. They don't know my father actually intends to kill me this time.

I've almost reached the road. If I can just –

The blaring of a car horn, the flash of lights. The panic that sets in when I realize I'm in the path of an oncoming car.

I jerk out of the street, falling backwards onto the sidewalk. My leg makes a weird noise and falls in an unusual position.

The first thing I think is, "I didn't get hit. I'm alive."

The second thing I notice is the whirring noise in my ears, the searing pain that makes it hard to breathe. My breath comes out ragged as I whimper in pain.

The driver of the car is suddenly standing over me. "Oh, my gosh." It's a teenage girl. "Are you okay?"

"She's fine." It's my father's voice, but his kitchen knife is nowhere to be seen.

He knows I won't fight him now, so there's no need for a weapon. And he has an audience - the driver of the vehicle that almost killed me.

The girl pulls out her phone. "I'm going to call an ambulance. I think – "

"She's my daughter," my father smiles reassuringly. He almost seems sincere. "As long as she wasn't hit, I'm sure her injuries aren't bad. I wouldn't want you to get in any trouble for this. New drivers are often faulted for accidents they had nothing to do with, and you don't look to be that old."

The girl bites her lip. "I...are you sure?"

My father's eyes bore into mine, communicating that if I don't agree with him, I'll be sorry.

I swallow back the hurt. "I – I think I'm fine. Just some bruises and maybe a minor sprain. You can go."

"Okay," she frowns. "Well, I'm glad you're all right. Um, have a nice night, I guess."

My father pulls me off the ground, and I bite back a yelp.

As we hobble away, he leans down and whispers in my ear, "Good job playing along. Now, tell me where the money is, and no one gets hurt."

My eyes finally open to meet Cole's, and I inhale a giant breath.

"I have to control my food because I could hardly walk for weeks of my life, and I was forced to deprive myself then. I couldn't get food. And now that I can walk, my mind finds some sick pleasure in continuing to severely limit my food intake."

***So now you all finally know what happened to Seliel. I decided that rather than have her father actually catch her and physically abuse her for the whole "broken leg" thing, I would have him be the indirect cause.***