3rd Person POV

"Kai! Come on, dinner!"

"Be down in a sec!"

The 20 year-old made his way downstairs where his parents were waiting with Chen's takeout. They'd recently moved to the other side of Ninjago City since Kai's new university was there. He wasn't staying at the dorms; not this year.

They stood around the kitchen island. As Maya unpacked the boxes she was speaking, "We are losing our bond as a family. So I thought we'd have a proper family dinner. We haven't had one since...since..." Her voice trailed off and 3 pairs of eyes looked off at the picture of the young smiling girl hanging by the fireplace, long black hair tied into a messy high ponytail. On the frame it had, 'Naveah Paris Smith 28/02/2001 - 19/12/2019'

"Nya would want this for us," Ray said firmly handing out plates, "She'd want us to be together and move on," His voice was breaking and tears rolled down his cheeks. Maya ditched the food and stood by her husband. Their arms wrapped around each other tightly. Kai, too, joined, and the three of them sobbed. Truth is, they weren't ready to move on.

They pulled apart, "Let's just go to bed," Kai mumbled, "I have school tomorrow,"

Dinner was left abandoned as the family made their way upstairs to go to bed.

The next day came, and Kai was ready in a red hoodie and black jeans and trainers. Grabbing his bag, he stumbled downstairs and grabbed a banana and his keys and made his way to the car. As he turned the key into the engine, his hand went to the radio. He clicked the first playlist and tears welled up in his eyes,

"ELLO! This is Kai and Nya's roadkill JAM!" Nya's cheerful voice flooded through. He remembered that day. He'd checked Nya out of the hospital for a day and they'd taken a road trip all over Ninjago and made that playlist. He started driving, until he pulled up in a car park.

Grabbing his backpack, he took out the map of the campus. He'd been informed to go to the 2nd year head office, where there would be a tour awaiting him. He located it and made his way towards it. Knocking on the door, an elderly man with a long beard answered it with a kind smile on his face, "Kaiden Asher Smith?" He asked. The brunette nodded, "Yeah, that's me,"

Kai's POV:

"Yeah, that's me," I say, entering the room. There were two other people sitting there, a guy with blonde tousled hair and green eyes, and a muscular guy with black hair and dark brown eyes.

"Kaiden-"

"Um...call me Kai," I said, lightly flushing.

"Right. I am Mr Wu, the head of 2nd year. This is my nephew, Lloyd. He's a 1st year," He explains nodding towards the blonde, who gave him a warm smile. I gave a small smile in return, "And this is Cole. He's a third year," Mr Wu pointed towards the other guy, who gave a small wave, "Sup,"

"Hey,"

"These two will be giving you your tour around campus." Wu said. He then looked remorseful, "I am very good friends with your parents Kai, and I am so sorry for your loss. Naveah was an amazing person," He said. I try hard not to cry and simply said a small 'Thank you'.

"Now, on with the tour!" He said as he shooed us away and closed the door.

It was pretty awkward, for a while. They simply gave me an explanation and we walked around the campus. Then Cole didn't see where he was going...and fell into the trash. That lightened the mood and made everything less awkward.

I started to open up to them more, telling them about my life and my family, my goals, all that stuff.

"Hey, wanna sit with us at lunch?" Lloyd asked.

"That'd be great," I respond. Cole grinned,

"Cool, because we've got other people we'd like you to meet!"

We joke around and walk through buildings until Cole asked me, "Hey, what did Wu mean when he said he was sorry for your loss?"

I clear my throat, "Um, my sister, Nya,"

"But, Wu said her name was Naveah?" Cole and Lloyd seemed confused.

"Yeah, her name was Naveah Paris Smith, but to us she was Nya," I say, pulling out my phone and showing them a picture of her.

"She looks beautiful," Said Lloyd.

"Gorgeous," Cole agreed.

"If I may ask, how did she die?" Lloyd asked.

"Cancer," I respond, "The medicine wasn't responding and...she just...passed," I said. I didn't notice that tears were rolling down my cheeks. I wipe them furiously, "Sorry, I just..."

Lloyd put a comforting hand of his shoulder, "Hey, it's alright. People move on at different stages,"

I smile, "It was pretty nice to let it out,"

"What was Nya like?" Cole asked.

I smile, "The best little sister ever! She'd be in her Senior year right now," I start telling them about her.

FLASHBACK

"Faster!" A little girl's voice could be heard around the house as 5-year-old Kai ran around the house, giving her a piggyback. She giggled.

"Kai, Nya, be careful!" Their mother, Maya warned.

Then a loud crash could be heard. Ray and Maya rushed downstairs.

"Kaiden Asher Smith! Naveah Paris Smith!" The two siblings simply glanced at each other before bursting into laughter. Their parents, too, joined in.

************

"Nya! Wanna help me build a snowman!"

"Yes!"

The duo ran outside excitedly, "Kids, aren't you forgetting something?" Ray asked, holding up their coats, scarves, boots and gloves. They wrapped up warm before running out to play again. That day, Nya decided to bring in a snowball and stash it in the freezer {1}.

************

"HEY! STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Kai's furious shout could be heard across the playground, as he protectively pushed his sister behind him, "Or what?" The bully taunts. Giving him a stone cold glare, Kai ran up and pushed him to the ground. The two rolled around the ground shouting and punching and kicking. The teachers had to get involved.

"Why would you do that?" Ray chastised.

"They were bullying Nya," Kai responded, wincing as Maya pressed ice on his knee.

Nya came up to him and hugged him tightly, "My hero!" She whispered in awe.

************

"OH. MY. GOSH! MOM! DAD! COME QUICK!"

Ray and Maya rushed into the living room where their ten year old daughter was passed out on the floor. Kai was kneeling beside her, face filled with fear, "I didn't do anything, I swear! She was putting her book away when she fell!" Ray gently shook her. No response. Maya went to the kitchen and rushed back with a glass of water and sprinkled it on her Nya's face. But she didn't even stir.

Ray picked up his daughter and rushed to the car, Maya and Kai following close behind. The family made their way to the hospital.

"Doctor? DOCTOR!" A doctor ran out to see the family, "Please, it's our daughter! She isn't responding! You have to help her!" Maya pleaded.

They laid her on a hospital bed and rushed her to the A&E unit. Kai, Ray and Maya could do nothing, except hope for the best.

The doctor finally came out, a grave look on his face. "How is she, doc?" Ray asked standing up. Maya and Kai went and stood beside him.

"You...you may want to sit down for this..."

************

"Lung cancer?" Ray's voice trembled. Maya crumpled into tears and hid her head in her husband's arm. Kai was old enough to know what was going on, and he too, was terrified.

"I'm very, deeply sorry, Mr and Mrs Smith, however, she's stable and you are welcome to see her..."

Maya frowned, "What's the catch?"

The doctor sighed, "We'd like to keep her in for a few days, to monitor her health, we have some treatments and it could help..."

"Could? COULD?!" Ray was furious now, "You're telling me my daughter has cancer and you COULD help her?!"

"Dad, calm down!" Kai protested. Ray took several deep breaths, "I apologise, doctor, what were you saying?"

"We'd like to keep her in here. We have treatment lined up, ready to use. Mr Smith, whether you like it or not, we are your last hope,"

Ray looked at his family, who were just as frightened, "Okay,"

************

Days turned to weeks, which turned to months, which turned to years. Nya wasn't getting any better.

Now 15 years old, and confined to a bed, Nya was bored as hell. Her family and friends couldn't visit because of work. But when they did, she made the most of it.

This particular day, Ray, Maya and Kai were all in Nya's hospital room, laughing and joking around, as if their daughter wasn't in hospital. Then the doctor came in looking upset.

"Doctor Faith!" Maya greeted warmly.

"Hello, I hope you are well. It has come to our concern that the treatments...aren't going to plan..."

Ray frowned, "What are you saying?"

Faith looked at Nya's concerned face sadly, "The treatments are not working. We are deeply sorry..."

However, Nya never heard the last bit as she broke down, "All this time, I've been fighting to survive...all to now know it doesn't work?!" Kai tightly hugged his sister, who was still sobbing.

************
Three more years had passed and Nya wasn't any better. She struggled to do anything independently, and refused to ask for help.

The Smith family had visited again. They were all crying, worried for their youngest child's health. But Nya was determined to keep fighting, to hold on to what little chance she had at life now. Even though she was on life support and her life was depending on a tank of air, Nya wasn't going down without a fight.

"I love you, so damn much!" Said Maya crying, "You have fought this for 8 years, and we are so proud of you!"

"No matter what, we are family. And we are gonna get through this, together."

"I'm gonna get us some tea," Maya said, standing up. "I'll come with you," Said Ray. The couple left the room, leaving their children behind.

"Nya, you have been so strong throughout all of this!" Kai's voice broke into tears. "And...I don't know what I'm gonna do without you!" He cried.

"It's going to be okay," Nya assured him, "I'll always be in your heart, always and forever {2}. And, I want you to have this" She slowly undid the locker she wore around her neck and handed it to her brother. He clenched it tightly in his palm and looked at his baby sister, who was also crying.

"...And, I want you to know, you are the best brother I have ever had. And-"
She was cut off by a large beeping noise. Kai frowned, "Your heart rate's weakening, take it slow,"He said worriedly.

"I want you to know, that I will love and cherish you, till my last breath," As she spoke, the heart monitor showed her heart rate slowing down even more. Kai clutched her hand, "I love you, sis, nobody can replace you, not now, not ever," All he got in response was a long beep. He looked up at the monitor to see a flat line.

This was it. His baby sister was gone. She was never coming back. And it wasn't a nightmare this time.

He broke down, sobbing heavily.

Then Ray and Maya came in to see their son sobbing bitterly. Immediately dropping the cups, they rushed over and held their daughter.

"No! My baby girl!" Maya wailed. Ray sat there holding onto her foot, tears rolling down his face.

"My precious water lily..." He whispered.

The doctors rushed into the room where the family was mourning. Placing a gentle hand on Maya's shoulder, one of the doctors said, "Don't fret, she's in a much better place now,"

The family watched as the doctors covered her body with a white sheet and wheeled the bed out of the room. Doctor Faith then turned to the family,

"You may collect her belongings. I am truly sorry," She said softly, crying as well.

"I will love and cherish you, till my last dying breath," Kai remembered his sister's last words. He kept them in his heart, and never took the locket off his neck.

Hey,

I hate sad stories too, but as they say, all good things must come to an end.

I've never really seen many Ninjago stories that touch on this topic. I really hope you enjoyed this,

Love, Ali <3

References

{1} - Arthur, when DW bought in a snowball to stash in the freezer. GOSH, I miss that show!

{2} - Little Darlings, by Jacqueline Wilson. 'Always and Forever' was one of the songs' names