***You know what kind of stinks? We're halfway through this book. I mean, I'm sure you all are happy clingy Jay is gone, but this book is my favorite (you'll see why), and it's passing by so fast, and...

You get it LOL

Also, we've officially capped 50,000 words for this story. This will probably be one of the longest books I write (around 110,000 words). INK was 70,000, and the second longest was "At Second Sight" (realized I couldn't abbreviate that) at 50,000.

Anyway, things will be heating up pretty soon with the mission and Llorumi and Jaya and the wedding and...and yeah XD

Also, if you're wondering what a "wolaber" is, it's that animal from Ninjago that's either a goat or a cow. Jay doesn't know. Neither do I. And I also can't find a Wiki on them, so we're just going to have to stick with my assumed spelling here.***

***(Kai's POV)***

I snap pictures as the whole senior class tosses their graduation caps in the air, signaling the end of high school in their lives.

They're so lucky. Even though I'm nineteen and the oldest from the team, I just finished my sophomore year of high school. I got a little behind while taking care of Nya.

Skylor shoots me a smile from the stage, and I can't help but grin back like a fool. She and I are on the threshold of forever – not to sound gushy or anything. In a month, we're getting married. And now we don't have to constantly worry about Nya, so we can just focus on us.

It's nice. I feel like our relationship has just been plagued by struggles the past month.

Zane's graduating at the top of his class – no surprise there – with Nya in fifth, Jay in twelfth, and Cole and Skylor falling somewhere behind. Skye had a rough year, though, and I think school was one of the last things on her mind.

And Cole just wanted to graduate. I'm with him on that.

Lloyd gives a stressed sigh from beside me. "I'm not ready to be a senior in high school this year."

I pat his shoulder. "You get great grades, Lloyd. You study your butt off and breathe extra credit. You'll be fine." I push my aviator sunglasses back into position.

"But what if I'm not fine?" Lloyd moans. "What if I ruin everything and can't finish school? Kai, I don't think I can forgive myself if your sister really does run away. It's all my fault. I – "

"Oh, yeah. I guess she hasn't told you yet." I release a sigh of pure pleasure. "Nya wanted to wait to tell everyone until she was firmer about her decision...but she's decided to stay in Ninjago City. She's not running away."

Lloyd gapes. "She...she's not?"

"Nope. She decided that about a week ago."

He runs his hands through his shaggy blonde hair, laughing in disbelief. "That – that's amazing! I thought...with all I'd done...I thought I was going to be the reason something horrible happened to your sister, Kai."

I raise an eyebrow. "What, exactly, did you do to her? Because I swear, if you slept with her or something, I'm actually going to – "

"Why does it always come back to that?!" Lloyd scowls. "I never had 'it' with your sister, okay? Gosh, Kai, you have such a dirty mind!"

"I can't help it. Seen too much of the world." I try to sound cool when I say it, but it's just the sad truth. I used to have no qualms about...well, about being easy. That's when I didn't have Skylor, though. I reserve myself for her now.

I look to Lloyd. "So how are things going with my sister now that Jay's back on the team? I know she was really mad at him for a few weeks there."

Lloyd shrugs. "She seems to have forgiven him pretty easily. They're good friends again, and at least in the one day he's been back, he's been good to her. He doesn't have to be around her all the time, and he hasn't used her or lied to get close to her. That's a lot of progress since two weeks ago."

I scoff. "I can't believe she let him play her like that. None of the rest of us would have gotten away with it."

He shakes his head. "Remember when I was in the hospital after defeating my father? She jolted me awake, then paid attention to Jay the whole time. That was the same day he had his tonsils out, if you recall, and I distinctly remember her kicking Cole in the shin for something he did to Jay."

"Dang," I smirk. "That's why I like being on Nya's good side. She'd kill for me in a heartbeat."

"You're lucky like that." He shakes his head.

Seliel yawns from her seat beside us. "This is nice and all, but when are they done? I'm tired of just watching my muscular boyfriend look hot in a grad gown. We all need to go out for food or something."

Lloyd blushes. "Sel, you know it's kind of awkward to talk about how hot you think Cole is around us, right? I mean, we're used to girls like Nya and Skylor, who aren't so...blatant about their feelings. And PIXAL, even." He indicates the girl to his left.

PIXAL nods emphatically. "Yes, none of us usually speak of our beliefs on the sexiness of our partners publicly."

Seliel raises an eyebrow at me. "Kai talks about how sexy he thinks Skylor is all the time."

"She is," I shrug. "It's just a fact. She has legs that go on for miles – "

Lloyd makes a retching sound in the back of his throat.

I laugh. "Lloyd, how did you ever get a girlfriend?"

"Because she just wanted to steal team secrets from me, apparently." He huffs out a breath. "I need to make a call. Excuse me." He rises from his seat and walks away.

I frown. "That was abrupt."

Seliel rolls her eyes. "He still loves Harumi, doofus. You know he visits Kryptarium prison, right?"

I blink.

She releases a longsuffering sigh. "Gosh, I'm the only one who pays any attention around the monastery, apparently. I've noticed that a few times a week, Lloyd leaves with no explanation and comes back a few hours later. So one day, I asked Cole to discreetly follow him, and he was visiting Harumi."

"You didn't find that unethical?" I ask.

"Heck, no. Just intriguing." She pops a piece of mint gum in her mouth.

PIXAL taps my shoulder. "Now that the one with an aversion to relationships is gone, would you please tell me if it is normal to discuss one's attraction to a romantic partner with other people? You and Seliel have no issue with it."

I'm about to speak, but Sel interrupts me. "Oh, it's very normal."

PIXAL beams. "All right, then. Allow me to say that Zane is most – "

I clear my throat. "No offense, but it is kind of weird to hear you guys talk about how sexy my team is. They're my brothers. I mean, I just don't go telling my sister how hot Skye is. I save that for the team."

Seliel barks out a laugh. "You just make inappropriate comments when you forget Nya's around. She told me about the time recently when you were in the car with her and Skylor, and you and boo got to talking, and then you said that – "

"Nya told you about that?" I growl. "Dang it. I wish Nya talked about guys she liked. That way, I would have ammo against her."

Seliel rolls her eyes. "You're actually an idiot. She's had it bad for Jay as long as I've known her."

"They broke up. Typically, people don't break up with someone they're in love with."

"Your sister had a lot of insecurities back in February, Kai. Gosh, you're stupid. I bet they'll be back to dating in a few weeks."

I scowl. "Skylor said the same thing, and I'm starting to wonder if you guys know something I don't."

"We know a lot of things you don't." Sel perks up. "Oh! Here comes my graduate of hotness now. Cole!" She shouts his name, waving.

I look to PIXAL. "Is there something about Nya and Jay I'm just unaware of?"

She shrugs her shoulders innocently. "I'm sure there are many things you are unaware of, Kai. However, if you're referring to their relationship status, they are only friends. Nya is reluctant to give him her whole heart after all that's happened."

"That's what I thought, but Seliel and Skylor have predictions about when Jay and my sister are getting married, apparently." I laugh at the silliness.

PIXAL frowns. "They do have romantic compatibility. If they were to start dating today, I could see marriage following within the next few years. Given your sister's experience with Jay recently – his clinginess and deception – it could be a bit longer."

"Eww. Don't actually tell me what it'd be like for Nya to get married. She won't even be seventeen for another month." Her birthday is a few days after my wedding, in fact.

"I apologize, Kai. I had thought you wanted that information." She perks up. "Zane!"

I look up to see my teammate smiling happily as he lifts PIXAL off the ground and twirls her in the air.

O-kay. Enough of that. I need to go find my sister and my future wife.

I push my way through the crowds until I finally see a shock of red hair. It's always easy to identify Skylor, given her height and unusual hair color. Nya, on the other hand? She's short and has more commonly seen black hair. I never took her anywhere but the monastery when I first became her caregiver. For one, I was terrified something horrible would happen to her – our parents' death was traumatic. For two, I was always scared I'd lose her in a supermarket and win the "worst-brother-of-the-year" award.

But Skylor came along and "whooped me into shape", as she puts it. She essentially kidnapped my sister to take her clothes and cosmetics shopping. The next day, she had her chauffeur kidnap Nya.

So you can see that Skylor and I were made for each other from the beginning.

I smirk. Well, not the very beginning. We actually met when Nya and I first moved to Ninjago City. Skye dropped off some noodles as a housewarming gift, and after we insulted each other to the death, I up and kissed her. She was just hard to resist. And that ended with her storming off, but –

"Are you just going to keep staring at me like that?" Skylor smirks.

I blink. "Uh, sorry. I was lost in thought." I sling an arm around her waist, hooking my fingers through her beltloop under her gown to keep us close to each other. "Congratulations."

"Thanks. It'll be your turn in two years." She stretches her back. "I see I'm winning our bet."

I narrow my eyes. "My sister and Jay are not a thing. PIXAL's a genius android, and she just confirmed that for me."

"They're not a thing yet." She points, and I follow her finger to see Nya and Jay talking with Jay's parents. Jay makes some crazy hand motions, obviously telling a story, and my sister holds her stomach in laughter.

"He'd better not play her again," I growl, "or so help me, I will make sure he never has a biological child."

Skylor arches an eyebrow. "That's harsh and kind of gross."

I shake my head. "Fine. He'd better not play her again, or I'll...take one from your book and steal his diary. Everyone knows Jay keeps one."

"That's more like it." Skylor pats my arm.

***(Jay's POV)***

I point at the sky. "That one looks like a wolaber."

Nya giggles. "Jay, you've said the last six clouds look like wolabers."

The graduation ceremony is over with, and Nya and I are just...hanging out. Having fun. Being friends, and only friends. I'm not pushing her anymore.

I grin over at her. "Maybe I'm right, and the clouds just decided to appear in the shape of wolabers today."

"Nuh-uh. They're all different. Look – that one's a chicken nugget."

"I see a wolaber."

"Of course, you do." She sighs in contentment. "It's good to see you back to normal, Jay. I get that what you went through with your mom was horrible, but you just got so depressed. And it didn't come out in healthy ways."

"You're right." I close my eyes. "I'm so sorry, Nya. I never should have – "

"You don't have to keep apologizing, Jay. I forgive you. I mean, I'll still be a little untrustworthy at times, but I forgive you."

"Thanks," I smile, relieved. "And...it's good to see you back to normal, too."

She studies the sky. "I still wonder about everything, Jay. I mean, I'm where I want to be – with you guys. And I know you all want that, too. It's just...I can't help the feeling that this is going to come back to bite me somehow. Kai still doesn't know what happened that night my parents died, and when I finally get the guts to tell him, I don't know that he'll ever see me the same way again."

I roll over on my side to face her. "Who all knows about that night? I know Cole does. And, of course, I do."

"Skylor knows," she confesses. "I think she must've seen it when she read my mind or something. She's tried to bring it up with me once or twice, but I can't talk about it with her. It makes me feel so...exposed, since she's the person closest to Kai."

"I get it." I grasp Nya's fingers in mine. "And whenever you're ready to tell them...I'll be there with you, if you want."

Her lips quirk upward. "Thanks, Jay."

"Any time." I let her hand go, trying not to be forward. Nya and I are just friends.

It's hard for me to get that through my head.

"Are you two ready to go?" Cole asks from behind us.

I glance over. "Huh?"

"Earlier today, Kai said he wanted to see us three later. I don't know why."

"Why the three of us?" Nya frowns.

"No clue. He said it was important, though."

I pick myself up off the ground, then offer Nya my hand. She takes it, and I help pull her up.

She dusts off her jeans. "I have a bad feeling about this. This had better not be about babysitting me after the wedding."

"You don't need a babysitter anymore," I say, raising an eyebrow.

"Kai thinks I get myself into trouble."

Cole and I look at each other, then burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" she demands, planting a hand on her hip.

Cole slings an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, nothing. It's just...you act like it's not true."

"Plus, you used the phrase 'Kai thinks'," I pipe up.

She huffs. "I don't get into that much trouble. Or, at least...I'm good at getting myself out of it."

"You're not wrong about that last part," Cole concedes. "Let's get out of here."

The three of us walk to the Earth Drill, which Nya insists on driving. I'll have to see about taking her to get her license soon. I'm sure she could pass the driving test with flying colors.

"So where are we supposed to be meeting Kai?" I ask on the drive there.

"Kai said he'd be at Skylor's," Cole informs me. "I have no clue why he thought we should all go there, though."

"Free noodles?" I suggest.

"Maybe."

Eventually, we pull up in front of the huge mansion. Kai's car is already in the garage.

Nya frowns. "Cole, I don't know if your baby's going to fit in the garage. Skylor already owns two different vehicles, and if you add in Kai's..."

"The Earth Drill will fit. Skylor's garage is huge."

"I don't think I'm comfortable with parking it inside, Cole. I'm just going to leave it on the street." She tugs her keys out of her pocket and hands them over. "If you want, you can move it."

He thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "It's just a quick talk with Kai. We'll be in and out, so I'm sure my girl will be fine waiting here." He pats his door lovingly, then climbs out.

I get out behind Nya, whispering, "How do you think Seliel feels about being second in his life to a car?"

"She just pretends it isn't true," Nya smirks, heading for the door.

Cole knocks, but there's no answer.

"You're supposed to ring the doorbell, doofus," Nya laughs. She rings the bell herself.

Nothing.

"Huh," Nya frowns. "Well, Skylor's practically family, so I guess I'll just go in. Gosh, I hope she and Kai aren't in the middle of a make-out session or...beyond." She opens the door, showing us down the long hallway.

"Funny," I muse. "None of the lights are turned on. I wonder what – "

Nya turns on the kitchen light switch, and we're suddenly inundated with shouts of, "Surprise!"

***Music Cue***

The three of us immediately take a fighting stance...before we see Kai, Skylor, Seliel, and Lloyd all wearing party hats. There's a banner up that says, "Congrats, Grad!"

Nya scowls. "Seriously? You decided to surprise a group of ninja?"

"Yeah!" Cole complains. "Sel, I thought you said you were spending the weekend with Eve in Nom!" Eve is Seliel's best friend from her old town.

Sel shrugs. "I lied. It was for the sake of a surprise."

"No wonder you refused a ride," Cole muses.

I cross to the table. "Ooh, cake?"

Cole perks up. "Cake?!"

"And dinner," Kai adds. "I'm barbecuing outside."

Nya rolls her eyes. "You're turning into such a dad."

Kai grins wickedly. "Well, actually, we've been meaning to tell you...that Skylor's pregnant."

Our eyes bug.

Skylor laughs. "He's kidding, he's kidding." She proceeds to give Kai the stink eye.

"Okay, but you have to admit, their reaction was priceless."

Nya sighs. "Just for that, I'm getting a piece of cake early. PIXAL and Zane won't mind that I dug in before they got here, I'm sure." She uses the cake knife provided to cut herself a slice, and I swipe my finger along the edge of her frosting and pop it in my mouth.

"Hey!" she complains.

I smile innocently, stealing a bit more frosting and using it to draw a smiley face on her cheek.

Kai speaks up. "Walker! Stop flirting with my sister."

I back off. "Oh, um, sorry. I kind of...overstepped my boundaries there." Gosh, I've got to do better with that.

Nya simply winks at her brother, then sticks her own finger in frosting and leans up, drawing a face on my own cheek.

I blush at her closeness, feeling regret rise in me. I shouldn't have pushed her so hard to get back together with me a few weeks back. Nya and I might never have a chance now as anything more than friends.

"Okay, break it up," Kai cuts in. "No flirting for the little Smith."

Nya rolls her eyes, trying to lick the frosting off her cheek. "I wasn't flirting. I was getting even with you for telling me you and Skye were having a kid."

"Whatever." He rolls his eyes.

PIXAL and Zane arrive a few moments later, and we all head out to the backyard, where Skylor has a grill and a fire pit set up. When she inherited her father's assets, she became the owner of the Ritz. Her house is nice, and she has multiple other properties. My birth dad does, too. That reminds me...

I grab Nya's hand, tugging on it. "Uh, so I have a question for you."

She gives me a look that's half guarded, half hopeful. "What?"

"So...you know how I met my birth dad last month? Well, I visited him once when I was on break from the team, and...I'd really like you to meet him, Nya. If you're willing."

Her eyes dim for a moment, then brighten again. "Yeah, of course." She grabs a marshmallow from the bag next to the fire pit and places it on a roasting stick.

Kai chuckles. "I can roast that for you, if you want." He produces a flame with his hand.

Skylor raises an eyebrow. "I can beat him." She makes her own fire, this one a little bigger.

Kai smirks at his competition, and they begin a battle of who can create the biggest fire.

Cole rolls his eyes. "I guess I'll take over the role of dad." He walks over to the grill, flipping the burgers.

Nya smiles at me. "So Cole's the dad, and Kai and Skylor are the annoying teenaged couple. What does that make us?"

"The ones who get all the marshmallows." I slip her candy off her stick before she can flinch, throwing it upward and catching it in my mouth.

"You know how to do the stupidest stuff that's actually cool," she laughs.

I love making her laugh.

Nya and I make s'mores while Zane, PIXAL, and Lloyd set up folding chairs. Seliel watches Cole to make sure he doesn't ruin the burgers – he usually botches anything he cooks.

And Skylor is currently trying to put out the fire Kai set in her backyard.

I smile to see all of my friends so happy. In the past year, each of us have found the right person – for Kai and Skylor, that means the right person for forever. For Cole, Sel, PIXAL, and Zane, it's the right person for now, at least.

But Lloyd's alone. And technically, so are Nya and me. I mean, Nya and I definitely are alone. I need to keep reminding myself that we're not together.

But at least we're all happy for the moment.

***Thoughts on this chapter? I enjoyed the team antics <3 And the Jaya that's there, but not. And the Kailor. I think it's nice for them to all have a break, just for a moment.

But that doggone threat is coming...***