If you feel this chapter is rather short (based on the word count it isn't), there will be more 'interactions' between Jay and the other Ninja in the future!

I didn't want to cram too much into this first meeting and completely overwhelm the poor guy 😉, so this serves more of an 'introduction'.

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Chapter 10 (Jay)

Six and a half years ago, a few days after the Final Battle, Ninjago City Arcade

"Strike." Cole fist pumps as the pins fall, earning him nothing but an unimpressed groan from the rest of us.

Bowling with a team of highly-skilled Ninja is not the most exciting activity, our scores are all fairly close together in the very high range, with Zane even still holding a chance of making it a perfect game. But it's still fun nonetheless.

It's been fairly quiet in Ninjago City since the Final Battle, so Sensei Wu has given us the evening off and, just as we usually do in our free time here in the capital, we have gone to the Arcade.

Nya has not joined us tonight though. My favourite Samurai is still recovering from the effects of the Dark Matter and just wants to have a quiet night at home – which currently is the same tiny, smelly apartment we already occupied last year after losing the Bounty – with some ice cream and a sappy romance movie. Of course, I would have loved to stay with her and have some time alone with my girlfriend, but then Kai threatened to stay as well if I did, so she just kissed me softly and told me to 'have fun in your boys' club'.

Also, this is the last evening for all of us Ninja together – Lloyd is leaving tomorrow, first to visit his parents at their new home and then travel around the country to accept a couple of awards, and the rest of us, sans Kai and Nya, are going to spend some time with our families – so I would have been disappointed to miss it. To celebrate this occasion, we have even decided not to play video games, but rather do some activities as a group. First, we joined a game of Laser Tag where we defeated the other team in about 4 minutes (3:57 according to Zane) before heading to the bowling alley.

Of course, our skills have attracted some spectators, but we couldn't care less. We're just having a fun night out with our best buds - no, our brothers.

And I'm absolutely sure that nothing could ever come between us.

Present Day, Master Chen's Noodle House

As soon as Nya has left the table, Kai and I simultaneously release our breaths.

"Phew." Kai sighs. "That went better than expected."

"Better?" I raise an eyebrow. "This whole setup was your idea, and you were expecting it to go worse?"

"Well, you know my sis." He shrugs. "Yes, I was hoping she wouldn't kill you in front of everyone, but I couldn't be sure about it."

"That's true." I chuckle. Nya has always been unpredictable – of full of surprises, as I liked to call it – and stubborn, just as she is smart, creative, beautiful, kind and strong. And I used to love every single aspect of her. And I still do.

"But you did really well." Kai gives me a pat on the shoulder. "What you've said to her was honest and from the heart; and that's the only way to go, also when you meet tomorrow. Don't try to cover up anything or lie to her."

"I know." I say. I may have done a lot of things wrong, but that mistake I've made only once, very early in our relationship.

"But if you hadn't jumped in, she might have still killed me." I remark. "And I would have deserved it..."

"Yeah, you would..." Kai's expression has suddenly turned serious, he's wearing his 'big brother face' that I've seen quite a few times before. "Jay, just because I'm helping you here does not mean I'm not mad at you for what has happened between you, okay?"

"O-okay." I nod. I totally deserve this too.

He looks me in the eyes. "But I want what's best for my sis and my niece. And I can see that you really want to sort things out with Nya, so we'll all have to let go of the past." Kai then smiles at me again. "And I've really missed my brother."

I feel my eyes welling with tears, as if I haven't cried enough this weekend. "I've missed you too."

We hug each other over the table.

"Unfortunately, I've got to go back now and help Nya take care of our guests." He informs me. "Don't you dare and just disappear again."

"I won't." I assure him. "I promise. I still have a few more people that I want to talk to anyway."

Two down, three to go.

"Thanks, Kai." I repeat. "Also for inviting-" more like forcing "me to come to your party."

"Glad you've accepted my invitation." He smirks, as he gets up.

But before Kai can leave, Abby appears. "Here's your water, Mr Gordon." She hands me an almost empty glass. "Sowwy it took sooo long, my granny and my mummy wannet to talk."

This means Nya is fine with Abby being here with me?

From the corner of my eyes, I see Kai give me an encouraging nod, just as if he has guessed my question.

"Thank you, Abby." I smile at my daughter as I take a tiny sip. "It's very good."

She giggles. "It is just water."

"Yeah, the best water I've ever tasted."

"Ugh, I don't like water." She grimaces. "Especially bath time. But my mummy loooves water."

I found out from one of her letters, that Nya, just as her mother before her, is the Elemental Master of Water so I am not surprised to hear that. 

"But I think I know what your mummy loves even more than water?" I ask her.

"Oooh, what is it?" She expectantly looks at me with her deep blue eyes.

"You." I bob her little button nose.

"Yeah, she does." She laughs cheerfully. "An' I love my mummy."

"Then, maybe you should go to her and give her a biiig hug." I suggest.

No, I don't want Abigail to go, but I do want Nya to know that I really appreciate her gesture and that I am in no way trying to get between her and our daughter.

"Will do." The girl nods eagerly. "I'll see you at school? Tomowwow?"

"Yes, tomorrow." I confirm. Both excited and anxious about it.

"That was nice of you." Kai, who has watched the scene, notes. "You have a great way with children."

"Thanks, I really enjoy being a teacher." I say. "And these kids are a lot easier than the former Darkley's students."

"Don't you miss being a hero?" He wants to know.

"Sometimes, yes." I reply. "I've even tried to keep up with my training and often thought about coming back, but then... I was too afraid." Too afraid to get rejected. And even more afraid to see Nya being happy with Cole.

"There was no reason to." Yeah, I know that now. "While we have added a couple of new members to the team, we've never replaced you. Your place was – is – always open."

I shake my head. "Let's not rush into anything, hothead."

"Yeah, Sky keeps telling me the same." He admits. "But I think I've now kept you long enough from a few other people are absolutely desperate to see you." Kai states and leaves.

"Uhm..." I hear someone awkwardly clearing their throat. As I turn my head in the direction, I see Cole, Zane and Lloyd standing next to me. Behind them, Skylor gives me the thumbs-up before she follows her husband.

"H-hey..." I slowly get up from my seat – only to find myself pulled into a suffocating hug by three pairs of arms. And not just any arms, they belong to a Master of Earth with superhuman strength, a Nindroid made from Titanium, and the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master himself.

If they don't let go soon, I won't have to worry about meeting with Nya anymore.

"Uhm, guys..." I gasp. "A-air..."

"Oh, please excuse our excitement." Zane states as they let go. "It is good to see you, brother."

"What's the matter, motormouth?" Cole smirks as I catch my breath. "Are we a bit out of shape?"

"Ugh, I hate you, Dirt Clod." I groan.

"I hate you too, Zap Trap." Cole chuckles, and that really is all my former ex-best friend and I need to say.

Zane and Lloyd look mildly confused as they watch Cole and I hug each other again, laughing.

"You stupid idiot." Cole grins as we break apart. "I'm so glad to see you."

"So am I" I agree. "I'm so sorry I-"

"Stop that." Cole raises his hand. "You don't need to apologise to me for all this mess."

"Yes, I do." I insist. "I shouldn't have overreacted that day at the junkyard, and I shouldn't have overreacted again when I saw you and Nya hugging after the funeral."

Is it strange to talk about a funeral when the person in question is standing right next to you, alive as can be?

But as happy as I am to see Zane, I first need to finish this. I look Cole in the eyes. "You are right, I was an idiot and I am sorry."

I am expecting him to say something in the lines of 'you are still an idiot' but that doesn't happen. Instead, Cole hugs me again. "Me too." He tells me. "And I mean both."

Until now, I've never realised just how much I've missed my best friend. Why could we two idiots not have done this years ago? And how could we ever let a girl, no matter how much I loved her, get between us in the first place?

But as Kai and my parents and Katherine and myself have told me multiple times since Friday, there's no point moping about the past. What's done is done, and there isn't a way to go back and change it.

Okay, strange things happen in Ninjago so there actually might be a way, but I'm not gonna waste my time looking for it. I have better things to do now.

For example, turning my attention to my two other former teammates. They both have changed significantly since I've last seen them. Sure, we've all gotten older but it looks like Lloyd has finally fully caught up with the rest of us. Since leaving the team, I still have grown a tiny bit and put on a few more muscles, but I almost feel small standing next to our youngest brother.

And then there's Zane...

"I thought I'd never see you again." I sniff as I hug his Titanium frame. Although his new body lacks the synthetic skin of his old one, it still feels the same as before, maybe just a tiny bit colder. But just as conforting.

"By now, the probability of ever seeing you again had gone down to 12.2%." My Nindroid friend replies with a friendly smile. "I am that glad we have beaten the odds."

"So, what have you been up to?" Lloyd enquires. "You still have time for us, right? Kai and Skylor have made us wait for like forever."

"Oh, I do. I am so happy to see you guys, but are you sure you don't have anything better to do right now?" I question instead of answering.

"Definitely." All three reply together.

"C'mon, let's sit down." Cole suggests. "Sky is gonna bring us some cake."

"Still obsessed with cake?" I question as we take our seats. And indeed, four plates with delicious chocolate cake have soon found their way to our table as well.

"Yeah, and it's not just him anymore." Lloyd groans. "There's a whole family of cookie monsters now."

"Cake." Cole corrects him. "Not cookies. Unless there's no cake, then cookies will do. But if there's cake, then..."

"We got it." Lloyd interrupts him. He then turns to me. "This is what I've been dealing with. It's a real surprise my hair hasn't turned completely grey yet."

As I try to picture Lloyd with grey hair, I realise just how much he now resembles his father, the late Sensei Garmadon.

From Nya's letters I know that the former Dark Lord had let himself get banished to the Cursed Realm which later was destroyed by Nya and Skylor during the Ninja's fight against Morro and the ghosts.

"At least, it wouldn't show as much in your blond hair as in mine." Cole retorts. "I can see in my dad now, he's started to turn grey..."

"Guys, you're making me feel old." I complain. After all, we're only in our mid-twenties. Grey hair is something I neither want to talk nor think about yet.

"I personally find grey, or rather silver, a very appealing hair colour." Zane chimes in. And I'm fairly sure he's not talking about his own Titanium hair.

"So, you and PIXAL are still together?" I conclude.

"Yes, we are." A little smile plays on his lips. Nya was right in her letters, he may look different, but I can definitely see my old friend in his new body. "And we could not be happier."

I turn my gaze to Cole. "And I can't believe you are married with kids... congratulations, man."

Well, to be honest, I was worried that he would be, but to a completely different person.

"Yeah, it was a lot faster than we had planned it..." He smirks at me. "But I guess you should know how that happens. But I wouldn't want to miss her or the twins for anything in the world."

He takes a photo from his pocket and hands it to me. It shows him and his pink-haired wife with their two children on what looks like a picnic in the desert. The green-eyed boy looks like a mini-Cole, except for the blue streak in his shaggy black hair, the girl has long black hair with a pink streak and light blue eyes like her mother.

"The boy's name is Luke, after my dad. And the girl is called Silvie, for Seliel's mum." He says proudly. "They're two and a half now."

"Yeah, we call them the terrible two's." Lloyd adds. "But they are very cute when they want to."

"Unfortunately, they've been really cranky today." Cole sighs. "Sel was going to take them home and put them down for a nap right after the cake, but let me stay to talk to you." He looks at me. "This means you'll just have to come over to our place some time to meet them."

Lloyd and Zane nod in agreement.

"I'd like that." I smile. "To meet your wife and kids, and to see more of you."

I turn to Lloyd. "And what about you? Is there anyone..."

"Oh, no, no, no." The Green Ninja vigorously shakes his head. "I'm perfectly fine just being the fun uncle to Abby and the twins, and soon to Kai and Sky's baby boy as well. That's more than enough, at least for now."

"Deep inside, he's still the little brat who kept interrupting your and Nya's romantic movie night on the Destiny's Bounty." Cole smirks.

"And you can find another babysitter for your and Sel's next date night..." Lloyd retorts.

"Uhm, let's talk about something else, maybe..." Cole quickly says. He grins at me. "So, we've already heard so much about 'Mr Gordon' from Abby. You haven't found anyone else, have you?"

"No." I reply. "After all that happened, I wasn't really keen on starting - and then messing up - a new relationship."

That, and I've never stopped loving Nya. I went on a couple of dates and just couldn't help thinking on my ex. But if I truly want to make up for my mistakes, I will have to put my feelings for her aside and just try to be a friend to Nya and a father to Abby.

"I'm so sorry." Cole looks down. "I feel really bad that, after getting between you and Nya, I have found someone else while you two are both alone - well, Nya has Abby so she hasn't been completely alone, but still... she's never even tried dating anyone else after you left. She's just focused on being a parent and a Ninja. Sure, I know all too well that this is enough to keep you busy, but not to make you happy."

But he is wrong. Sure, I may be slightly jealous of Cole, Kai and Zane who each have found their perfect match. But right now, just sitting here and spending time with my old friends, I am happier than I have been in a very long time.