A huge Thank You! to all my amazing readers, just noticed that this book is currently ranked second on the #jaya hotlist 🥰🥰🥰.

A bit shorter chapter today, but I hope you will still enjoy it 😉.

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Chapter 23 (Nya)

Six years ago, three days after the funeral, Ristorante 'Toscana' near Ninjago City Hospital

"Mmm. This is delicious."

Following my hospital appointment, we still have some time before we are to meet our friends at Borg Industries for Cyrus' special surprise – as if I haven't had enough surprises for the day! - Kai and I have gone for lunch at a small but amazing Italian restaurant nearby, where brother is now unmistakably enjoying his dessert. "It's probably the best Tiramisu I've ever tasted. You wanna try?"

Across the little table, he offers me his plate. And while the sweet dish admittedly even looks absolutely wonderful, all I can see right now is a mix of raw eggs and alcohol, two things I need to avoid for the next seven and a half months.

"No, thank you." I reluctantly decline. "I'm stuffed." I gesture at my already empty dessert plate.

"I'm not surprised." Kai chuckles as he rather gladly continues to eat it himself. "You've literally devoured your Panna Cotta."

And before that I had a huge portion of lasagne al forno and half (well, actually more than just half) of an insalata mista that Kai and I shared. My brother had spicy penne all'arrabbiata and whatever I've left him of our mixed salad.

"You must have been starving. I've never seen you eat olives before, always thought you don't like them." He remarks.

Actually, I thought so, too... pregnancy cravings are a weird thing.

"But I'm so glad to see you're feeling better, sis." Kai smiled at me. "You haven't had any proper food in days."

"Yeah, me too." I agree. "Thanks for taking care of me."

As he's always done.

"I was so worried about you." He tells me. "So, it really is nothing serious?" He urges.

"Depends..." I mumble, blushing.

I take a deep breath. My brother deserves to know the truth.

"Kai." I start, tears gathering in my eyes. "I'm not sick, I-I'm pregnant."

"You're WHAT?" He shrieks, startling both staff and the other patrons. "Thi-this is a joke, right?"

I shake my head. "It isn't." I whisper, as I reach for my handbag and take out the ultrasound picture. "Th-there." I point at the darker, peanut-like shape in the middle. "I'm having a baby." I say, as much to myself as to him.

Silence.

My brother just stares at me, eyes wide open and slack-jawed, and says nothing.

Then suddenly, there's a little clonk, caused by him dropping his spoon, immediately followed by him jumping up from his chair.

Of course, he's leaving. What a disappointment I must be to him.

I close my eye and bury my face in my hands, tears streaming down my cheeks, when I feel a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around me and I get pulled into a comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry." I sob, burying my face into his chest. "I-I..."

"Shh." Kai rubs my back. "Don't cry, sis. It's all gonna be alright."

I'm not too convinced of that, but I eventually do calm down.

"So, how far along are you?" Kai wants to know, when we are finally able to continue our conversation – and he can finish his dessert.

"Just over seven weeks, according to the scan." I reply.

"Seven weeks... that means Jay's the father?" My brother concludes.

"Of course, he is." I state. "I was already pregnant before all that mess started. And even then, I've never... well, you know... been with anyone else. Cole and I haven't even as much as kissed."

"Yeah, I remember when we interrupted you two on that train." Kai chuckles.

"Good thing you did." I blush. "Although... I keep wondering whether it would have been better if you hadn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" My brother furrows his brow in confusion. "I've thought you wanted to make things right with Jay?"

"And I do. I love Jay, and nobody else." I reassure him. "Just thinking that, if Cole and I had kissed back then, we probably would have realised a lot sooner that we don't love each other romantically in any way, but that we share very strong sibling-like bond."

"That would have saved us all quite some trouble..." Kai remarks.

"It would." I sigh. "Now it took us until after the defeat of the Digital Overlord to come to the same conclusion... when Cole was comforting me after Zane's death, it-it felt really good, but in a similar way as hugging you does." I wink at him. "But of course, nobody could ever beat your big brother hugs."

"I hope so." He smirks. "Those took me years of practice."

But then Kai narrows his eyes. "Wait, that means you've been fighting against the Nindroids while pregnant?"

I flash him an awkward smile. "Y-yes?"

He shakes his head. "You're gonna sit the next few battles out, sis." He insists, switching back into protective big brother (or uncle) mode. "Don't want anything to happen to my little niece or nephew. You-you're keeping the baby, right?"

"I am." I reply firmly, almost offended. Sure, this pregnancy was everything but planned (I'm still a teenager!) and it won't be easy to be both Samurai X – if the others even let me stay on the team at all – and a (possibly single) mum, but I've made my decision. The moment I saw my baby's fast, strong heartbeat on the monitor, I fell in love with my little blueberry, and I will be the best mother to my child.

And now that I know that at least Kai supports me, I am confident we will manage, no matter what.

Also, I am still hoping that Jay will come back to me – to us.

Present Day, Beastyburger at Mega Monster Amusement Park

"Mmm. This cake is delicious."

Yup, Cole is definitely very much enjoying his dessert, no doubt about that.

But while the quality of the food has definitely improved since our first visit here, the portions are still as generous as they used to be. I am absolutely stuffed after the giant burger I've once again shared with Jay; so I have no idea how Cole can still fit in a whole slice of this rich 'Chocolate Fang Cake' – chocolate fudge cake, sliced and decorated to resemble the famous 'fang blade' that was found here at this park seven years ago – but I've learned not to question his appetite. "It's probably the best one I've ever had." He claims.

Seliel, who is sharing her own piece with her children, playfully rolls her eyes at her husband's antics. "You say that every single time you have chocolate cake." She sasses.

"That's the wonderful power of chocolate cake, babe." He informs her matter-of-factly. "The current one will always be the best – well, maybe except for the one I once made."

'Tried to make' would be a better term for it, I'd never known that one can actually burn chocolate.

"In this case, I'm glad there is no Elemental Master of Chocolate Cake." Seliel giggles. "Otherwise, I would have never had a chance with you."

"Sel, it would be a tough decision, but I would have always picked you, even over chocolate cake." The black Ninja affectionately tucks a strand of pink hair behind her ear, before he draws her in for a deep kiss.

"Ugh." Abby grimaces. "That's dis-gus-ting. Get a woom, you too."

"Wha-what?" I gasp, while Jay almost chokes on his coke – and then spits it all across the table, startling the two younger kids who start crying.

"Abby, where did you get that from?" I ask my daughter, as Jay is still cracking up.

"Uncle Lloyd always says that when Uncle Kai and Auntie Skylor kiss." She shrugs, her attention already back to her 'Hypnobrai Blast' (a scoop of blue cotton candy-flavoured ice cream with red M&Ms as eyes and fangs made from white fondant).

"That's true." Cole agrees, bouncing his upset daughter on his lap while his wife does the same to Luke. "And he says it a lot."

"If it bothers him this much, that just means that Lloyd needs a girlfriend as well." Seliel states. "Has he ever dated anyone?"

"Not that I would know of." I shake my head. "He's always looking out for the rest of us, but he's never shown any interest in a relationship himself. He claims he's fine to be an uncle and a Master."

"That sounds oddly familiar." Sel narrows her eyes at me. I blush, for I know exactly what she is talking about. I have declined several opportunities myself, using more or less the same excuse of being busy enough as a mum and the Water Ninja.

"It's not the same." I protest nonetheless. Unlike him, I was in a relationship before. And before anyone can retort, I continue. "But Lloyd's also worried that people might only be interested in him because he's the Green Ninja – no matter how much we try to keep our identities a secret, his name will always be recognised. And let's not forget that chronologically, the kid's only nineteen."

I still remember how I used to babysit him, and now my little brother is my daughter's favourite babysitter.

"I know some people who had a child at only seventeen." Cole smirks at me and Jay, before he turns serious again. "You're probably right though. We should not pressure him into anything he might not be ready for. He's already had more than his share of that..."

"That's true." The Phantom Ninja says. "But even more reason for us to look out a bit more for him. Especially as Kai and Skylor's baby is due in a few weeks, meaning that Lloyd's closest friend is gonna have his hands full."

"Why don't we invite him to join us for one of our weekend activities?" Jay suggests, having finally recovered from his laughing fit. "Or let's maybe find something we can all do together?"

"Yeah, we could do that..." I reluctantly agree.

Admittedly, I'd rather spend this time with Jay and Abby only. Even today, I would have preferred, had this trip been just for the three of us. But I know that I cannot hog my ex-boyfriend, of course Jay wants to catch up with his old friends as well.

And I should not forget that strictly seen, I'm only sorta tolerated myself. When we discussed our situation, all Jay was asking for was time with his daughter. It was my suggestion to join them and they let me, so I can't deny my teammates the same.

"You okay?" Jay must have noticed my frown.

"Sure, I'm good." I force a little smile. Luckily, the others are distracted, for Sylvie has just grabbed the rest of Cole's chocolate cake and smashed it onto her face and dress.

"Looks like someone needs another change of clothes." Seliel sighs, turning to Cole. "It's your turn this time."

"C'mon, sweetie." Cole lifts the little girl and places her onto his shoulders. "Luke, do you need to go potty?"

"'kay, daddy." The boy nods and takes his father's hand.

"I needa go, too." Abby zooms after them.

"Ah, peace and quiet." Seliel laughs as she scrapes all the leftover cake from her husband's and children's plates. "Welcome to the madhouse." She winks at Jay.

"Oh, I'm a primary school teacher, I've seen worse." He assures her. "And sorry 'bout the coke incident, I didn't mean to upset the kids."

"Ah, no problem." Sel waves it off. "The twins should be used to that, having witnessed countless food fights – I'm wondering what the people of Ninjago thought if they knew how childish their heroes sometimes are in private..."

"You should have seen these guys back when Sensei Wu first recruited them." I giggle. "They'd rather play video games all day instead of train. Our kids are probably more mature than they were. At least they know not to leave empty pizza boxes all over the place."

"No, but they leave everything else instead." Sel comments.

"And you loved us nonetheless." Jay remarks with a smug grin, and I can't deny that he's right. It was a great time. Not necessarily better than now, but everything was a lot less complicated when we were younger, and with less responsibilities.

"I did." I smile.

And I still do.