Between the previous chapter and this one, there has been a time skip of 3-4 weeks. So while we now have April – and it's really starting to feel like spring – in real life, it's now late November and the start of the Christmas season in the story...

And I know that everyone's desperate for some 'real' Jaya fluff (which I promise will happen very soon!), but I really wanted to include this fairly short chapter which focuses on Jay and Katherine (and it leads into the next arc of the book).

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Chapter 27 (Jay)

Three months ago (the first day of the new school year), Ninjago 'Elementary Masters' Primary School

Leaning against my car, I enjoy the warm summer sun as I wait for my friend.

When I see Katherine finally exit the sandstone building, I raise my hand to get her attention. She happily waves back as she makes her way across the unsurprisingly still rather empty car park.

Regular classes will only commence tomorrow, while the new students – mostly kindergarten and first class – have started a day early, to give the young children the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the school, the teachers and their new friends without getting immediately overwhelmed by the busy (and noisy) day-to-day school life as well.

As much as I've enjoyed having the summer off – I've spent a lot of time at my parents' place, working at a couple of inventions with my dad and also designing some new projects for the engineering class – I am looking forward to the start of the new term. Especially as this will be my first year not only as subject teacher but also as class teacher.

I greet my friend with a quick hug, before I open the passenger door for her.

"Thank you." She smiles at me, as she plops down into her seat. "Phew." She sighs in relief, visibly exhausted from her first day with her new students.

"Was it the kids or the parents?" I want to know, getting into the car on the other side.

"Neither." She laughs. "They seem to be a really nice group so far. Very chatty. But it's still tiring nonetheless, just getting to know everyone and trying to remember their names and also which parents belong to which child, and such..."

"That's true." I agree as I start the engine and slowly drive across the deserted car park. "You still okay to go for lunch?"

"Definitely." Katherine nods. "But it's such a nice day, maybe we could just get some takeout and go to the park instead of sitting inside."

"Good idea." I agree as I turn onto the main road towards the city centre.

When I helped Katherine move into her new apartment earlier this year – well, technically it is my apartment, one of the few useful things that I've spent some of my birth father's money on – we discovered a nice little sushi place right across the road.

At first, I was hesitant to go there, simply because sushi was Nya's favourite food, and I hadn't eaten it since our breakup. But I'm glad that Kath was eventually able to convince me to give it a try, I've been missing out on far too many things as it is. Like I'm still refusing to go back to Mega Monster Amusement Park, that one holds way too many memories...

"Jay?" Katherine's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Uhm, yes?" I turn my head to look at the woman sitting next to me on the bench. "Everything alright?"

"I could ask you the same." She retorts, a concerned look on her face. "I've already finished my meal whereas you haven't even started. And, even more worrying, you haven't said a single word since we came here."

"S-sorry." I blush. "I- was just thinking... I'm fine though, really." I quickly reassure her as I open my bento box. "But while I'm catching up on the food, why don't you do the talking and tell me more about your new kids? Or the parents..." I smirk. "Have you met any nice single dads?"

"JAY." She playfully punches me in the shoulder.

"Careful, I don't want to drop the food." I protest, balancing a hamachi nigiri between my chopsticks.

"Then stop trying to set me up on a date." She requests. "I'm really not interested in a new relationship at the moment."

I notice Katherine involuntarily rubbing the small scar on her right temple.

"Kath." I set the box aside and gently take her hand into mine. "Not every guy is like that. I'm sure there's someone very nice out there just waiting for you."

"I know." She sighs. "I-I just need a bit more time... it-it's only been a couple of months."

"I understand." After all, it's been almost six years and I'm still not over it ready to move on myself. "And I promise I'm not gonna try and push you anymore."

"Thanks." Her smile suddenly turns into a cheeky grin. "But if you would like a little push, one of the new kids has a very nice single mum that I could introduce you..."

"No, thanks." I shake my head. "I'll take a pass."

I know that I will eventually have to move on from my ex-girlfriend, but not right now.

"So, no trying to set each other up for both of us?" Katherine suggests.

"Deal." I agree. "Just don't let my parents hear that, their requests for grandchildren are becoming less and less subtle..."

"Luckily, my mum and dad have finally decided to put their hopes more into Tom and Rachel." Katherine laughs, referring to the fact that her older brother Thomas has just gotten engaged to his long-term girlfriend.

"Lucky you." I state dryly. "Unfortunately, I don't have any siblings."

There was a time though when I had four honorary brothers.

Present Day, Ninjago City

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Katherine asks me for the umpteenth time as we walk to the car park where we are to meet with my old friends and their families.

"As sure as I was when you asked two minutes ago." I reply. "And the time before that, and..."

It had taken a lot of persuading, before my shy friend eventually agreed to join us on this 'Ninja Family Outing' to the Christmas Market today. And I knew she would keep trying to get out of it, which is why I've insisted on picking her up from her place. The apartment block where she lives is quite close to the city centre anyway.

"I know..." She sighs. "I-I'm just nervous. It's not every day that you get to meet the famous Ninja..."

"Hey." I pretend to take offence. "You've been best friend with a former Ninja for ages. And you already know a few of them - Nya and Abby, also Kai and Skylor."

Strange to think that she's known my daughter for longer than I have. And the same actually goes for Skylor, who was there on Abby's first day of school.

And it was on the same day that Katherine also met the two people that I will have to face tomorrow – Nya's parents.

To be honest, I would probably love to get out of that meeting as much as Katherine is trying to get out of this one. But neither is going to happen, and I'm not gonna let that ruin this evening that I am spending together with all my closest friends.

Of course, I've been trying to spend as much time with Abby and Nya as possible recently, so I haven't seen a lot of Katherine outside of school. I've missed hanging out with my best non-Ninja friend.

"And look on the bright side of it." I continue. "At least, I'm keeping my promise: I'm introducing you to some new friends without trying to set you up on a date."

"Yeah, that must be a first..." Katherine giggles.

"Most of them are happily married anyway. Lloyd's the only single, and he's still a child at heart. So, if he annoys you in any way, just give him some candy and he'll be happy."

"How can you talk about him like that?" Kath gasps. "He-he's the Green Ninja, the most powerful Elemental Master in all of Ninjago, and the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master himself..."

"That may be." I shrug, rather unimpressed.

Despite all his achievements since then, I still remember the little brat that tried to rob the people of Jamanakai Village of their candy and somehow ended up hanging up on a sign... yeah, I guess the rest of us weren't much more mature either.

"But he's also a very nice person and a really great friend, so no need to be afraid of him." I assure her. "Of neither of them."

Nya's dad, on the other hand, is a completely different matter... c'mon, you gotta stop worrying about tomorrow now! I remind myself.

"They all look forward to meeting you." I give her freezing hand a little squeeze. "And Abby's super excited that you're coming."

"That's not fair, to use your daughter against me." Kath protests. "You know I would hate to disappoint Abby, so there's absolutely no way for me to get out of this now."

"Well, that was the point of it." I grin. "But seriously, she likes you a lot."

"She's a great little girl." Katherine says. "Must take after her mother..."

"I've been told many times that Abigail very much takes after me." I inform her. "But it's true, she has a lot from her mum, and Nya has done such an amazing job raising her..."

"What?" I ask, feeling her eyes on me.

"Oh, nothing." Kath giggles. "Sure, I've known about your feelings for your ex-girlfriend for a long time, but it's just so funny to see you being so obviously still very much in love with her."

Actually, I am not.

I'm not still in love with her.

Sure, for the last six years, I was hung up on my ex-girlfriend, who I thought had left me for my ex-best friend. And I foolishly kept thinking that I would never be able to fall in love again.

But... since she came back into my life, things have changed dramatically. I was finally able to move on, for the simple reason that neither of us is the same person that we used to be.

And the more time I've spent with the 'new' Nya – this breathtakingly beautiful young woman, the fierce Water Ninja, and especially the kind and caring mother to our child – the more I've fallen for the person that she has become.

So, no, it would be completely wrong to say that I'm still in love with my ex.

But I'm nonetheless madly in love with Nya.