Here's another little story that's been sitting on my laptop for months. It was a request from star10199 on wattpad: 'Something about Ray and Maya after Hands of Time'.

This one shot focuses on Ray, Maya, Kai and Nya. I have also written a 'sequel' to this (Nya's parents finding out about her and Jay) but I'm not sure whether or not to post it here because it would turn this 'family story' into a Jaya one...

Together again

"And this the team is after the defeat of the Overlord." Nya explained to her parents, scrolling through the pictures on her phone.

The three Smiths were huddled up on one of the sofas in the sitting room, trying to catch up on over 15 years of lost time together.

After the defeat of the Hands of Time, Ray and Maya had been invited to stay with their children at the Temple of Airjitzu before they were going to move back to their old home in Ignacia.

"Wow, I can't believe how much has happened to you – and to Ninjago – in these last few years." Maya was impressed. "And how much we have missed..." She added in a sad tone.

"We have missed you, too." Nya hugged her mother. "But Sensei has always told us that 'The Past is the Past, and the Future is the Future. We only have Today.' So we should enjoy being together now."

"Wu must be a lot wiser now than I remember him." Maya chuckled.

"Ah, he was always a bit of a Mister Smarty Pants." Ray smirked. "I bet he read that one in a fortune cookie."

"Could be." Nya laughed. Her face fell. "But unfortunately, we can't ask him where he got that from. Poor Lloyd. First his father, now his uncle..."

The Green Ninja and new Master had retreated to his room immediately after the team had returned to their home. He hadn't even come out for dinner, Zane had bought him a tray with his meal to his room.

"I feel really bad for him; Kai and I have finally got our parents back, and at the same time, he has lost yet another member of his family. And Sensei was like an uncle to all of us." Nya stated.

"Wu was – and still is – my best friend." Ray told her. "And if there is anything that we can do to help find him, we will do it."

"You are right." Nya smiled. "We found you, and we will find him."

"Now, that's the look I want to see on your lovely face." Her father said. "You are just as beautiful as your mother. And from what I've seen today, just as strong and powerful as her, too."

"Thanks, dad." Nya blushed.

"And Kai seems to be just as stubborn and hot-headed as his father." Maya grinned. "By the way, where is your brother? Hope he's not sick..."

After having dinner with the team (minus Lloyd), the four of them had gone to the sitting room for some family bonding time. Wanting to give them some privacy, Zane and P.I.X.A.L. had offered to take care of the dishes, whereas Cole was getting the guest room ready.

Jay, the fastest member of the team, had taken his elemental dragon to the Four Weapons, to get some of the blacksmiths couple's old clothes and a few other things that Kai and Nya had kept all these years, always hoping for their parents' return.

But already quite some time ago, Kai had excused himself to 'go to the bathroom'.

"Don't worry. I am sure he's fine." Nya shrugged "Maybe he just got caught up helping Cole with the room." She suggested, suspecting that the Master of Fire was rather talking on the phone to a certain redhead.

"Ah, it's so nice of your friends to help us out." Maya smiled. "And to see all those little kids from years ago so grown up now..."

"You mean, you knew some of the others?" The Water Ninja's interest was piqued. Ed and Edna had told them many (too many in some people's opinion) stories about Jay as a young toddler and child, but they didn't have any information of Nya's boyfriend as a newborn.

"Yes, there were definitely some baby pictures of Cole and Jay in the old photo albums we had at home." Ray explained. "You seem to have taken good care of our things, so they should still be there."

"Do you want me to call Jay and ask him to bring them?"

"We can look for them when we go there ourselves." Maya shook her head. "Don't want him to carry any more things than absolutely necessary. And he might already be on his way home anyway."

"Yes, those photo albums are quite heavy." Nya agreed. "I have all my pictures on this little thing." She waved her phone.

"I think we really have a lot to catch up on – and not just on our family..." Maya remarked. "Before... well, you know... there were mobile phones around, but only few people had them. And you could only make phone calls with them. Not take photos or listen to music..."

"Oh, you'll get used to all this in no time. And we'll be more than happy to help you. Jay and I are really good with all kinds of technology, and Kai is the Master of Social Media."

"Social Media?" Ray asked.

"It's just some websites and apps where you can share information, like pictures and such."

"Apps?"

"It's short for applications, those little programs you have on your phone." Nya explained. "But we'll have plenty of time for all that tomorrow, it's been a long and eventful day as it is, okay?" Nya was quite sure that 'Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today' did not refer to these kind of things. And they had done more than enough for one day anyway.

She took her phone into one hand and put her arm around her mum. "Let's just start with a selfie for now. Smile."

At that moment, the blue Ninja barged through the front door of the, carrying a backpack and a duffel bag.

"I'm ba-hack." He shouted. "Uh, hi Mr and Mrs Smith." Jay blushed, when he saw Ray and Maya walking out the sitting room with their daughter. "I-I think I've got everything from your list."

"Thank you, Jay. That was really sweet of you." Maya flashed him a grateful smile. "And please call us Ray and Maya, no need for formalities. I mean we're almost like old friends. Or maybe even like family."

"O-okay, Mrs... uhm, Maya." He then turned to his girlfriend. "Nya, do you have a minute?"

Nya's parents didn't know yet that he was dating their daughter, and he preferred to keep it that way for now.

"Sure, I'll help you bring the bags upstairs. I'll be back in a minute." Nya took the backpack, and the couple climbed up the stairs to the first floor.

"It's so funny, Jay is so much like Libby." Maya remarked, as she and her husband sat back down on the sofa.

"Yeah, seems to be just as loud and annoying as her." Ray had never been good friends with the former Master of Lightning.

"Ray, don't say that." His wife reprimanded him. "He's a nice boy. And I don't think your daughter finds him annoying at all..."

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" Ray spluttered. "Like... there's something going on between them?!"

"Calm down, I don't know for sure." Maya placated him. "But the way they look at each other suggests that they at least like each other."

"Nya is way too young for that." Ray insisted.

"Nya is old enough to fight Serpentine, Nindroids, ghosts, rogue Elemental Masters..." Maya retorted, recalling her daughter's stories from earlier. "Why should she be too young for a boyfriend."

"Don't. Say. That. Word."

"What word?" Kai asked, as he came into the room and slumped down on one of the other sofas.

"Does you sister have a boyfriend?" Ray blurted out.

"Don't ask me about that." Kai replied. "I am staying out of her relationships."

"Relationships?" The former Master of Fire looked like he was going to burst into flames any moment. "You mean there's even more than one?"

"Not saying another word. That's not my business."

"Then what about your business?" Maya smirked. "Does this handsome young here have a girlfriend?"

"Uh, no." Kai instantly regretted not having told his parents about Nya's relationship with the blue Ninja.

"Then maybe... a boyfriend?" His mother wanted to know.

"No." Kai shook his head. "There's no one. I mean, there is this girl I really like, but... it's complicated." He sighed. "But I talked to her earlier."

"A honey, true love is never easy. But it is always worth fighting for." Maya gave him an encouraging smile.

"So sorry it took us so long to get everything sorted. Did I miss anything?" Came Nya's voice from the door.

"Nothing of importance." Noticing her slightly flushed cheeks, Kai raised an eyebrow at her. "What took you so long?" He asked, eager to divert attention from his own love life back to his sister's.

"Oh, nothing..." Nya blushed even more. "After all that happened, Jay was just a bit... emotional."

"Well, it's been an emotional day for all of us." Maya could see that her daughter didn't want to reveal any more details right now. "I think we should get some well-deserved sleep."

Just as Nya herself had said earlier, there was no need to figure out everything today. Finally together again, they had all the time in the world to catch up on what was going on in Ninjago, on the latest technology, and most importantly on their family. Even without using the Reversal Blade that was still lying on the table in front of them.

They would take care of that one tomorrow, too.

(I know I have completely ignored Misako in this story, let's just pretend she already left in search for Wu.)