NOTE: These characters do not belong to me and belong to Netherrealm Studios!

Enjoy the story!

Johnny followed the woman into the next room, leaving Cassie to herself to play with her toys. He wasn't sure why Sonya looked so upset. He was only playing a game with Cassie, what would make her look so crazy disappointed? She leaned against the kitchen counter and let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. There was obviously something wrong, and Johnny wasn't really sure if he was prepared to get chewed out. He was somewhat weary, though he decided to wait until she began her spill.

"John," she said softly, almost as if she was scared to speak, "What was that back there?"

"What do you mean?"

"The game. What was the game you were playing with Cass?"

He choked at that question; what was he to say? He knew the game was innocent but he was scared that she was taking this all the wrong way. He felt like if he said anything it would all be wrong. He sighed and decided to answer her question though, "We call it Play Kombat. It's… how I teach her about the tournament. How I teach her what happened to everyone." He couldn't help but give a soft smile then when remembering what he and his daughter were doing before Sonya stopped it. Cassie was wearing a big straw hat with an apron, pretending to be Raiden. Johnny had been wearing a mask that Cassie drew out in crayon that was reminiscent of the emperor Shao Kahn's, and the two of them had been play fighting that final battle that Johnny remembered was rather important. He had planned on playing out his own battle with Shinnok, and Sonya's fight with Quan Chi as well, though that would have to be put on hold with how Sonya seemed to react.

She pursed her lips, "Why are you teaching her that?"

"Don't you think she should know? I mean she's gonna learn sooner or later-"

"Who said that?"

Johnny let out a soft sigh, "Sonya… come on, be realistic. It's better for her to learn now than later."

There was a silence. The silence that Johnny had grown to hate throughout the years; he hated that sound. He needed the sound of conversation and possibly laughter. Silence scared him. It made him feel alone. Its blade cut deep into his stomach and tried to pull out his intestines.

Sonya gave him a look, "But how could you do it like that? Like it's a game?"

"She's five, baby, it's the easiest way."

"But it wasn't a game," Sonya reminded him, "People were killed. Ours friends died and-"

"Your friends died, Sonya. I didn't have any friends there," Johnny suddenly gave a soft chuckle, one of desperation and despair, "Everyone just thought I was an annoying dick that didn't deserve a spot. They tolerated me, they never liked me." Sonya looked at him with surprised eyes. How else would she react? It was pretty obvious Johnny's true feelings were finally out on the table. He knew most of the kombatants never really grew to see him as a friend, as much as he wanted to say that. He had lied to himself for a long time that they were his friends as much as they were Sonya's, but in the end he knew she had a closer relationship with almost all of them. He never grew to really have any friends from that tournament. The only person he seemed to grow close to from the tournament was Raiden. And although Kenshi was a good friend as well, he had met him after the tournament, and therefore he didn't count in this equation.

"How could you say that?"

Johnny made a face, one that showed he didn't want to really talk about the subject, but he forced himself for Sonya, "As much as I hate to say it… the only friends I gained from that was Raiden and Kenshi… and I guess Jax now." He clenched his jaw then, feeling as if his eyes could mist up at any moment. He didn't want Sonya to see him like this. "You know I'm not pretty when I cry," he joked weakly, "So, let's just drop it okay? We can tell Cassie about it more when you're ready."

Sonya couldn't just simply drop it. She had felt upset earlier because of what he was teaching Cassie, but now she was even more upset with how he felt. Seeing him like this, as much as he wanted to hide it, broke her heart. "Fucking hell, John," she sighed heavily, "You know you can't say something like that and expect me to just drop it." Although she normally wasn't always good with understanding feelings as she wished she was, she also couldn't live with herself if she didn't talk to him about this. Teaching Cassie about the Mortal Kombat tournament wasn't any worries to her at all now; it was Johnny, her husband, who was.

The actor shook his head, "Sonya, we don't need to talk about it. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Sonya argued, "Talk to me, will you?"

There was a moment where they stared each other in the eyes, in which Sonya grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her. She wanted him to know it was safe. He was safe to speak, as blunt and as ungentle Sonya knew she could be sometimes, he was safe. Johnny cleared his throat, "Do you really want me to? I don't think it's important."

"If you're about to cry… I think it's important," she suddenly got to her tiptoes and wiped a single tear from his cheek, "I never knew you felt like that."

"That was years ago. Tale as old as time," he said, though it was a joke it didn't sound too playful, "I've learned to accept it. I accepted it because I know they were important to you… I'm not gonna cry over something when I know you actually lost everyone."

For some reason that hurt Sonya more. The fact he felt he needed to hide these feelings because he felt it would protect her in some way. She nodded in a sudden understanding however. Protection was key, she understood why he felt he needed to do such things. "I just wish… you would've told me," she sighed softly and grabbed his hand again, her thumb rubbing at his knuckles, "You don't have to keep things from me. You know that, don't you?"

"I wasn't trying to keep it from you," he corrected her, leaning forward and kissing the top of her head, "I just… I don't know. I don't really know what to tell you, baby."

"It's fine," she reassured him, knowing that he must still be in some sort of confusing and upset state, "I wish you didn't feel like that. I mean— God, that's shitty." They had fought along brave men and women, people died, and knowing that, it was sad to hear that Johnny felt so alone even during the tournament. Did he even feel remorse for the fallen? Did he have any other reasoning for feeling that way? She had questions, but she decided not to bombard him so quickly.

Johnny agreed with her, "Yeah. Maybe if I had gotten to know them better, I don't know."

She started to take him into the living room then, wanting him to sit down. Johnny didn't oppose the idea, in fact he was tired of standing. When they both reached the couch, Sonya asked one of the questions that was burning in her head, "Why don't you think they liked you?"

The other hid his face in his hands, letting out a heavy sigh, "Oh, come on. Why didn't you like me at first?"

"I know there's more to it than just annoying people, Ninja," she said softly, "Come on, what is it?"

He scratched the back of his neck before he gulped, furrowing his brows, "I don't know, Sonya, I guess I just thought people never really believed in me." Sonya gave a confused look, which made Johnny add more to his original statement. "Probably was pretty weak competition compared to a Lin Kuei or even a fucking Tar—Tarka— how do you say it again? The guys with the blades?"

"Tarkatan," Sonya told him.

"Yeah, those guys. I just felt like no one took me seriously, then again I guess I get it," he shrugged, "I mean I still don't like the big bad voice telling me to finish somebody."

Sonya bit her lip, remembering the tournament suddenly, and when Johnny had refused to kill. She knew that murder scared him. He had admitted to her that the idea of killing someone in cold blood always did. She remembered one time during the tournament when someone had killed another in front of everyone; it had forced Johnny to walk away. The blood and guts weren't his favorite, she knew that. She guessed many of the opponents would look down upon such a thing, so maybe he wasn't wrong to think that way. She rested her hand on his shoulder then, "But… they weren't like that, Johnny."

She was speaking of the good guys. Earthrealm's champions and defenders. "They were good people, I know," Johnny replied, "But I can't shake that feeling off. I can embrace I'm pretty but I'm insecure about stupid shit, baby."

The woman had never thought about it like that. She sighed softly and grabbed his hand, squeezing it in hopes to help comfort him in some way, "I don't think you should be. You do good… in more ways than just being pretty or being a good fighter." Sonya gave him a gentle smile, one that suddenly made his heart beat like the flutters of a butterfly. It was the same smile that always made him feel special. Everytime she smiled at him like that, he couldn't help but flash her a grin back. That was when Sonya noticed his pearly teeth, and she gave a laugh that was somewhat against her will in return.

She figured he was feeling better now, "Was that all it took to make you feel like you again?"

"No," he said softly, his hand touching her cheek as his thumb stroked her soft skin. He didn't tell her the real reason yet, instead he kept his own smile wide as he looked at her with eyes of peace. She was able to take him from insecurities to admiring her in a split moment, and he still wasn't sure how she was able to do that. No other woman could ever do that. Not any past girlfriends, not his ex wife, and especially not any dumb flings he had back then. No… Sonya was always different. She was always the one to communicate to him without even needing to say a single word.

"Then what was it?"

Johnny kissed the top of her head and gave her a smile, "Just you, I guess."

"Shut up, John," she laughed awkwardly, slapping at his chest as she looked with a blush. She still wasn't good at taking in these lovey-dovey moments, though she had to admit she liked them, even if they made her feel weird at times. He grabbed at her chin and lifted her head up to look at him, suddenly pecking her lips with a smile. Sonya leaned in and returned the favor, enjoying the taste of his lips in the special moment they shared together.

"Mama? Daddy?" Cassie had said suddenly, making them break the kiss since they were surprised to hear her voice. The two looked over at their daughter, who still wore the straw hat and apron. She was hugging onto her Caged action figure of her father, giving them big eyes that said "you two have been gone for too long!"

Johnny smiled to her, gesturing for her to sit down on the couch with them, "Come here, Pumpkin."

The little girl crawled into her father's lap and looked between the two of them, tilting her head as she tried to figure out what was going on. Sonya stroked her hair for a split second before kissing her cheek, "Did you miss us?"

"Yeah," Cassie let out, starting to fiddle with her action figure, "And I was getting bored playing all by myself."

The girl's father looked to his wife with a look before he nodded to Cassie, giving a grin, "What do you wanna play?"

"We didn't finish our fight," his daughter reminded him.

"Oh," Johnny thought for a moment before glancing over to Sonya. Would she want this to continue? He saw how she had reacted, he didn't want to repeat that. He sighed and shook his head, "I don't think we can-"

"How about you two finish off and I watch?" Sonya suggested, seeming to have a change of heart. Johnny perked up in surprise, but he didn't dare to question it.

Cassie gave her a happy squeal, "Yeah! You can see my cool lightning moves!" The girl jumped onto her feet and bounced a bit, obviously ecstatic about her mother joining them for once. Sonya got to her own feet, then looking to Johnny and waiting on him. For a moment he stood still, confused, though he finally brought himself to get up and follow the family back into the original play room.

Sonya crossed her arms and leaned against the wall when they had reached their pretend battle ground, smiling as she watched her husband and daughter begin to get into fighting stances. The sudden memories flooded her of the tournament and of all those people they had met. She began to wonder what it would have been like if they were still alive. Would Liu Kang and Kung Lao be with them now? Would Cassie play with their kids if they were still here? These thoughts overwhelmed her for a moment before she gulped and choked them down, smiling softly with a bittersweet feeling in her heart.

"Round one," she said, playing along with their recreation of Raiden and Shao Kahn, "Fight."