Not sure how to explain why I've been putting this off. I blame three things:

-College

-Video games

-Hamilton

Luckily, I made it so this fic will extend into New Years and after. I have a month before classes start again.

This takes place in my College AU. Here's a quick rundown of things you need to know:

-When Nya and Kai's parents died, they were raised in separate foster homes, not knowing what happened to each other until their sophomore year of college (Nya is a year younger but she graduated high school early). Nya was raised by Garmadon and his family, Kai was raised by Wu.

-Nya had transferred to this school from a school in Ignacia in order to be closer to her foster family after they moved to the city, so she didn't meet the gang until their sophomore year. Kai lived in Ninjago after he was taken in by Wu.

-Kai is a player and massive pain in the ass in the beginning. He's not part of the main friend group yet.

-A major fight led to Wu and Garmadon not contacting each other for the past 17 years. So Wu doesn't know about Lloyd or Nya, and Garmadon doesn't know about Kai

-Zane and Jay are cousins in this, and Zane lived at the junkyard after his father died.

-Chen isn't a war criminal, he's a serial rapist who didn't get thrown in jail until Skylor was in college.

-This is still Ninjago, but the FSM didn't create it. So Wu and Garmadon are normal people.

-Cole, Jay, Zane, Skylor, Kai, Bri (OC), and Nya are sophomores, Luna (OC) is a freshman, and Lloyd and Maria (OC), as well as some future characters are seniors in high school.

That's all you need to know right now. I plan on revealing a few of those future characters in this fic, so stay tuned.


Squad

britheknight: Guys I have an idea.

touchtheSky: oh no.

BStone3T: that can't be good.

britheknight: thanks. Love u 2

britheknight: anyways, you know how we all have things we want to do winter break?

LightningMouth: you mean like meeting each other's families and the Walker New Years bash?

ZJulien: Jay, it's typically just you, me, and your family. That's hardly a bash.

LightningMouth: ugh. thank you Zane.

SamuraiSmith: where are you going with this Bri?

britheknight: thank you for asking Nya. May I present the idea of the Grand Christmas Tour! Six days at my house, six days at Cole's house, three days with our families (Christmas eve, Christmas Day, day after), six days at Jay's (including New Year's Eve), and six days at Nya's before we come back to campus and wallow in our exam shame.

ZJulien: I passed all my exams.

britheknight: not my point Zane. Anyways, are we down? My dad can rent the van for us.

SamuraiSmith: I'm down. I need to get away from here for a while anyways.

BStone3T: want me to kick kai's ass again for you

SamuraiSmith: no thank you Cole. I'm pretty sure passive ignorance is getting the job done.

BStone3T: count me in. I can't wait to meet your fam.

britheknight: can't wait to meet yours too baby

LightningMouth: this chat was not made for you two to get all mushy. Anyways I'm in.

ZJulien: I guess I am in, too.

britheknight: Jay you stink.

britheknight: otherwise awesome! Skylor?

touchtheSky: can't. Luna invited to spend Christmas with her family.

britheknight: we could include her in the tour

touchtheSky: she lives in jamanikai. You're families are all in the city. You guys can do this without me.

britheknight: alright. Let's figure details out tomorrow. Can't wait!


The drive was only supposed to take an hour. Just a simple drive from the campus to the suburbs on the other side of the city.

Boy were they wrong.

Let's start at the beginning:

"Okay, are we all set? Remember, we are trying to not make any stops." Bri asked the gang as they all got in the car.

"We're all set." Zane said. He and Cole climbed in the back, Jay and Nya had the middle row, and Bri had the front seat.

"Guys. Seriously? Who's driving?" Bri asked.

"I've never driven on snow before." Nya told them.

"Last time I did, I got in a wreck." Jay said.

"For goodness sake," Cole climbed out of the backseat and got into the driver's seat before starting the car. "Are we all good? No full bladders, no hunger pangs, no last minute need of car maintenance? No? Good."

The ride was peaceful for ten minutes. Bri was quietly singing along with the radio while navigating, Zane was meditating (?) in the backseat, Jay was playing a game on his phone, and Nya was nodding off with her headphones in.

Then chaos started.

"You're kidding me. Who has to be anywhere at 7:00 in the morning when there's SNOW?!" Cole shouted before honking the horn.

"People have lives, Cole." Bri said while pulling out her phone to look for alternate routes.

"Guys I have to pee." Jay said.

"Jay, we asked you if you had to go when we left." Nya told him.

"I didn't have to go then!"

"Cole, I don't know if you noticed, but the tank's almost empty." Zane pointed out.

"What?!" Sure enough, there was less than an eighth of a tank left. "This is just great."

"Ooh, there's a Bucees nearby." Bri said.

"Yes! I love Bucees!" Jay said.

"What's Bucees?" Nya asked.

Bri gave her a look of sympathy. "Oh, honey, you've missed out."

Cole groaned. So much for only taking an hour.

"Fine. Let's go to Bucees."

The car cheered.


Cole leaned against the car as he filled the tank. The others had been in the store for 10 minutes now. He turned when he heard footsteps to see his girlfriend with two coffee cups and a small bag.

"I got you your favorite." She handed him one of the cups. "Mocha with hazelnut, correct?"

"You're too good to me." He said as he took a sip. She took a sip of hers, too. "Where are the others?"

"I saw Nya near the kolaches, and Jay arguing with Zane about breakfast tacos."

"Why don't we have normal friends?" He asked.

"Hey, they were your friends first. You introduced me, remember?" Bri reminded him. She had met Cole after her breakup with Kai, and then Cole had introduced her to the others before they started dating.

"How can I forget?"

They chuckled before Bri spoke up again.

"You okay? You seemed agitated in the car."

Cole groaned. "I'm just...nervous."

"About what?" She asked, even thought she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"I'm meeting my girlfriend's father. Wouldn't you be nervous?"

"Sure, if I had a girlfriend." He gave her a look. "I get it. I'm worried about meeting your family, too."

"They'll love you."

"Yeah, well I'm afraid I'll annoy your father with my endless fangirling."

"About what?"

"I lived and breathed Royal Blacksmiths when I was younger. They were my idols."

Cole rolled his eyes. She had told him this when they met. "Again, they'll love you."

"And my family will love you. Just like I do."

"I love you, too." They closed the gap between them and locked their lips.

"Was that really necessary, Jay? We already ate before we left."

"But it's breakfast tacos, Zane! Nya, you understand, right?"

"Leave me out of this, Blue Boy."

The couple broke as their friends came out of the store. Cole finished paying for the gas and then they were off again.

First chapter done. I have the next couple chapters already written, so expect those soon. I just need to get the pre-Christmas stuff before Christmas, then the New Years and after stuff before I start school again.

If you didn't pick it up yet, Jay and Nya are not dating yet. That will change soon.

Bucce's is a very popular southern rest stop known for its bathrooms. I live in Texas and love it. So I just had to include it.

Any questions should be left by review or PM. I will do my best to answer them without spoiling anything.

See you next chapter.

-Gold Medal Ninja