Author's Note: Hello friends, family, readers! I am taking a short break from OMAC once again, because inspiration strikes in the weirdest ways. So! Here's the lovely first part of what was originally meant to be a oneshot, but has turned into a multi-chapter fic instead because I simply cannot get everything I want into a single chapter. "Never A Perfect Moment" largely feautres Kai and Skylor and takes place just after Green Destiny, s9. Enjoy!

They had won. Yes, the journey home had been frustrating and time consuming, and Kai had wanted to throttle Jay for most of it (his extremely loose grip on sanity had been more than a little concerning). And yes, it had taken a long and strenuous battle that could easily have ended very differently. But it was best not to dwell on those things, he supposed. Years of similarly traumatizing events had taught him that. Good old Ninjago City was finally safe again… and it was wonderful to be home. Even if home was currently in ruins. The events of the past few weeks had left an obvious mark on the city. Rubble lined the streets. The remains of the colossus that had once ruled the city with its destructive fist could be seen not too far away as well. But... They were together again, and that was more than enough for him just now. Kai gave his adoptive family a relieved smile.

"Just another day in Ninjago… I wonder what tomorrow will hold…" He declared, following the others off of the steps they had been standing on. Lloyd's... Father... or at least, some incredibly twisted version of him, had been arrested, pushed into a police vehicle, shouting something unintelligible as he went. The rest of the SOG had also been rounded up; there was no more fighting to be had. Safety might be a relative term for now, but it appeared as though they'd achieved it in the end. Which was good, because none of them seemed to be in any condition to keep fighting. Noticing the bizarre angle at which his sister's arm hung – something he should've caught sooner… he was her brother after all (oh, he felt guilty now for not paying better attention, no matter how tense things had been)- Kai added,

"After we all make a run to the hospital. Or… what's left of it anyway… Your arm looks pretty messed up, sis." Nya sighed, wincing slightly. Her relief at having her family back had distracted her from the pain until now. If the swelling she could feel was anything to go off of, her shoulder had definitely been dislocated during her showdown with Ultra Violet earlier that day. She could barely move it at all. That… was going to be fun to fix.

"You're right… But I'm not the only one... Lloyd's pretty banged up, and... Skylor wasn't looking too great either. You saw how all that dark energy was affecting her…"

"Oh, gosh, Skylor… We left her all alone in that armored car of yours, which was completely epic, by the way… I hate to split up again so soon, but…" Kai began, worriedly. Nya shot him a knowing look.

"Someone needs to check on her. Go on, grab her while we figure out transportation to the hospital. This arm is killing me."

"A-are you sure?" She lightly punched his shoulder with her good hand.

"Course I am."

"Yeah. We'll be fine here for a few minutes." Cole assured him with a shooing gesture. Lloyd gave him a weak smile. Kai's concern for the redhead won out; he wandered the short distance to where they'd parked the vehicle. Arriving just outside the door, he climbed inside. His blood ran cold at the sight that greeted him. Instead of having recovered now that Garmadon's powers could no longer affect her, Skylor seemed worse off than before. Her skin had turned a dreadfully pale shade of greyish white. The master of amber's eyes, which were normally so gorgeous and full of life, had turned dull and glassy. And the smell... She had clearly vomited at some point. Skylor groaned miserably as he approached her. How had things gone downhill so quickly? They never should have left her alone... He knelt next to her, careful to avoid the puddle of puke on the floor nearby.

"Kai? Izzat you…?"

"Yeah… you… This… You're burning up…" Kai stated, feeling the unnatural waves of heat that were radiating off of off of her without even touching her skin. The master of amber didn't seem to hear him. Every breath she took came in short, shaky gasps.

"M'not feeling…. Fink imma…" She slumped forward, slipping into unconsciousness. Kai rushed to catch her before her head could slam into the floor.

"Oh nonono Sky..." Something was seriously wrong with her - She needed help, and soon. If he lost her... No. If he started thinking like that, there was no way he'd be able to keep it together long enough to get her to the hospital... Taking a deep breath, he gently scooped her up, doing his best to ignore how limp she felt in his arms. She'd be fine if he could just get her some proper medical attention... Right? The master of fire clambered out of the vehicle as quickly as he could, not wanting to waste any time. Getting back to the others seemed to take an eternity. Skylor's dead weight grew increasingly unbearable the further he trudged. He could sense the steady rising of her fever as well. Not a good sign at all. It hadn't felt so far before… why was this taking so long now?

"Kai! What on earth?!" Lloyd exclaimed just as he felt as though his arms were about to give out on him. The master of fire came to a halt, panicking inwardly.

"There's something wrong with Skylor!" Zane observed, the first to rush over and offer his brother in arms assistance.

"S-she passed out pretty much as soon as I got there… and her temp's gotta be at least 105... I-I think Garmadon's powers must have… poisoned her or something…" Kai gasped out, breathless. It didn't take much for the others to see that he was right. Her appearance was dreadful. The way her head lulled to one side and beads of sweat trickled down her face, not to mention her pasty complexion, were all signs that she was suffering from something major.

"That seems likely. We don't have any idea how wielding Oni powers would affect an elemental master. Especially one with Skylor's abilities." The nindroid agreed with concern as he examined the redhead more closely.

"Then we need to get her onto one of these dregons and head to the hospital asap." Lloyd stated, taking the lead, for which Kai was grateful. The others immediately jumped into action, helping to hoist Skylor up onto the fire dragon that Kai had befriended. Although she could not actively help due to her injury, Nya yelled kind words of encouragement to them as they worked, striving to relieve the tension that was written all over Kai's posture. It took no more than a few minutes to ensure that Skylor would not fall midflight. Then, Nya clambered onto Jay's dragon, and Pixal onto Zane's. The dragons took off gracefully, racing towards their destination at a speed that would have been impossible for a group of mere humans to accomplish. Under different circumstances, riding a dragon for the first time in years would have been exhilarating for Nya, but right now, all she could think about was the look on her brother's face when he'd returned with Skylor's limp form. She knew how much he cared for her, even if he'd never admitted it out loud. They'd gone through so much together and it pained her to see him so upset. This wasn't fair; why couldn't they just be happy and safe for once? Below, the city flew by, smoke rising from the rubble of what had once been buildings.

"You okay back there?" The master of water heard her boyfriend call back to her, "The flight isn't jostling your arm too much, is it?"

"It's not… too bad… I've been through worse, trust me. We've just had so much happen today, and… it's a lot to take in..." Nya replied truthfully. She could handle the pain a bit longer; there was simply a lot on her mind. A park flew by - they were reaching the part of the city that had remained relatively untouched by Garmadon's forces. That was a promising sign for the potential state of their destination.

"I feel you there. But it feels awesome to be home again. I really missed you, you know?"

"Mm… I missed you too, Jay. Especially when I thought you were dead, a-and I-" She began, voice thick with emotion, Jay stiffened.

"You... You thought we were dead?!" He breathed. Though he didn't turn around, she could hear the guilt in his voice.

"Ye-s… It's… There's a lot to tell you after we've… made sure everyone's okay… I…"

"We have a lot to tell you, too." Admitted the master of lightning.

"Like how on earth you guys managed to keep Wu alive til adulthood?" Nya prompted curiously. He laughed softly.

"Oh, sweetie, you should've seen his sassy kid self running around pretending to be Cole's son…"

"Wait-What?" She cried, attempting to make sense of this latest piece of information.

"Tell you about it later, I promise. The hospital's just up ahead, and you need treatment." Jay reminded her as the dragon began to fly lower.

"Mmm... Wish I could just stay with you…" Nya mumbled tiredly, leaning against him.

"I know… and as much as I'd love that, you're clearly in pain, and Kai's gonna need you to be doing okay. He's pretty shaken up over both you and Skylor." He told her. They were close to landing now. The hospital was less than a block away.

"He really cares about her. Always has… I-I just hope…"

"Hey, she's a tough girl - just like you. I'm sure she'll pull through. We gotta stay positive."

"Stay… Positive… Yeah, good plan… Ow… " Nya hissed, grimacing slightly as she felt the jolt of the dragon they had been riding make contact with the ground.

"Oh. Sorry!" Jay told her apologetically, "You want some help getting down?" She considered his offer for a moment before gratefully accepting. The master of water had missed his reassuring presence to an almost painful extent the past few weeks.

"Please? That'd be great…" She said appreciatively, glancing over at Kai, who was already scrambling frantically from his perch. Lloyd and Cole quickly joined him, helping to lower the still unconscious Skylor to the ground. Using her good hand, Nya grabbed ahold of Jay and allowed him to guide her down off of the lightning dragon. Chaos exploded as Pixal and Zane pulled open the doors to the emergency room. The rest of the group burst inside, startling the patients and hospital employees milling about inside. Several nurses rushed forwards immediately to strap Skylor onto a mobile stretcher they happened to have on hand within seconds (clearly the hospital was making a point of being extra prepared as a result of the battle that had been ranging up until recently). Nya watched her brother begin to shake as they rolled her away. They hadn't permitted him to follow. He pleaded with them fiercely, desperate to stay by her side, but it was no use. His presence wouldn't do anything to help, ultimately, they said, leave it to the professionals. And since they weren't legally obligated to allow him to be present during treatment, as neither he, nor the others, were technically related to her, there was little that could be done except waiting and hoping for the best. She watched as Lloyd gave him a fierce hug and guided him to the nearest couch, offering kind words of comfort, and speaking of how relieved he was to have his big brother back in one piece. Hearing yet another nurse gently ask her to follow her to another room for treatment, Nya glanced regretfully at the scene playing out before her. She didn't want to leave Kai (or Jay, for that matter), but she had no choice. The pain in her arm was becoming unbearable and the water ninja knew the only way to remedy this was to allow herself to entrust her brother to the rest of their family and hope they'd be able to keep him from breaking until she could return.

"I'll be back soon." She promised, doing her best to give him a reassuring look. It was less comforting than it should have been.

One hour and a brand-new sling later, Nya found herself back in the waiting room. Before the doctor had released her, she'd chocked down several pills, which had helped reduce the pain she was in dramatically. Maybe now she'd be able to focus more on catching up with her family… and… Keeping Kai sane…

"Hey guys. I'm back…" She said softly, seating herself next to her brother. His face was buried in his hands; he didn't look up.

"How's your arm?" Lloyd asked. The doctors must have gotten to him as well. He was sporting several bandages that definitely hadn't been there before.

"Better than before. Doctor says I won't be able to use it for a few weeks, but… could be worse." She announced. The others exchanged looks.

"That's…" Started Cole.

"That's good… I mean… it's not amazing, obviously, but. Still. Good." Jay finished, rambling.

"We could certainly use some positive news…" Agreed Zane somberly. Glancing from her unresponsive brother, to her boyfriend, to the rest of her family, the master of water faltered.

"Something happened while they were fixing my arm… Didn't it?"

Kai spoke for the first time, lifting his face just enough that she could see how puffy and red his eyes were.

"They had to put Skylor on oxygen…. She had a-a seizure a-and stopped breathing…. And t-hey…" He whispered, voice cracking.

"Oh, Kai…" Nya murmured, throwing her arm around his shoulders. A wet sob escaped from the master of fire as he leaned into the hug.

"Nya? W-what if she never wakes up? S-she could die…. I-I can't…What I-if I never… get to… t-tell her that I-I…"

"You love her?" She stated. He sobbed again, louder this time.

"H-how-"

"Because we know you, Kai." Zane answered gently.

"It's so obvious to anyone who knows you how strongly you feel. She's gotta know deep down." Jay commented.

"A-and FSM! I-I'm so sorry! Bec-cause you're my sister, and… and I-I've barely said one word to you since I got b-back… And L-Loyd, too… I-I'm a horrible big brother for ignoring y-you…" Kai cried, shaking. Nya and Lloyd both shook their heads vehemently.

"No, Kai. You're not a horrible brother. You could never be horrible." The blonde insisted immediately.

"B-but I…" Kai trailed off miserably.

"It's okay, I promise. We understand. We do. But sitting here worrying isn't gonna fix things... You know that... Now c'mon. Let's go find some dinner. The food in the cafeteria is pretty decent. If I remember correctly from the last time we were stuck here, they even have a little fast food restaurant inside. You look like you haven't eaten in days..." Offered Nya after a few minutes, giving him one of her signature looks. He needed a distraction. Desperately.

"But-" He started to protest.

"She's right. You can't sit around waiting for hours on end with nothing to do… you'll drive yourself crazy." Cole reminded him, pulling the master of fire to his feet.

"Yeah, and then maybe after we eat, we can go look at those cool murals they have in the children's wing! You loved them last time we were here..." Jay agreed, trying to sound upbeat. Kai allowed them to drag him along back out the doors to the emergency room and into an elevator. He watched the glowing sign above the door signal the changes as they switched floors, wishing he were somewhere else entirely. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate his family's efforts – he loved them dearly and they were only trying to help. He just... Dreaded what might happen the next time a doctor gave them an update. The group exited the elevator a few minutes later and headed down a maze of hallways before entering the surprisingly large and airy dining hall. The scent of sanitizer that had permeated the air and the blindingly white walls hadn't done much for his appetite. He should have just stayed behind while the others got something to eat... There was little chance that food would improve his current outlook. Nevertheless, his sister shoved him towards the large menu sign of the rather generic restaurant and instructed him to pick something. Kai stared blankly at it, nothing sounding the least bit palatable. When he didn't say anything after a few minutes, Nya sighed softly and gave his hand a squeeze.

"You know what? I'll take care of this. Think you can handle finding us a place to sit?" He nodded numbly and trudged towards the assorted tables and booths that covered the other side of the room. The master of fire was unfortunately familiar with the layout, thanks to several previous visits. Though, he couldn't remember ever feeling quite this drained or on edge.. The events of the past few days weighed heavily on him, and he was having trouble processing it all. Lloyd's leg had been an easy fix after the first battle with his father. Even the intense case of appendicitis that Nya had been subjected to a few years back had been reasonably straightforward. This? This was far less predictable. There was no way of knowing how things would work out in the end. And that thought scared him. Selecting an isolated booth towards the back of the room, Kai sat in silence, waiting for the others to join him. It was the first moment he'd had alone in a long time. He wasn't sure that was a good thing. Part of him wished he'd thought to have Jay charge his phone earlier (it had remained in his pocket, slightly battered, but still functional, since they'd first ended up in the First Ream – cell service was completely non-existent there), since having that luxury would serve as a distraction from his growing concern for Skylor. Alas, he had not. And if he really thought about it, he dreaded having to weed through the countless social media notifications he undoubtedly had (being so well known definitely had its downsides) anyway. That was going to be a serious chore. One he wasn't sure he was mentally prepared for. And then… His parents…. Kai really should call them. They'd worked so hard to make up for their absence in the past year (though it felt like a lifetime ago, honestly). And he was eternally grateful that they had had the chance to reconnect after so long. Not everyone was blessed with an opportunity like that, and Kai hated that Lloyd had lost another family member just as he and his sister finally found theirs. It wasn't fair. But then again, what did any of them know about fairness? Half the time, life seemed to be a cruel trick of fate. Like… Having his baby brother's father resurrected in an almost demonic form. He… really needed to check up on the kid. Skylor wasn't the only one who had been damaged, here, and it was his responsibility as the big brother in this family to make sure Lloyd was on the road to emotional recovery. Even if both he and Nya had assured him that they understood if he was a bit distracted by the master of amber's hospitalization.

"Kai?" Someone called, snapping him from his reverie. Nya scooted across the booth's cushioned bench, coming to a stop next to him.

"Kai – you wanna burger?" Jay and Cole set down several trays stacked high with food. Clearly no one had been able to resist the call of cheap fast food.

"We got curly fries, too!" The master of lightning supplied enthusiastically as the rest of group piled haphazardly into the booth. Kai took a deep breath. The smell made his stomach growl, reminding the him just how long it had been since he'd eaten something other than the weird plants that grew in the First Realm.

"Yeah? That sounds… I...I'm. Starving... Thanks." He relaxed slightly as food was distributed among them (with Cole threatening to dump ketchup in Jay's hair for hogging the fries), the mood significantly lighter than it had been in the waiting room. If he tried hard enough, he could almost forget why they were there. But the sling Nya wore was enough of a reminder that this ultimately proved to be unsuccessful.

"Is now a good time to swap stories? Cause I have questions." Lloyd stated tentatively, after taking a few bites of his burger, staring at Kai as if to make sure he wasn't going to go catatonic on them.

"Yes. We do have an awful lot to tell you, and I'm sure you've got plenty to share as well." Zane agreed.

"Oh, do we!" The master of water exclaimed, slamming down her cup of root beer. Pixal smiled ruefully from across the table.

"That's… Not an understatement."

"A-nd I was thinking. Maybe after that, we could call our parents?" Kai suggested, before chaos could break out. His sister leaned against him contentedly.

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Kai."

Lovely readers, thank you for reading this work! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Stay tuned, there will be Kailor moments eventually! Just gotta get pt 2 finished and edited. As always, if you have any feedback or suggestions, reviews are appreciated. Have a terrific Wednesday!
~GwenBrightly