If you are looking for action, skip the first few chapters and go straight to chapter 4, 'Not Again.

I would recommend reading 'Nya's Journey To Where She Is Today' before this, because you will be a little lost if you don't.

And I totally support Jaya, just so you all know. It is the best of the best, but the question must be raised: Who would Nya choose if Jay were to pass? I think Zane.

This will be a series of one-shots about Zane and Nya's growing relationship. Some will be angst-y and sad, others will be lighthearted and humorous, and all will have an essence of fluffy romance. (Color that last word in a bunch of rainbow colors!)

This first one will be sad, and will begin a month after the last one ended (before the epilogue.) But I promise, the next one will be more lighthearted.

Everyone will seem a bit out of character, but I assure you that it is done on purpose. Anyone who has lost someone close to their hearts knows that grief can change people. Kai and Nya will seem especially out of character, since they were closest to Jay when he...spoiler alert...:) And it was somewhat their fault, so guilt is rather rampant.

And tell me if you find some words that are wrong or don't belong. My brother enjoys getting into my writing program and messing with it. The other day, I was proofreading something and found this: "And then they all died. Nilla Wafer top hat time." Will someone please elaborate? I'm not kidding, That is what he wrote. Cracked me up, but I'll be annoyed if one of those gets past me and you all read it. That would be embarrassing.

The sun was shining its warm yellow rays down through the trees, illuminating the forest floor. Birds were chirping pleasantly, filling the air with its sound, carried by the light breeze.

"How about a race?" Kai suggested.

I looked at my brother as he walked on my left, then at Jay, who was on my right. I shifted the picnic basket to my left arm and planted it in the crook of my elbow.

Jay gave me a cheeky smile and spoke. "What do you say, Nya?"

My heart started hammering in my chest. My feet suddenly quit moving, and I felt like lead weights were holding them down. "I-I don't know," I said nervously, looking into the forest, which suddenly looked dark and foreboding. I started breathing fast in my panic. "There's something in there. I want to go back."

Kai stopped and looked behind him, at me, then ahead of him at the forest. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary, sis," he said. "It's too bright for anything to be hiding."

I looked at the woods in front of us again, and gasped, pointing at the growing darkness. "Don't you see that?"

Jay raised his scarred right eyebrow at me. "See what?"

My vision suddenly began to swirl in and out of focus, and the darkness consumed me, suffocating, cold, and damp. In the distance, I heard Jay scream. A horrible dying wail that nearly made my heart stop.

I woke up suddenly and sat up, gasping for breath. I felt my face, which was wet with cold sweat and tears. My chest heaved as I suppressed a scream. I remembered where I was, and gradually lowered myself onto my pillow again, still breathing heavily.

Click.

My body went rigid as I heard the door open. My head shot up and I searched the darkness for whoever was entering. A silhouette came through the creaky door and shut it behind as quietly as possible. The figure would have gone by unnoticed if not for the telltale squeak of the old door, and the sound of the match as it opened and closed.

"Is that you, Zane?" I asked in a whisper. Out of habit, I fingered a ring that hung from a fine chain around my neck. "Hello?"

The silhouette seemingly floated over to my bed and sat down in the chair. "Yes, Nya. I am here."

I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed somewhat as Zane's form became recognizable. My fingers trembled as I stared at what I assumed was his face. It was hard to tell in the darkness."It's been a month, Zane." My voice was cracked and hoarse. "Why does it still haunt me?"

Zane sighed. "Some things are just hard to forget. What we have experienced is something that is impossible to forget, ever." He paused. "Unless, of course, if you have retrograde amnesia," his joke was poorly placed, and barely merited a scoff.

I rolled my eyes in the darkness and held out my trembling hand. I felt Zane's cool fingers squeeze it securely. I squeezed back and inhaled an unsteady breath.

I stared at the ceiling for well over a minute before Zane's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Breath, Nya."

I realized that I hadn't exhaled, and did so quickly, breathing in again slowly and letting it out.

"I didn't scream, Zane," I said eventually. "How did you know to come?"

"It's after four," he said quietly. "You always have your nightmares after four."

I thought about that for a few seconds. It was true. I always woke up around four in the morning, and Zane always came in after that. I assumed it was because I usually made enough noise to wake up the dead when I shot upright. Today, the dream had been cut short (thank goodness) and I had somehow restrained myself from making a loud noise because of that.

Zane reached out with his free hand and stroked my hair gently. "I've gotten into the habit of waking up when you do, by setting an alarm in my computer."

I breathed slowly, the muscles in my diaphragm spasming. "You don't have to, you know."

Zane's hand ran down my scalp soothingly. "I am aware of that, Nya." His hand rose back up to the top of my head and went downward again. "But I am an android. I have no real need of rest, and my programming says to protect you, and our brothers."

I felt my muscles start to melt as he caressed my hair. I moaned softly and turned my body toward him. "Thank you." I pulled his hand to my chin and held it there, glad to feel somewhat less rigid and panicked.

It was the same scenario every morning. I wake up, he comes in and talks until I calm down, then we both leave to start training. Ever since that picnic about a month ago, I realized that I needed to learn to fight with my body as well as my samurai suit. I would have been a lot more helpful to Jay and Kai if I'd had some real martial arts training back then. Thanks to Zane's patient teaching, I was getting much better. I didn't want to lose another brother, so I had poured my heart and soul into his training.

Zane ran his thumb over my cheek slowly, an almost mesmerizing touch that helped slow my racing mind. "Ready to begin training?" He asked me quietly.

I wanted to shake my head, and make him stay by my side a little bit longer, but decided against it. I didn't like taking advantage of anyone. I eventually nodded.

"Okay," Zane said, "I'll see you in a while." He let go of my hand and left as quietly as he had come, shutting the door behind him.

I pushed the blankets off of my body and slowly lowered my feet onto the cold wood floor, shivering slightly. This was one of those times that I wished we had a better heating system. I looked out my window, at the yellow treetops far below, and hugged myself. I felt a strong urge to take a warm shower, but didn't want to keep Zane waiting too long.

I wiggled into a warm pair of clothing and combed my hair as fast as I could, then ran out the door to meet up with him. I tiptoed past the men's dorm, not wanting anyone to wake up. Zane and I had kept out training, and my nightmares, a secret from even my brother.

I entered the training room, where Zane was setting up equipment. The smell of coffee wafted through the room, coupled with the pungent scent of sausage. Zane had, as usual, made a post-breakfast snack. He always told me that eating before exercise was imperative...whatever that meant.

Zane turned and saw me walking through the door. A wide smile crossed his face and he picked up a platter of small sausages and hot drinks. "I was not certain which beverage you would prefer this morning, so I made both coffee and hot chocolate." He held it out for presentation.

The first few times he had done this, I had felt flustered and a little embarrassed. He didn't have to go through all of the effort. But after a week of protest, I had given up on trying to stop him. He loved to do it, so why deprive him of the joy of serving? He thrived off of our approval and kind words, so telling him to stop would be the same in his mind as a direct insult.

I took the hot chocolate and a couple sausages. "Thank you, Zane." I said with a smile as I took a sip of the drink. It was, as usual, the perfect temperature for drinking. Not hot enough to burn if you sipped it, but not cool enough to guzzle without burning your throat.

Zane sat down next to me on a bench and took the coffee mug. He drank it quickly and then ate the sausage. I had been surprised when he told me that he loved hot drinks. You would think that, being the ninja of ice, he would love his coffee iced or blended. But he told me that he preferred to have his drinks warm. Just one of the many things that never ceased to surprise me about him.

"Today," he said eventually, "I think that we could work on your balance."

I nodded and swallowed a bite of food. "Sounds good." I drained the last of my cup and stood up with a quiet yawn and a blink. I leaned back too far as I stretched my arms behind me, and started to fall toward the bench with a gasp of alarm as I tried to right myself.

Zane's arms reached out and caught me before I could hit my head on the bench, and he chuckled as he held me with one arm. "Balance certainly sounds like a good lesson for today."

I looked up at him and blushed. "Yeah, I guess so." Our positions reminded me somewhat of a pair of dancers doing the tango. He helped me get upright and let go of my torso. "Thanks, Zane."

Zane nodded in acknowledgement. "Now," he grabbed two katanas and handed one to me. "We can have a warm up before the lesson." He held up his long, narrow weapon and took a step back, balancing his body.

I took a step forward and began my advance. Swords were not my strongest weapon, but were easy enough to use against the average evil Nindroid, which I could best with my eyes closed. Zane was certainly not included in that equation, as he was not only stronger than me, but at least a foot taller. I circled my opponent, then began blocking his hits, a loud clash of steel against steel.

"So do you want to talk about your dream?" Zane asked as he blocked a series of combinations.

I thrust toward his stomach. "Absolutely not."

Zane easily blocked the blow and countered with one of his own. "Why not?"

I jumped backwards, nearly tripping over my feet as I landed a good distance from the swiping blade. "Because no one needs to know."

Zane saw me trip and stilled his blade just long enough for me to right myself. "They do say," he did a downward thrust toward my scalp, "talking about things that disturb you will help overcome your fears."

I lifted the blade above my head, and Zane's sword hit the flat side of mine with a dull clang. "Do they?" I swung my sword at Zane's legs, then suddenly shifted the blade toward his hand at the last second.

Zane shifted his wrist, tilting the blade toward his feet and pushing my blade away from his body. "No," his voice was dripping with sarcasm. "No, keeping it to yourself solves every problem." He swung toward my right shoulder.

I couldn't help but laugh as I ducked. The blade went over my head. "Your sense of humor seems out of character, after knowing you for so long as a humorless but handsome young man."

Zane took advantage of the weak spot I had left open with my crouch, and knocked my blade out of my fingers. I fell onto my back in surprise. He held his blade at my neck for just a moment before dropping it to the floor behind him with a clatter and holding out a hand, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "And has that view changed?" He joked as he pulled me to my feet.

I felt my heart to a little dance in my chest for just a moment before I calmed it and took a breath. "Somewhat," I began, drawing a disappointed look from his face. "You are no longer humorless, and you are by no means a young man. But if anything you've only grown more handsome with time." I wanted to take it back. Of course I meant it as a compliment, but I didn't want him to think I was flirting. It was too soon after Jay's death for anything like that.

Zane held an almost indiscernible look on his face as he let go of my hand and turned his back to me. He bent over to pick up his sword, then went for mine. Still keeping his back turned, he put the katanas away in a large closet.

"I am unsure what to make of that comment, Nya," he said quietly. He turned and faced me slowly, his face looking as emotionless as a stone wall. He cleared his throat and spoke. "Ready for the lesson?"

The next two hours were a blur of different stretches, poses and exercises that strengthened both body and mind, according to Zane. By the time it was over, I was exhausted and lightheaded, but I felt that I had improved my balance at least a little bit by the end of the lesson.

"Ready to start on breakfast?" Zane asked, grabbing our dishes and walking out the door.

I nodded and followed him out. "Am I ever not?" I flashed a weak smile.

Zane smiled and dipped his head forward, gesturing down the hall. "What shall we make?"

I considered this a moment before speaking. "Hash browns and scrambled eggs."

Zane ran silently up the steps to the deck. "With onions?"

"And cheese," I added as we entered the kitchen.

"You cannot forget the bacon chunks." Zane dropped the dishes in the sink and turned on the faucet. "Can you get that going please?"

I nodded and went to the fridge. I quickly found a package of bacon and tossed it into a pan.

The smell of smoky, salty pork filled the air a few minutes later, and Zane was grating potatoes soon after.

I flipped the bacon in the pan and nearly gagged from the pungent scent. I liked the taste of bacon, but the fumes that filled the air while it was being fried was enough to make anyone feel sick, let alone myself. I still had random nausea spells and headaches, and streaks of despondent behavior, typically triggered by someone mentioning my former fiancé's name in an insensitive manner. I still felt an insufferable amount of grief every time I thought of him.

"Ouch!" I cried out as a large, scalding mess of melted fat landed on my right arm and burned my skin. I growled and tossed the spatula onto the floor in my anger, and ran my forearm under a cool spray of water. "I can't stand it." I mumbled.

Zane cam up beside me and put a hand on my shoulder. "My apologies, Nya." He said, grabbing a towel and the first aid kit. "I should have remembered that you don't like to prepare bacon." He dried my arm and put a cold, gooey salve on the dime-sized burn. "You can grate the cheese instead." He covered it in a bandage and quickly put away the box.

I blinked, surprised that he had taken care of the wound so fast. "Ahh..." I blinked again. "Sure, Zane, if you don't mind."

Zane shook his head, his back now turned to me as he reached down and grabbed the spatula from where it had landed on the floor. "Not at all, Nya." He said pleasantly, flipping the bacon.

I ran to the cupboard that I thought held the cheese grater and looked inside with a growl. "I don't see it," I got onto my knees and looked deeper.

"Above your head," Zane said, not looking up from his work.

I nodded to myself and got off of my knees, rubbing my temple and moaning quietly as a light headache invaded my mind. I blinked away stars and opened the cupboard higher up, and saw serving bowls and plates. "Nope."

Zane set down the spatula and walked over to my side, his feet making no sound as he moved across the floor. He peered into the cupboard and pulled the grater out from a shelf I couldn't see very well because of my height, and handed it to me nonchalantly. He reached back into the cupboard and grabbed a plate and mixing bowl, and walked back over to the stove without a word.

My face flushed slightly from embarrassment, and I shut the cupboard door. I got the cheese out and began grating on the counter as far away from the bacon pan as possible. "So how did you sleep last night, Zane?" I asked.

Zane loaded the bacon onto his plate. "Very well, thank you." He grabbed a knife and started dicing the meat into the mixing bowl. "Yourself?"

Did he even have to ask? "Terrible." I loaded the cheese into a bowl and finished Zane's job of grating potatoes.

Zane grabbed a carton of eggs and cracked them into the mixing bowl with the bacon. "I see," he said thoughtfully. "I am going to assume, then, that you had the same dream you usually have?"

The headache pounded harder. "And who said I always have the same dream?" I never talked about my dreams to anyone, feeling that it was an invasion of privacy.

Zane handed me an onion and a knife. "You always shout Jay's name in your sleep, coupled with the words 'race' and 'picnic,' and sometimes 'Nindroid.'" He took the cheese from my outstretched hands and went back to the stove.

My head began to swim as I cut the skin of the onion. "So?"

Zane grabbed a paper towel and wiped the excess grease from the bacon pan. "You only need to dice half the onion," he said.

"Okay," I cut the onion in half and set one part aside.

Zane tossed the towel into a basket and sighed. "I still think you need to talk about it," he softened his tone.

Tears started pouring down my cheeks. I couldn't tell if it was because of the onion or my broken spirit. I blinked and wiped my eyes on my shoulder, somewhat clearing my vision.

Zane walked up behind me and took the knife from my fingers. "Wash your face, It will help." He diced the rest of the onion half with blinding speed, and tossed it into the mixing bowl.

I ran to the sink and splashed my face with icy cold water. Zane appeared again over my shoulder and handed me a towel. I took it with a nod and wiped my face dry. I looked at the towel with another growl as I realized that my makeup had come off with the excess water.

Zane noticed my face and stared at it for a long while. I stared back at his seemingly perplexed expression, thoroughly embarrassed by my now simple appearance.

He shook his head slowly and smiled sadly. "There's only one other time I can recall your face being free of that makeup," he said thoughtfully, taking the towel from my shaking hand and throwing it onto the floor behind him without looking at where it fell. "That would be the day after Jay died." His voice was full of regret, and his eyes reflected the same quality.

My head felt like a hammer was being pounded mercilessly inside of it. I blinked slowly and began to cry again. This time I knew it wasn't the onion's fault.

Zane embraced me gently and put his hand behind my head. He gently pushed my face into his shirt and held me there tightly, rocking gently as he patiently waited for me to be done.

I wrapped my arms around his torso as I started to fall to the floor. What started as a headache now turned to a raging migraine that rendered my body unable to support itself.

Zane lowered himself to his knees and cradled me on his lap, still rocking and rubbing my head with his hand.

I closed my eyes tightly and went rigid, trying to stop the tears. I held my breath and did not move.

"Breath, Nya." Zane said softly, his hand falling from my hair and wrapping around me securely. "Just relax."

But I couldn't relax. Even with his arms around me, offering me security, I could not convince myself that I was safe. My body was frozen, rigid in pain from my burning lungs and tense muscles.

Zane unwrapped his arms and started rubbing my shoulders. I gradually began to relax, though I still refused to breath. I wasn't certain why my body was doing it. I wanted to breath, but just couldn't bring myself to do so.

I suddenly felt my diaphragm contract, and realized that Zane's hands were on my ribcage, pushing so suddenly that my lungs inhaled as a reflex to the pain. I gasped and choked on the air. My lungs felt as if they had suddenly shrunken, and that no matter how quickly or deeply I breathed, I could not get enough air.

Zane let me hang limply in his arms while I caught my breath, a process that took at least two minutes.

"Do me a favor," he said sternly. "Don't ever do that in bed. I can't save you when I can't see you."

I just sat in his arms and trembled, eventually getting my breathing under control, but no less rigid than before. I gripped his hand and stared at the inside of my eyelids, which I held shut so tightly that my eyes hurt.

"I'm sorry, Nya." Zane said quietly as he squeezed my hand. "I should be more carful with my speech when I talk of Jay. The wound is still too tender to the touch." He began rubbing my shoulders again.

"Is something burning?" A voice spoke suddenly behind us. My eyes flew open with a gasp of alarm as I tried to scramble out of Zane's arms.

Zane got to his feet, then grabbed my hand and helped me up. He looked at the man who had just entered, then at the empty pan on the stove. "I forgot about that," he reached over and turned off the burner with his free hand. "Good morning, Lloyd."

Lloyd stepped forward and examined my face. "Good morning, you two." I had a sudden urge to hide behind Zane's back, but I controlled the unease and returned his gaze as evenly as I could. But my eyes found the floor within a few seconds, and I barely managed to mumble out a "good morning, Lloyd."

Lloyd averted his eyes from my face, to my immense relief. His eyes wandered to the stove. "You want some help?"

Zane shook his head. "No, thank you. We're almost done. Are the others awake?"

Lloyd let out a shallow laugh, obviously feeling a bit uncomfortable, after seeing me in tears in Zane's arms. It was a thing that did not happen often. "You know them," Lloyd began. "Cole's working out, trying to beat my bench press record. Fat chance of him succeeding, but why not let him try?" He chuckled forcefully. "Kai is still in bed, sleeping like a log." He looked at me again and added in a voice that was tinted with pity and regret. "Like you used to do."

"Well." My voice was sharp and tart. I did not want pity, and Zane seemed to have enough regret for the two of us combined. "Things can change." I let go of Zane's hand and stalked out of the room, leaving a trail of awkward tension in my wake.

I stomped down the stairs and into my room to put on more makeup, a process that only took about two minutes.

"Much better." I flashed something close to a smile in the mirror and put my cosmetics bag away. I turned on my heel and left the room quickly.

I knocked on the boys room loudly before entering, and wrinkled my nose at the stench. The room itself was tidy enough, but I could tell that there were some people that just didn't believe in washing bedsheets every month. I sat down on my brother's bed with a thump, and decided he was more than a little guilty of having the poor hygiene syndrome.

"Ahh!" Kai sat straight up and got me in a headlock, delirious from being awakened so rudely.

"Kai!" I croaked, wishing he would just relax, and not act like a wild dragon who's cave was being explored. "It's me!" I pushed against his arms to no avail.

Kai realized his mistake and instantly let me go. "Sorry, sis." He panted, rubbing his face. "I thought you were something else."

I gripped my throat and coughed. "I think I got that, thanks." I deadpanned.

"No problem," Kai smiled and ran his fingers through his tangled mess of hair. "Time to get up?"

I shook my head and fell into his arms. "Nope."

Kai looked at me in surprise. "No?" He gave me a hug and looked around the room. "Even Lloyd's awake. I think that means I should-"

"No!" My voice rose in desperation. I moaned and hugged his neck. "You need to stay here." I lowered my voice so I wouldn't hurt his ears with my pitch. I didn't want to risk scaring him off.

Kai heated up his body and leaned his head against the wall, allowing me to rest on him more easily. "Rough day?" He said in an equally quiet tone.

I nodded, instantly regretting the motion when my brain started smashing against sea urchins. I moaned again loudly.

Cole's voice floated down the hallway, moving up and down in song as he presumably did workouts in the training room.

Kai laughed lightly. "Did the headache start before or after that ruckus?" He rubbed my shoulders gently.

I managed a smile, the corner of my lip brushing against his ear. "Before." I closed my eyes and let him rub me. I liked it when Zane held me, but my brother was by far the better option. Just his warmth alone was enough to make my muscles loosen. It was, I'll admit it, hard to relax on Zane. I was always afraid of someone finding us together, like Lloyd did on the floor a few minutes ago, and maybe misinterpret it. I was not ready for that kind of humiliation.

However, Zane seemed much less impatient, and always made time for me when I needed someone to lean on. I was lucky, having my brother in a mood good enough to not throw me out the window when I woke him. This was a rare luxury, what Kai was doing for me right now. But Zane almost begged me to spend time with him. He never seemed to tire of giving me a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to listen when I spoke. If only there was a way for our relationship to be less awkward.

"I couldn't help but notice," Kai said after a minute. "You've been a lot less clingy, if you get my meaning. You doing okay?"

I shook my head. "No," I whispered. "I'm not okay. And I haven't been less clingy, Kai. I just haven't been clinging to you." I realized my mistake a moment too late. Zane and I had been keeping our growing relationship a secret for a reason other than the fact that secrets were naturally quite fun. I suspected that Kai might blow a fuse if he knew.

Kai was silent for a minute. "You've found another person to bother in the mornings when you're drowning in melancholy?" His voice was dripping with a mixture of annoyance and humor. Not the reaction I had expected, but I was relieved. Kai pulled me off of his shoulder and cradled me in his lap. "Who is it, Nya?" He didn't sound annoyed in the least, which surprised me even more. If anything, he sounded pleasantly curious.

I hesitated. "Zane," the word was slow and thick like molasses as it ran over my tongue.

I felt Kai's body move jerkily as he chuckled. "I should have known," he said after another pause. "I just can't believe you did it so fast, after Jay..." He let his sentence hang unfinished.

I went slightly rigid again, but forced myself to keep breathing. "We aren't a couple, Kai." I said shortly. "He's just been-"

"Nice?" Kai offered lightly, "polite, maybe? Or overly affectionate, and attending to your every need?"

I resisted the urge to combat his dry humor with a salty slab of my own. "You could say that," I said after a pause. "I didn't ask him to, and even tried to make him stop once, but he's just been too persistent."

"Persistent in what?" He asked.

"Everything." I let out a single, short laugh. "I found out today that he wakes himself up every morning at four, so he can apparently stand at my door or something like that, until I wake up from my nightmare, kicking and screaming, so he can rush in and calm me down." I fingered the hem of Kai's blanket, remembering that he did not know that I ever had nightmares. This was turning into quite an open-booked day.

"And he's been doing lots of other things too," my voice sounded strange in my own ears, and I cleared my throat. "Yeah, saying it out loud makes it at least a possibility, huh?" I let out another laugh. "At the very least, he's being an A-rate gentleman." I nestled my head in Kai's shirt and ignored the stench of body odor.

"But..." Kai coaxed me on patiently. Since when has he been so lenient? I wondered absentmindedly.

I sighed. "But I'm not ready, Kai." My voice cracked. "It's only been a month, and those Nindroids are still at large, causing trouble and making the thought of peace sound more like a dream than reality." I shivered and pulled the blanket over my legs. "Even if there weren't any Nindroids to contend with, I need a lot more time before I can even consider another engagement. The last one, if you remember, didn't have a happily-ever-after hanging between the pages."

Kai laughed. "I agree to that." He grabbed the ring on my neck and held it up. "But why Zane?" He asked. "Why not Cole?"

"I told you." I snatched the chain from his fingers and tucked it into my shirt. "It's not like that. I needed a companion, and Zane stepped up before I even realized that I was lonely. He is a friend, not a boyfriend."

"And there's a difference?" Kai asked.

"Of course," I nodded. "Men are excellent companions for women. If it leads to romance, so be it. But in my opinion, it is good to have men around in other ways than just romanticized pursuit. They're less emotional, stronger, and oftentimes much more level headed."

Kai snorted. "I'll agree with you on those three points, I guess."

I pointed a finger at him. "I wasn't talking about you. If you were any of those things, I wouldn't be saying 'oftentimes.'"

Kai pushed me off of his lap with a laugh. "Get out." He said playfully.

I fell to the floor with a yelp and laid flat on my face, caught between a laugh and a moan of pain as my head continued to pound.

Kai leaned over the side of the bed and looked at me. "You okay?"

I rolled onto my back and glared at him. "Fine as a daisy."

Kai offered me a hand. "In the path of a forest fire."

I took the hand and we worked together in getting me to my feet. "The fire was your fault, wasn't it?" I countered once I was standing.

Kai let out a chortle and threw his pillow at me, then pointed at the door. "Out. Don't forget to shut it behind you."

I dodged the projectile and darted out the door, shutting it behind me with a loud bang that echoed down the hall. I winced as the sound blew through my mind like a bomb.

I fingered the chain on my neck as I mounted the steps to the deck. I entered the dining room and was assaulted by a wave of smells. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. The scent of frying eggs now doubled with the bacon fat scent, making me feel nauseas once again. I steeled myself and pressed my hand onto my stomach, as if it would help with the pain, and pushed open the kitchen door, peeking inside. Zane had his back turned to me, his attention on the two pans of eggs and potatoes he was frying. Lloyd was nowhere to be seen. Good, i thought. I was not ready to reconcile my actions earlier.

I stepped inside quietly, deciding to practice the silent stepping techniques Zane had taught m a while back. I tiptoed up behind him, marveling at how Zane walked like this all the time out of habit when it took so much mental energy for me to focus on a few steps.

Zane turned around and regarded me cooly. His eyes examined my face, and he quickly took on a pained expression. "Nya," he said softly, dropping the spatula onto the counter.

I was disappointed that he had heard me. "What?" His face confused me. It was as if I had said something mean, and he was about ready to go hide in a corner.

Zane shook his head, his sharp eyebrows moving close to his gentle blue eyes. "You look more beautiful without that fake mask of makeup."

My mouth opened in protest, then shut automatically. My fingers found my hair, and I started playing with a few strands. "I do not."

Zane ran for the towel on the floor, and he soaked it in the sink. He handed it to me and smiled encouragingly. "Yes you do, Nya. Please," he handed the towel to me. "I was trying to say it earlier, but you broke down before I could." The smile remained fixed on his fair lips as they moved to form syllables. "The most beautiful I had ever seen you was that day when you were sitting in the kitchen, eating my cooking with a pretty natural blush on your cheeks as you tried to convince me you were full." His pale face colored slightly, a change that almost went unnoticed. "You should be more confident. Anyone who tells you that you're no good without that black and red paint can answer to me." His thrust his thumb at chest to drive his point home.

I hesitantly took the towel and looked at him with doubt, somewhat incredulous. What Zane was telling me now went against everything I had ever heard my whole life. Cosmetics improved appearances. Zane seemed to view them as an obstacle, and something to make a person less attractive. I took a deep breath and let it out as I wiped my face clean of the mascara and deep red lipstick I had applied not even ten minutes before. I pulled the towel from my face and was surprised to see Zane staring at me distantly, much like Jay used to. He took the towel from my hands and gently wiped away the spots that I must have missed.

When he was finally satisfied, he tossed the rag aside and beamed. "I did not mention," he said softly. "That day a month ago was the time you had looked the most beautiful, but..." he took my hand and blushed.

It was comical. I had never seen him blush before in my life.

He cleared his throat and continued. "Right now beats even then by a landslide." I was impressed by how evenly he kept my gaze.

I was sure my face was some dark shade of crimson as my eyes found the floor, and I smiled. "I think your food is burning." I said eventually.

Zane let go of my hand and nodded. "Yes, of course." He turned to the stove and flipped a hash brown cake, and then stirred the scrambled eggs. Both were slightly more browned than they were supposed to be, but still quite edible.

"I think the food is done now," Zane said as he grabbed two large plates. He scooped the eggs onto one, and the potatoes on another, then handed one plate to me and gestured toward the door. "Let's go," he pushed the door open and held it for me, then we both put the platters on the long table. Zane ran back into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a stack of plates and cups. "Can you get the orange juice?" He asked.

I nodded and ran to the fridge. I found the carton of juice and pulled it out, then put it on the table. "Hey, Zane," I began, twirling my fingers through the necklace chain.

Zane looked at me and smiled. "Yes?" He situated a fork next to a plate.

I took a step forward and grabbed the spoons, pulling my finger down from my neck. "I'm sorry about earlier," I said quickly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you guys and acted all angry."

Zane shrugged. "Don't dwell on it, Nya, I am not upset."

I nodded. "Thanks." I paused, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but sensing that something needed to be said. "And one more thing," my throat had a hitch in it, and I cleared it quickly. "I'm sorry, Zane, but I'm not ready to another relationship yet."

Zane looked surprised. "What gave you the impression that I wanted that?"

I paused, confused by his reaction. "You are doting me even more that Jay used to," I set a spoon down next to a plate. "You are cutting into your rest to make me more comfortable, making me an early breakfast at four thirty in the morning, and a multitude of other things. Don't get me wrong!" I said quickly. "It's just that if someone didn't know any better, they'd think you were trying to impress me."

Zane adjusted the position of a fork and continued his circle around the table. "I am only trying to make sure you are comfortable," he said. "I cannot lie. I have felt the urge to make romantic approaches on more than one occasion, but that is not what inspires me to serve you." He was finally satisfied with his work and sat down on the bench across from where I stood.

He traced the wood with a finger and continued in a gentle tone. "You have had a gap in your life since that day," I could tell he was trying to be careful not to set me off again. He smiled warmly and ran his finger around a plate. "Ever since then, Kai has been giving you less attention than he used to. And without Jay, you have been lonely. I'll be the first to point out that there are no other girls on board this ship for you to talk with on a regular basis," his body moved with his short laugh. "And in case you were wondering, I am not lying about you being absolutely beautiful. But I don't mean it in a romantic way. It is a compliment." His eyes met mine with sincerity. "And when I say it, I am not exaggerating."

My face colored again. It was true that I had been feeling lonely ever since then. Jay had always been around for a hug, and always willing listen to me talk, though he usually ended up interrupting. And when he died so suddenly, it was as if a gap had formed in my peace and well-being.

And Zane was right about Kai as well. He had definitely been more distant since then. The others didn't seem as heavily affected as me and my brother, though anyone could tell that Jay's absence was not lost on them. Cole and Lloyd grieved, just in more intimate ways.

I sniffed and realized that in the few seconds that my mind had wandered, I had begun to cry again.

I sunk to the bench opposite of Zane and buried my head in my hands, sobbing silently. I felt arms around me a moment later, and fingers began rubbing my shoulders. I let Zane touch me, knowing it would eventually help calm me down. I took a deep, shaky breath and let it out, determined to keep my lungs pumping air. In, out, repeat. Why was Zane putting up with this? In, out, repeat.

Zane chuckled. "Slow down, Nya. You'll faint." His fingers ran up the nape of my neck and back down again slowly, in a tight circular pattern.

I slowed my breaths slightly, grimacing as my head pulsed. "Sorry," I said through a hiccup.

Zane ran his fingers down my spine, pushing on muscles in my tight shoulder area gently. "Don't apologize to me, Nya," he said with a chuckle. "Apologize to your poor brain. It's no wonder you have a headache. First not enough oxygen, now too much."

I moaned and managed a smile, tears dripping through the slight crack and spreading over my tongue, leaving a salty aftertaste. I breathed more slowly, calming my heart, alleviating the throb in my skull some, and slowly stopping the tears.

After several minutes, I finally felt calm enough to peek through my fingers at the table.

Zane's arms went around my torso. "It's okay, Nya." He said quietly.

I hesitantly crawled onto his lap, and slowly settled my head into his shoulder with some coaxing from Zane's arms. My fingers twitched, begging for something to hold onto. They eventually found Zane's fingers and clasped them tightly, as if my life depended on it.

I took a shaky, hiccuping breath in and let it out as I sunk deeper into his embrace. It was as if we were meant to go together like this. I fit into his arms so perfectly, it almost seemed predestined.

I closed my eyes and, for the first time in a month, allowed myself to truly relax. My head slowly stopped throbbing, and my body quit spasming from the sobs. I breathed deeply and let it out, feeling as though I could fall asleep on him. I realized that I had been living off of no more than five hours of sleep for several weeks now, and was exhausted beyond what I could handle without severe emotional instability.

My mind began to drift again as I laid in his secure embrace, feeling, for the first time in months, secure and at peace as Zane rested his cheek in my hair, and we both simply sat in silence for an undetermined amount of time.

I heard a pair of light footsteps enter the room and opened my eyes, but I was too relaxed to move anything else. When my eyes focused, I saw Kai standing in front of me, his arms hanging limply at his sides. I ventured to look into his gaze and saw a faint, sad smile. I smiled back before shutting my eyes again and giving Zane's hand a gentle squeeze. What is going on with Kai? I asked myself.

Zane's hand applied pressure a moment later, and he whispered into my hair. "You ready to eat?" His breath tickled my ear.

I opened my eyes again and sighed, not willing to get up. "I guess so." My voice came out as more of a moan than a coherent sentence.

"Liar," Zane said with a chuckle. "You are very relaxed, and I don't believe you'll be ready to get up for a while yet."

I smiled. "Nope," I sat up slowly, still clinging to his hand. "But sometimes we just aren't ready for-"

"The inevitable?" Zane finished with a smile.

I heard gagging, and saw Kai with a glass of orange juice, looking at us with wild eyes and a red face as he tried to get the liquid out of his lungs. He took a deep breath and spoke after a moment. "Nya," his face had an expression that drifted between surprise and laughter. "You guys are finishing each others sentences." He pointed his fork between us in an invisible line.

Zane and I exchanged glances. He looked slightly embarrassed and confused. He was probably wondering when Kai would attempt to impale him with the fork.

I let out a laugh and let go of Zane's hand. "Nonsense."

"Preposterous." Zane's right eyebrow lifted slightly higher than the other.

"Against all reason." I kissed Zane's cheek quickly before standing up.

"Utterly absurd." Zane blushed and touched his cheek.

Kai dropped the fork and stared at Zane, dumbfounded. "Now you're blushing." He scratched the back of his head. "What else will this day throw at me?"

A loud noise filled the air suddenly as Cole entered the dining room, singing loudly as he walked backwards. "You wanna be tough, better do what you can," he whirled around and shut the door, then jumped on his toes. "Just beat it!" His earbuds were attached to a player in his pocket, towel draped over his shirtless, sweaty form. Droplets of sweat clung to his unruly mop of hair. "Beat it, beat it ooh!"

"Stop!" Kai pulled at his hair and threw a spoon at Cole.

Cole caught it between his fingers and laughed as he tossed it back, hitting Kai square in the forehead. "Why should I?"

Kai blinked and grabbed the spoon, then began twirling it in his fingers. "Because that song is terrible, for one. And-"

Cole gasped, pressing a hand onto his chest, as if abhorred by Kai's words. "Kai," he said, shaking his head. "How dare you?"

Kai rolled his eyes, undeterred. "And stop walking backwards. You could run into something."

Cole drew the player out of his pocket and turned it off. "First of all, Kai," he popped the earbuds out of his ears and shoved the whole package into his pocket. "We've been over this. It's called a moonwalk. And secondly," he sat down next to Zane and began filling up his plate. "That is the King of Pop at his finest. Do not insult The Man."

Kai let out a sarcastic laugh. "I'll do as I please. Give me contemporary rock any day. That dude is so outdated-"

Cole slammed his fist on the table, making Nya jump back in surprise. Zane remained stoic. Cole growled. "Don't speak like that." His huge muscles rippled as he tensed, as if winding up for a pounce.

Kai held up his hands. "Sorry, I'm just more inclined to like the music that's not as old as Sensei Wu." My brother is courting death, that's whats wrong with him. I decided with finality.

Cole jumped up, and Zane grabbed his wrist. "Easy, Cole," he said, gently pulling on his best friend's wrist and pushing him back onto the bench. "If its any consolation, I enjoy listening to Jackson on occasion."

Cole rolled his eyes and sat down. "Not everyone can be born with a good taste in music." He continued dishing up his plate in silence.

I gave Kai a sharp glare, warning him not to counter the insult. I glanced at Cole's sweaty, shiny skin and cleared my throat. "Shirt and shoes for service." I said in an attempt at a lighthearted and humorous tone. I failed miserably, though Cole didn't seem to notice.

Cole paused and looked at me quizzically before he realized what I meant. He let out a laugh and stood up. "What's wrong?" He brushed his dripping wet hair out of his eyes and smiled. "Am I too handsome for you to comprehend at such an early hour? I've been up since six, you know, working hard at the seven hundred pound bench press for an hour."

I let out a short laugh, annoyed by what I was certain was a gross attempt at flirting. "For your information," I began.

"We've been up since four," Zane added.

I nodded. "Training and cooking breakfast for you lazy people." I pointed at him with a finger, then planted a hand on his sticky shoulder and turned him around with an involuntary shudder. His skin ha the same consistency as a salty slug. "At the very least, take a quick rinse so you don't smell like a dog."

Cole was too bewildered to resist my hand. He looked between me and Zane momentarily before shooting from the room and disappearing from sight.

I looked at my hand and shuddered as I went for the kitchen door. "Excuse me please," I pushed it open with my clean hand. "I cannot believe I just touched that." I went to the faucet and scrubbed my hands with soap, frustrated by the fact that Lloyd seemed to be the only male on this ship, Wu and Kai excluded, of course, that wasn't trying to gain my favor.

"Hey sis," Kai's voice sounded behind me, making me jump.

Kai let out a short laugh. "Sorry," he held up a spoon. "I just wanted to wash this before I actually put it in my mouth."

I grabbed a towel and raised one eyebrow at him, knowing him too well to believe it. "What do you want?" I asked.

Kai smiled and dropped the spoon in the sink. "I just wanted a moment alone before the day began," he said quietly. He looked into my eyes with an intensity that puzzled me, before I remembered that I wasn't wearing makeup.

I coughed. "You okay?" Just keep on staring, people, I restrained myself from saying out loud, big news of the century: crabby girl with no makeup.

Kai shook his head. "No," he whispered. "And neither are you." He suddenly threw his arms around me in a tight embrace.

I stood paralyzed for about three long seconds before hesitantly embracing him back. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he did the same on mine.

"Well this is nice," I said after a minute. My breath tickled his ear. "What's the occasion?"

Kai sighed shakily and squeezed me tighter. "Men need hugs too, you know," he said eventually. "You could say that I got jealous, seeing you with Zane a few minutes ago." He chuckled sadly. "I've been replaced."

I closed my eyes and let a tear fall, more out of sudden emotion from my brother's openness than my own depression. "We can stop it, if you want. But there's no romance, I assure-"

"Don't deny it, please." Kai cut me off. "I'm not angry." He grabbed my shoulders suddenly and held me at arms length, tears glittering in his eyes. He was silent for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Just give it at least a year before you get serious, please. Your emotions are in overload right now."

I nodded slowly, wondering at his change. He was accepting this better than I was.

Kai sighed. "Nya," his voice was barely above a whisper. "Remember, you are not the only one hurting in Jay's absence." He sniffed. "Though you were closer to him than most of us, we all loved him dearly. We are all in need of love right now, Zane especially." He paused. "You remember how hard it was when mother and father died. But at least we had a five year gap between them." His voice was so quiet I had to still my breathing to hear it. "Zane lost his one and only relative a mere two years ago. It is still fresh in his mind." He paused. "And I think he blames himself for Jay's death."

I was perplexed. "Why would he think that it was his fault?"

Kai blinked, sending more tears down his cheek. "Jay was killed by a Nindroid, Nya. Practically his brother. And remember, it was Zane who tried to save him, and failed. It's a safe bet that you have a tiny voice in your head, telling you that you could have done more."

I nodded, both agreeing with him and acknowledging that I understood where he was going with this.

Kai's nose twitched. "Then you can imagine what kind of a voice Zane has screaming inside of him, telling him what he could have done differently when Jay was bleeding to death on that table. And..." His eyes traveled to the floor before meeting my gaze again. "And me too. It was partially my fault that he got stabbed."

"He jumped in front of the blade, Kai." I said softly as the headache ran through my insides again and made me feel sick to my stomach. Like the blade that ended his life...twisting...spilling...

Kai sighed. "I know, but only because I didn't jump away in time. I just stood there..." His eyes trembled. "Like a coward as the blade dove for my body." He took a step forward and slid his arms around my neck. He rested his chin on my shoulder again, and began to sob quietly.

I stood still for a moment, unable to comprehend this new side of my brother. Kai was the one who had an impenetrable hide around his emotions. He had suddenly stripped away that barrier, and sobbed openly for the first time in his life. He had cried on multiple occasions, but what came out of his body now was so passionate and emotional that it made me pause and wonder what on earth could have triggered it. A tectonic plate that took too long to shift, causing an earthquake? My hand found the back of his head, and I rubbed his head gently. I felt his hand come up and do the same for me a minute later, pressing my head into his shirt. A fire that consumed too much fuel?

I breathed in shakily, tired of holding my own emotions in check. I had tried to hold it in around Zane, but here, with my brother an open book, I felt no reason to not open up to him. I let my lungs off their leash, and they began to move unrestrained as I sobbed loudly into his shoulder. My tears were full of relief, sorrow and hurt, and the salty liquid felt wonderful as it left my body. I was sure that Kai felt the same way as he did the unthinkable. My mind still could not comprehend the fact that he was actually crying.

After a long time, nearing on fifteen minutes, though I couldn't be certain, since I didn't have a watch, our breathing became normal again, and we slowly pulled away. I gave him a relieved smile, amazed by the amount of pressure that had almost literally flown off of my shoulders with the long cry and embrace.

Kai leaned in and kissed my forehead, wetting it with his tears. "I love you so much, sis." He said softly.

I smiled and took his hand, not bothering to wipe away the warm layer of salty tears that covered every inch of my face. "I love you too, brother." I looked into his puffy eyes and flashed a smile. He's acting like he's thirteen again, giving me the support that we both needed when father passed.

Kai squeezed his hand and pulled me over to the sink. We washed our faces quickly and dried them with a towel. We glanced at the door.

"I hope they weren't waiting for us," he said with a light laugh that sounded oddly strained.

I pushed open the door and walked through. Four sets of eyes stared at us for just a moment before, one by one, returning to their plates. Lloyd broke my gaze first, then Cole. Sensei Wu wasn't even paying attention to us by the time my eyes tried to locate his. He paid us about as much attention as he might have if we had just gone to grab napkins.

I looked at Zane and paused, transfixed by his uneven gaze. Kai was right. I didn't know why I hadn't seen it before now, but his bright blue eyes were trembling and full of guilt. Guilt for the supposed crime he thinks he's committed? He broke the gaze first, and began to pick at his food with his fork. The silence ate away at the room like a parasite.

I pulled Kai forward and sat down next to Zane quietly, and he instantly jumped up and started to fill my plate. I reached out and grabbed his white shirt, making him stop and look at my questioningly. I shook my head. "Thank you, Zane." I said quietly, loathe to break the silence. "But I can serve myself." Whoops.

Zane frowned at me and shook his head. He adamantly ignored my sigh of protest and filled my cup with juice.

I smiled and nodded. Zane never ceased to amaze me with his attitude toward work and servitude. "Thanks." I dug into the potatoes with my fork.

Zane nodded and forced a smile. I met his eyes again, and his expression seemed to be asking me, 'what happened, Nya?'

I leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I'd like to talk with you in my room after breakfast."

Zane nodded slowly and continued picking at his plate.

I lifted a bite to my mouth and realized that I wasn't really very hungry at all. I sighed and set down my fork. I looked around the table and was not surprised to see that everyone looked about as hungry as I was.

It was the same scenario almost every day now. No one wanted to say it out loud, but meals without Jay were depressing and quiet.

I glanced at everyone in turn. Kai, puffy eyed and sniffing lightly, was being observant, as was I.

I quickly looked away from Kai's face before we could make eye contact, and my eyes found Lloyd. He had his chin in his right hand, and was picking at his food with a fork his left. I stared at his hand a moment before I remembered that he was right handed, then shrugged it off, my eyes traveling once more. Cole seemed to be the least affected of all of us. He was eating slowly, all of his attention on the meal. I suspected that he kept his eyes down out of fear of making contact with someone and breaking. Finally, my eyes rested on Zane. His mouth was pulled in a thin line that, aside from the eyes, made an emotionless mask. But masks can hide a lot, looking at the hole for the eyes can tell you that much.

His eyes found mine, and I looked away quickly. I cleared my throat. "So," I grimaced as my voice shattered the silence rudely. Everyone looked at me. I fidgeted and continued. "What's the agenda for today?"

Cole set down his fork and hesitated. "I think we were going to just hang out and wait for the Nindroids to make a reappearance. As we all know, they have cloaking abilities, the Bridge can't see them. So we wait until someone calls us, then we fight them off before they kill more civilians." His eyes darted to the wall to his left, then to his plate. We all knew that he was thinking of more than just civilians that had been killed at the hands of those androids. His fingers fidgeted and picked up the fork again. He started playing with his food, making little mounds of potato and egg all over his plate. "But I don't think we will have an attack today."

Lloyd set down his fork with a sigh. "I'll clean up. You guys can go hang out." He stood up and grabbed his plate, which still had at least half of a serving on it, and went to the kitchen.

Kai stood up as well, but left his plate at the table, and went in the opposite direction. He slid the door open and walked out onto the deck. I looked at Cole, who seemed intent on at least trying to finish his food, then at Zane, who made eye contact with me almost instantly, and we nodded at each other. We stood up as one and walked out onto the deck, where a chill autumn breeze blew gently through my hair.

Zane grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers. "Nya," he said in a soft tone. "I know a better place than your room, if you want to talk." He pulled me up the steps to the Bridge level, then hoisted me up onto the roof. I gave him a hand up, and he sat down promptly in the middle of the roof. He gestured for me to sit on his lap, so I tiptoed over the wooden planks and nestled myself in his arms comfortably, resting my head against his collarbone.

Zane rested his chin on my head and wrapped his arms around me. He took a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly through his nose. "What did you want to talk about, Nya?"

I gathered my thoughts in a jumbled, mixed-up pile and tried to sort them. After a minute, I found some words that would at least start in the direction I intended. "How are you doing, Zane?" I asked, listening to his heart beat inside of his mechanical chest.

Zane blinked and pursed his lips. "Excellent, thank you."

My heart sunk into the pit of my stomach. "You can't even be honest with me?"

"I was under the impression that you and I were exchanging pleasantries. It is good manners to say-"

"Zane," I cut him off. "No, I am not...we are not engaging in polite conversation. I asked you how you were doing, now please give me a truthful answer."

I felt Zane's chest stop moving as he ceased breathing and held perfectly still for several seconds. I was afraid that I would need to learn that chest compression trick on the fly when he took a breath, and exhaled through his mouth.

"How do you want me to answer," he said after several breaths in this manner. "What is there to say?"

I closed my eyes and put my hand on his chest near my head. "A lot, brother."

"I don't need to talk about myself," Zane said. "I am an android. No real feelings, no real emotion."

His tone shocked me. He didn't sound sad or angry in the least. He said it as if it were a casual, passing comment, in a tone much like one might use to talk about the weather.

Zane continued. "I don't matter, Nya. You, and our brothers, and all of Ninjago. That is what matters, not me."

His words drew a fresh wave of tears from my eyes. My hand slid up and found his neck, and I rubbed it gently, still listening to his heart beat steadily in my ear. "Oh, Zane," I sniffed.

Zane let out another breath through his nose, tickling my hair. "Yes?" He rolled his head to one side and rested his cheek in my hair.

I ran my fingers up and down his neck and shoulder, just like he did for me frequently. "Please don't say that, you know it's not true." My vision blurred. "You have always meant a lot to us. Even before we knew about your origins, we loved you as a brother." My lip quivered. "Why would knowing make us love you any less, or obligate us to treat you as a lesser being?"

"Because I am a lesser being." He said, his tone suggesting surprise, as if it was beyond reason or logic to count him as an equal.

My hand tightened around the back of his neck, and I hugged him tightly as I began to cry. A good day to not wear mascara, I suppose.

Zane didn't seem to mind the pressure on the nape of his neck. He cradled me gently and made hushing noises as he rocked back and forth. "Please, Nya," he said in a pained voice. "I find this a most unusual time to begin to cry. What is the matter?"

Now he sounds upset. Not before, when he was talking about how worthless he thought he was, but now, when I am crying.

I let go of his neck and let my arm fall limp on my lap, where it eventually found its way up my torso and grabbed the ring. I began to twirl it in my fingers as silent sobs wracked my body. "You," I said. "You're what's the matter. You treat yourself like garbage. It pains me to hear you speak like that."

"I'm sorry," Zane said quickly. "If it will make you feel better, I will keep those facts to myself."

"No, Zane." I sat up and shivered as the breeze came between me and Zane's body heat. I grabbed his chin and pulled him close to my face, so we were mere inches from touching noses. "Keeping those kind of thoughts to yourself is worse than saying them out loud." I whispered. "You are treasured above everything else I have in this world, Zane. You and all my other brothers." A large tear dripped down my cheek and fell into Zane's hand, which was limp on his lap.

He pulled his face out of my fingers and looked at his hand. He held it up between our faces, and the tear froze on his palm as he used his powers. He clenched his fist around the tiny translucent crystal and smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Nya." He whispered. He wrapped his arms around me, his hand still clenched around the tear, and kissed my cheek gently. His arms squeezed me tightly, and I clung to him as if I would fall if he let go.

I felt his cold hand on my back, and a question popped into my mind. "Why are you preserving that tear?" I asked in a whisper.

Zane let out a broken chuckle. "The same reason you preserved Jay's final gift to you."

"You mean the ring?" I recalled the shiny golden band that I kept on the chain around my neck.

"Yes," Zane said. "The ring for you is a permanent reminder of Jay, and of his love and sacrifice, am I correct?"

I nodded, my chin rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah," I sniffed. And a billion happy memories of ages past, when our team was complete.

Zane nodded. "Your gift to me will me a permanent reminder of your words." He pulled away from me and held out his icy cold hand, presenting a perfect, circular orb about as small as a pin head.

I picked it up and rolled it between my fingers in wonder. "How did you do that?" I marveled at the cold tear, which showed no signs of melting as I held it in my warm fingers. I placed it back in Zane's open palm, and his fingers once again closed around it.

He opened a small pocket in his kimono and carefully placed it inside, then fastened the hole again with a grin. "Honestly, I didn't know I could until I tried," he said softly. His eyes sparkled with a light that I had forgotten he even possessed. Since his father's death, the light had been weak, and at times almost nonexistent. Jay's death had then quenched it entirely.

But now, his blue eyes were suddenly alight with joy and humor as he gave me another quick hug and laughed. "You have no idea what your encouragement means to me, Nya," he said in a vivid tone. "I have been going through so many difficulties lately, I thought I might run out of room to keep them all."

I sunk down into his lap once again, placed the back of my head on his chest, and grabbed his hands as they wrapped around me. "They say talking about things that disturb you will help overcome your fears," I said with a grin.

Zane chuckled. "Do they now?" His voice had a hinting of mock scorn as he added, "as if you would understand my problems."

I looked at the sun, which was hanging a pale yellow and low on the horizon, signaling winter's approach, and telling me that it could have hardly been eight in the morning. I smiled as I felt Zane's heart beating through his kimono, and realized how lucky I was to have such a wonderful family.

I closed my eyes and let the heat from Zane's body warm my shivering skin. "Zane," I said softly, "I think I understand how you feel better than you may think."

It's only been a month, so of course they acknowledge no romance. They rather adamantly deny it as well, which I find rather humorous. Don't worry, I promise a more romance in the next chapter. I will, in later chapters, have their proposal as well! (Yay!)

(NO. I will not kill him, geez. What gave you that idea?)

...

...Oh...

Well, please review. Constructive criticism appreciated, tell me if a word is misspelled. And I have a spellchecker that may have changed some words into completely different ones. (Don't you hate it when that happens?) Grammar instruction is also appreciated.

Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, all the usual. Blah blah blah.