Zen sat quietly at the countertop in the kitchen. He had been quiet since he was 'rescued', and no one bothered to ask him why, they'd just get the silent treatment.
No doubt that it was also awkward for him, living in the same house he tried to kill.
He was the only one up, other than Wu, who was always meditating in the dojo. Zen glanced at the clock, it was only six in the morning. It is also a Saturday, he had just finished his first week of school, being that he had to heal before going. The other teens did too.
"You're up early." An approaching figure spoke. Skylar had her hair in a blue towel, so she most likely just got out of the shower. She had on a pair of jeans and a tank top. Shockingly, she got a response.
"I could say the same for you." Zen said in a low tone, taking a sip of milk.
Skylar let a small chuckle loose as she started to make coffee. She could sense that he had the same snotty tone as Kai. Several minutes of silence and birds chirping to the rising sun passed.
Zen was the first to speak and break the silence." I'm sorry." He mumbled, stirring his milk around in his cup, not daring to look up.
Skylar raised an eyebrow as she poured her coffee into her mug and add her cream." Pardon?" She took a seat next to the teen.
"I'm sorry." He repeated louder as he looked up. Skylar inspected his facial features and noticed a very depressed and sad look in his eyes. Speaking of which, his eyes were no longer purple, but a deep blue."I didn't mean to cause..." He trailed of as he thought.
"Didn't mean to what?" Skylar wanted to know what the young teen was going to say."It's okay, you can tell me."
"To cause what I did." He looked away and stared outside." Is it true that Pythor corrupted me?"
Skylar frowned. That wasn't necessarily a topic anyone liked to talk about. That day was horrible and heartbreaking to many."Yes. Pythor took you away from Jay and Nya when you were born, he lied to you about your parents."
"Up early I see?" Cole said walking in."Thought you all needed sleep."
"And I thought you needed to heal." Skylar said, smiling at him."Where are you going? I thought everyone had work off today?"
Cole shrugged and grabbed a yellow vest from the hall closet, along with brown leather work boots. He had on overalls with a black shirt."Technically it's our fault Borg's Tower blew up, so me and the guys decided to volunteer for the reconstruction of Borg Industries." He thought for a moment."Well me, Jay, Blake, and Jack are going to. Boys gonna learn to be men."
Skylar laughed as she refilled her coffee and poured some for Cole, who had his foot on a stool to tie his boots. He was one of the only ones who didn't get severely hurt from the whole time travel thing.
Jay had two panic attacks the past weeks since they returned, one having been on the construction sight, and the other when he was home alone. Nya was the first to be notified by Jay.
Jay was balling his eyes out when she arrived home from getting the SOS message from Jay. Took him over thirty minutes to calm down when she came to him.
"Zen you plan on doing anything today, or you just gonna sit around and block everyone out." Cole received an elbow to his ribs as he stood up. Skylar shot him a glare before sitting down.
No response, as usual. Cole sighed and start back down the hall, and stopped at the bathroom. Jay was brushing his teeth, and he too had work clothes on."Your son seems uninterested in helping us."
"He's going to be like that." Jay mumbled as he spat out water. He and Lily had gotten somewhat closer, but when the action died down, she remembered why she didn't like Jay in the first place."Are the other two ready?"
"I'm ready." Blake said as he and Jack made their way to the kitchen. Cole leaned back and saw them get food from the fridge."Hurry up." The raven haired man made his way back to the kitchen and grabbed his keys from a bowl.
"Boys ready? Bring a snack and water bottle, gonna need it." Cole said as Jay came in, grabbing himself a water bottle and snack."Ready to go?"
"Mmhm." Jay nodded, opening the door for himself and the boys. Cole nodded and walked out.
"Are you sure you don't wanna come?" He said looking over his shoulder, then back at Jay, who was pushing the ramp down to the docks."You could spend time with your father."
Zen glanced at Cole. He shrugged and jerked his head towards Jay. The young teen sighed and started noddimg his head."Fine." He got up and ran to his room, changing into jeans and a t-shirt.
"Cole come on!" Jay shouted as he walked back up the ramp."Borg Industries isn't gonna build its-" He watched as Zen walked towards him, head down, and his hands in his pockets."-self."
Jay looked at Cole, who mouthed the words, you' re welcome.
Jay smiled and started back down the ramp, beside Zen."Ready to to get to work?" He asked as he opened the car door for him. The young teen only nodded and seated himself.
Three hours later...
Nya made her way to the cafe she always goes to before work, but this different. She order her drink and made her way to a woman.
"Hi Crystal." She greeted her as she took her jacket off and sat down."Wheres Striker?"
Crystal shrugged and released a sigh."Doing whatever he does as a boy."
Nya thought it would be a good idea to meet up with Crystal to discuss when Striker could stay with them. She thought it would be less awkward without Jay, considering his first time in the hospital, introducinf Crystal to everyone was hard for them.
"Glad to see your foot is healing okay." Crystal added taking a sip of her coffee.
"Yeah, still have sudden pains once in a while, but overall I'm fine. How have you and Striker been? I heard he is still shook from literally disapeering from existance."
Crystal laughed."He's been fine, but he won't admit that it scared him to death. He wouldn't talk to me for a week when I first mentioned it."
"Is he still sore about being told he didn't have a father, but then after all these years Jay showed up out of the blue as his father?" Nya asked in a concerned tone.
Crystal looked at her coffee and slowly stirred it."He's been fairing fine, but I feel like he's holding back a lot of emotion that's been bottling up inside him for years. I don't know how to help him."
Nya thought for a minute."Could I spend a few hours with him tomorrow. Hopefully I can slowly explain to him why Jay was away. Then in the afternoon Jay can spend time with him."
Crystal looked up."I guess, but it's even hard for me to start a conversation with him since he found out that Jay was his father." She fiddled with a spoon for a while." I just hope that Striker will understand."
"I feel you there." Nya said.
"Pardon?"
Nya smiled."Zen is the same way since we brought him home, I'm surprised he hasn't tried to get away from us."
"Guess both of our families aren't as perfect as we thought."
"Does Jay still run around as the vigilante?" Crystal asked with an eyebrow raised.
Nua sighed." I can't stop him, but he has cut down how long and how many days a week he goes out. I wouldn't blame him, its his way of dealing with stress, but it worries me."
"Why?"
Nya's gaze went to the outside sky." He's had two panic attacks since he and the others returned. He had one when no one was home. He's just lucky that I got home in time."
"That doesn't sound good."
Nya looked back Crystal with a nod." If it keeps happening I'm takimg him to the doctor."
"Speaking of which, hows your bother? I heard he took a bullet for Jay."
"He's doing great. I'm just happy he survived, if it weren't for his powers he would've been a goner." Nya refused to let herself think of loosing Kai. That surely would've depressed her.
"Anyway. We got completely off track. What time do you want me pick Striker up tomorrow?"
Crystal did a littlw thinkimg before she answered."Around nine, he sleeps in because he stays out all night doing god knows what. I hope this will get him to share his feelings with you."
"I'll do my best." Nya responded with a smile.
