This was not what I was going for when I started this story. It was just going to be Blake telling his kids about their lives and each prompt was going to either be a story or it was just going to be thoughts and feelings. This took it in a different direction and I don't know if I'm going to be able to get back to where I want to be. So if it doesn't exactly flow, there's the problem.

Youth

"Blake, it's time to wake up," his mother called from the hallway. She continued on into his brother's room and Blake stretched before rolling over on his side.

He had that dream again last night. For as long as he could remember, he had dreamed of a little blonde girl. He'd seen scenes from her life – her birthday, her parents, her swimming lessons, and her burgeoning friendship with two dark-haired boys. He'd seen her cry and he'd seen her laugh. He thought he could "love" her and it bothered him that he felt something for her because he didn't even like girls yet!

"Sweetie, is something wrong?" Laura Bradley stuck her head in the room and frowned. Usually Blake jumped right out of bed in the morning and it was unusual to see him just staring into space.

"Are you sick?" She hurried into the room and felt his forehead. It wasn't hot. She sat at the head of the bed and she ruffled Blake's hair.

Her heart melted at the sight of her youngest son. A case of mumps when her husband was a teenager had ended any plans of having their own biological family and while she would have liked to carry a child; she had the perfect family. A daughter would make the family complete but she was still working on her husband.

"The dream changed."

It took her a moment because she was still thinking about a daughter. "Oh, you mean the one with your Ninja Heart Bond?" she asked hesitantly.

"Mama," he squirmed uncomfortably before sitting up and facing his mother. He didn't want to talk about this.

"Blake, I know you're a little young to understand this, but finding that you have a bond is a good thing."

"And for not having any ninja blood, it's extraordinary," David Bradley said from the hallway. He came into the room with Hunter behind him. David settled himself next to Laura and Hunter flopped down next to Blake.

"Blake's gotta girlfriend," Hunter teased.

"Shut up," Blake elbowed him.

David was grinning at them. All four of them were in their trademark colors – Laura was blue, he was red, Hunter in dark red, and Blake in dark blue. His and Laura's choice was based on their ninja affiliations but Hunter's and Blake's had started before they had even come home. And, luckily, it seemed like crimson and navy was going to be their affiliations. He'd hate to have to buy all new clothes for the boys.

His head tilted to the side and he lost focus for a moment. His wife was refereeing the fight on the bed which gave him time to feel.

Something was coming. It had been floating in the air for a while which was one of the reasons he hadn't agreed with his wife on adopting another child. How could he tell her that something was going to happen when he didn't know exactly what that something was? So he never said a word except to make sure that his old teammate, Thomas Omino, would care for the boys if something were to happen to them. He was working on getting their finances in order. A six year old and a seven year old were going to need a lot of care.

"Your mom is my bond," he said absently which caught Blake's attention. "It's a good thing, a special thing. Very rarely does a person find theirs – why, the last one I've even heard about was at the Wind Ninja Academy. I think the new sensei had one."

Laura threw a warning look at David. Hopefully, they wouldn't pick up on the word 'had'. "Blake said his dream of her changed."

"What happened?" David wanted to know.

"We were older. There was thunder and lightening pushing against air, dirt, and water. We were fighting and then I woke up."

David and Laura exchanged a startled look and their fingers twined anxiously together, a gesture of comfort. One of the ancient scrolls at the Thunder Academy had warned of a future battle – school against school. Warrior against warrior.

"Let us know if anything else happens in your dreams, Blake." They would have to be very vigilant. Laura may not have been as sensitive as her husband when it came to signs but the shiver working its way down her spine told a different story. "Go get ready for breakfast, boys."

Eight days later, David and Laura Bradley were dead. Blake neither thought nor dreamed of that blonde haired girl again. But he remembered her when they met twelve years later.