I've had these major epiphanies the past two days for both this story and TG. It feel AMAZING to have my writing spirit back! I wrote over 3,000 words into TG yesterday, and then did this today. I am so excited for you guys to read TG Chapter 32! :D It's still not done. I've got about 500 words left to write (and you know me. I say there are gonna be fifteen chapters in NJ, it turns into 18. I say I've got 8,000 words planned for chapter 15, it turns into 11,000.) Sooo yeah. Expect a big chapter 32 next Monday.

This chapter...sigh. It's gonna be another one of those ones like when you found out that Nya had an abortion. Either you tolerate it or you absolutely hate it. Sorry, Zane. And readers. Enjoy anyway!

Monster Habit

Zane stared at the floor as he listened to Nya and Jay list off baby names.

He was tired. Ornery. Impatient. Why? He had no clue. He just was, and there didn't seem to be any way to change it.

"Bryan?" Nya pointed to a name in her book. She gasped. "Oh, I like Bryson, Jay. What do you think?"

Jay shrugged. "Brianna?" He suggested. "Beatrice? If we did that, her nickname could be Bea."

Nya sighed and threw her head back, hitting his collarbone. "It's going to be a boy," she said. "Tell him, Zane. You think it's gonna be a boy."

Zane looked up from the floor. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. "I have no opinion," he said quietly. His eyes looked sunken and dim. "They're both wonderful, so I cannot choose."

Nya looked over at Cole and gave him a pleading look. "It's a boy. You know it is."

Cole looked at her rounded belly. She was five months pregnant, and the baby was really starting to make itself known. Her- or his- development had begun to take off after the end of her ninth week, as if to make up for its lethargy before then. Cole wasn't going to lie. Nya was huge. Big enough to make the idea of twins seem very realistic.

Cole dropped his magazine and held up his hands, palms raised. "It'll be a boy," he said. "I'm sorry, Jay. It's the only way to explain her size."

"Size has nothing to do with it," Kai said as he walked into the room. "But I agree with Cole. It's going to be a boy."

Jay threw his head back on the cushion and groaned, mimicking Nya's move moments earlier. "I'm all alone," he lamented. "Even my own wife contradicts me."

Nya patted his thigh condescendingly. "You poor thing," she pretended to pout. "I know this is hard for you to understand, but you can't always be right."

"But there's a hundred Nindroids out there," Jay said, "and only six of us. Does that make us wrong, then?"

"This is different," Kai argued. "Right, Zane?"

Zane frowned deeply and folded his hands. "Why are you guys always dragging me into your arguments?" He asked. "Again, I have no opinion. Excuse me." He stood and pushed past Kai with a few long, deliberate strides before disappearing down the hallway.

Kai looked at Jay and raised an eyebrow. "What's up with him?" He asked. "He's been acting weird lately."

"Yeah. We've noticed." Jay said in a flat tone. "Who hasn't?"

Kai leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms. "Come to think of it," he said thoughtfully. "He's been like this since the day you proposed to Nya."

"What?" Nya flipped to the next page. "No, it was after that, I'm sure. The first time that I noticed something was up was when we fought those Nindroids about three months ago, and Cryptor showed up. Remember that?"

Cold snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah. Zane got all angry and attacked him, even though-"

Nya cut him off. "Brandon?" She pointed at another name. "You like that one, Jay?"

Cole rolled his eyes and sat back in his seat.

Kai uncrossed his arms and went to Cole. "Don't worry," he said. "I have a theory on what's wrong with Zane. I'll confront him later, then talk to you about it. Okay?"

Cole blinked. "You really think you know what's wrong?" He whispered back. "Go for it. We're all anxious." He looked back at Nya's bright smile and corrected himself. "Well, most of us are anxious."

Zane sat cross-legged on the roof of the Bounty, his journal turned to a blank page as he reached into his pocket for the new bane of his existence: the cigarette.

After lighting the shaft and taking a deep breath, he felt calm enough to pick up his pen and begin writing in his careful, elegant script.

Sunday, December 13

A lot has changed this week. For me, at least. For instance: I picked up smoking three days ago. I know, it was probably a terrible decision. But I am an android, so I figured that this habit would not pose any threat to my health.

But if it does eventually kill me, so be it.

I think that I should be saying something more along the lines of how much I love my family, and that I live to protect them, but it's hard to say something like that when you can't even look your teammates in the eyes. Yep. I keep my head down, avoid people who ask questions, and give vague answers whenever eluding them fails.

Zane, lost in thought, did not notice when the cigarette's ashes began to fall onto the page. He blew them away carefully and picked up the pen again.

Nya has four months left. I'm not worried about her health at all, actually. She's been doing great. But the baby... Well, judging by what happened in the alternate timeline, I would have much to fear, if I had the capacity to feel such emotions anymore. Needless to say, my brain is sort of fried.

But I'll put that aside for now. According to Garmadon, Fate and Destiny are going to do everything in their power to make sure that things get back on track. And that means that both Jay and the baby might be in serious trouble.

But if Garmadon is correct, then once the baby is born, Fate will give up and Destiny will begin charting a new course for Future.

If only I had a way to negotiate with them. It would make things much easier for all of us.

After I finish with that mission, I have no idea what I will do. Perhaps I will find my father's final gift to me- the tea- and get myself a new life away from everyone who could possibly remind me of the past...future...whatever. I feel that-

"I thought I smelled smoke," a voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.

Zane slammed the book shut and jerked the cigarette from his lips. "Kai!" He exclaimed. "Please don't sneak up on me like that!"

Kai sat down next to Zane with a grunt. "Sorry," he said. "But I'm curious. When did you start that?" He gestured to the little smoke monster in Zane's hand.

Zane felt defensive. "Why do you want to know?" He asked, making a move to stand. "I'm going inside to-"

Kai grabbed his arm and forced him to sit back down. "Don't get like that," he said. "I was trying to start a friendly conversation. Ever heard of those?"

Zane jerked his arm away and stuffed the filter into his mouth. Just ignore him, he told himself as he stared out at the horizon. Deep breaths. He'll go away eventually.

But Kai did not go away. Instead, he watched the sunset as it cast its beautiful rays of red and gold across the blue sky. And he was silent.

Zane sat awkwardly until the last of the ashes drifted away with the wind. He stuffed the filter into his pocket, intending to dispose of it later in a place where no one would find it. Like a hole in the ground.

"So what's up, Zane?" Kai asked eventually. "What has your brain so messed up that you've started smoking, of all things?"

Zane tapped his pencil on the cover of his journal to a slow, unsteady beat. "Ask me a different question," he said. "Pretty much any other question. Not that one."

"All right," Kai sighed. "Why don't you smile anymore?"

"Because I can't."

"That's not an answer."

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden? Why are you prying so much?"

"You're my brother, Zane. It's my job to pry when I think something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Oh, really?"

Zane stood up and stared, rigid, straight at the distant, dying sun. There were tears in his eyes. "Do me a favor, Kai," he said softly.

"Anything, Zane."

Zane turned his face away and went for the ladder. "Don't tell the others about my smoking." And he was gone.

So...yeah. Not much really happened in this chapter, except that we find out that Zane has a journal (don't judge him!) and that he now...smokes. Yeah, I've been thinking on this one for a while now. I needed Zane to do something that a lot of people would sympathize with, and this was the first thing to pop into my head. Everyone grieves differently.

Also, I just thought I'd mention: for Zane, it's only been about six months since Nya died. Not to mention, he lost his three children (that's basically like them dying, except for the fact that he technically killed them himself, just so that he could save the guy who is unknowingly stealing his wife from him.) Don't judge the Nindroid!

Thank you for your time, and please review. And thanks for the five reviews I got earlier this week. It's not as may as I usually get (which still leaves this sort of empty feeling in my chest when I think about it) but, hey. I got something. Constructive criticism appreciated. This is "Hot off the press" content, so tell me if you find errors. I literally finished writing this about thirty minutes ago.