So I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far! Let me know what I can do to improve it and make it more interesting.

I'm gonna try to get to Kai soon, but I thought it was important to set up how everyone else is feeling and such. Let me know if you like it, or if it's a bit slow.

Honesty is the best policy! I need it if I want to make you guys happy with my work.

Thank you to all reviews!

Chapter 4: Movement

(If only Jay didn't force me to sit down

- force me to wait in silence once more)

Cole's POV

Nya seemed completely broken down when they came back. It shook me to the core to think that something (that Kai) had scared her so badly that the fearless Samurai (master of water) was replaced by this shaking, sobbing girl.

"What happened?" I couldn't help but shout as she and Jay sat down in their regular seats. On the contrary, I was now standing half out of my seat, fingers still gripping the chair's arms like a lifeline.

Nya just shook her head and gestured for Jay to explain. She was still crying.

The master of lightning sighed, running tired fingers through his reddish-brown hair before he spoke.

"I don't know. We went in there, one second seeing Kai lying there all still and silent and pale. The next thing you know, he's seizing up like he can't breathe and his monitor's going crazy. The doctors came in then and forced us out. Didn't tell us what was happening or anything."

I looked up at the ceiling. "So we're back to square one?" (Back to waiting?)

"Yeah. I guess so."

I tapped my hand nervously against my leg, and glanced at the clock for the millionth time. Three hours since Dr. Bradley had told us we could come see Kai, two hours and forty-five minutes since Nya had come back sobbing, and the same amount of time of us sitting in unrelenting, deathly quiet silence.

Silence. We didn't get much of that with this team. And normally I wouldn't mind a moment of peace.

But this wasn't peace. This was painful torture. This was worry and impatience and longing and missing and empty and painful and torturous and agony. It was agony. Because a piece of our puzzle was missing.

A piece we needed so badly to make this team work and fit.

Kai. Kai was our missing piece, and I couldn't take it.

I couldn't take the feeling that I was helpless. That I couldn't do anything to help Kai, or take his pain away or bring him back to us. I couldn't take this waiting and silence and worry and pain any longer.

So finally, I stood up. All eyes seemed to turn to me, as if they were grateful for some new type of movement, anything rather than the blank walls they were staring at or the pointless, ad-filled magazine they'd be mindlessly flipping through.

"Where are you going, brother?" Zane questioned softly. I met his ice-blue eyes which were full of exhaustion and care and concern. My hands reached for the half-full coffee cup that had been sitting on the side table between my chair and Jay's. I shook a little and showed it to Zane.

"I'm gonna get some more coffee." The nindroid raised an eyebrow.

"But you barely drank your first cup."

I sighed. I wanted to retort with some snarky comment or something, but I knew it wouldn't help. Besides my brain was too tired to think of a comeback. "Whatever. Maybe I'll grab something to eat. Wanna come?"

Zane nodded solemnly. "Anything must be better than sitting here in silence."

"Read my mind." I tried for a smile, but it felt weak even to me.

Then I turned to the rest of my team. Wu and Misako were chatting quietly now, I couldn't tell what. They would be fine for now, plus they were adults. They could handle themselves. Nya was leaning against Jay's shoulder, getting some much needed (if a bit uncomfortable) sleep. I didn't want to interrupt that. But Lloyd...hmph. He was just sitting there with a magazine in his hands, staring blankly at the cover. He needed something to get his mind off the situation for a while.

"Hey, Lloyd. Zane and I are gonna grab some food at the cafeteria. Wanna come?" I tried to put a happy, comfortable lilt to my voice, but I didn't think I succeeded. Lloyd's normally bright green eyes looked up at me.

"Nah."

I sighed. This kid was going to drive himself crazy if he kept thinking about our injured teammate. "You're coming," I said firmly. He stared to protest, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him along down the hallway after Zane.

Maybe I couldn't help Kai right now. But I was going to do everything I could to help the rest of us.

Aww some cute leader-ish Cole stuff. Was that portrayed well? Too weak? Too strong? Lemme know in the comments!

Also, what do you think should happen next?

I'm thinking some "If Onlys" from Lloyd's POV, then some emotional/angsty stuff happening in the cafeteria. Maybe a heated conversatiom showing how stressed they all are...idk it's all just ideas.

Thx for reading;)