Chapter 11. Thanking you so much for the reviews.

Masters of Fire and Amber: Ha! Sorry about that, I'm feeling a bit, ahem, on fire (!) with the writing at the moment, so the chapters are kind of mounting up! Although the story is coming towards its natural conclusion now :( But I have loads of ideas whirling around for some more little stories :)

RPM Shadow: hoping you continue to enjoy!

The next day passed in a boring fashion. Lloyd and Zane had refused to allow Kai to start training again yet, so he had tried to occupy his time by spectating as his team whipped and jumped around the equipment, honing their skills. But that didn't go too well. Apparently, they did not want his advice all the time, and after the sixth occasion of rudely being told to be quiet after offering his advice, he found himself being shoved into the lounge by Jay, who pushed a book into his hand with a sharp "here, read this". Well reading isn't really Kai's thing, it can take it bit too long, you know? But he had a quick flick through it. What was it again, he turned the book over to look at the dog eared front cover. Something to do with sparkly vampires, moonlight was it called? He vaguely remembered it being one of Nya's favourites, although she couldn't stand the film that came after the book. With a sigh he dropped it onto the seat beside him and leant back. He was trying desperately to avoid getting his phone out to check it again, hope building up each time he did so that maybe, just maybe, she had finally answered his messages and he had missed the little vibration it made to alert him to it. Trembling, he reached into his hoodie and pulled his Borgphone out, unlocking it and gazing at the picture of him and her pulling faces at the camera, tongues out and laughing. But no messages. Nothing, as it had been when he last checked it. Slumping back into the cushions, he put his feet up onto the coffee table and hummed to himself. Maybe he didn't have any signal? Yes, that could be it! He bolted back upright, knocking the black mug and its contents from the coffee table onto the floor (urgh, Cole's mug again! Why could that dude not just wash his mug up? Filthy earth demon!), and held his phone up, searching for the little bars of signal. He slouched again. No, that wasn't it. Full signal and full 4g. Or was it? He held the little button on the side down and slid the bit on the screen to power the phone off. Maybe his phone was lying to him, and it indeed did not have signal. Maybe it needed a little reshoe? No, that's not right. Reboot? Resandal? Whatever, he would start it up again. He placed the phone on the little coffee table, leaning forward over it intently, watching and waiting for the little wheel to stop spinning so he knew it was back on. It flashed and that goofy picture came on again. And…

"Urgh!" He threw himself back into the cushions again, hands covering his face in exasperation. Full signal. He knew she was getting the messages, he could see she had read them. But she was…ignoring him?

"Still no message, huh?" Nya was in the doorway, wiping her face with a towel. He rolled his eyes and grunted at her. He'd had girls do this before, well a couple, not many. But this was different, so different. Maybe Lloyd was wrong…

Before he could react Nya had stood behind him, leaning down and wrapping her arms around his neck, nuzzling into his hair.

"It'll work out bro."

He heaved a sigh, reaching up to her hands and holding onto them, tapping the phone away from him with his foot.

"I guess so." Although at this point, he didn't really believe it.

The next day was Sunday, their day off training. Nya and Jay had been out the night before to some late night showing at the Ninjago City cinema, so were sleeping in. Zane and PIXAL were up and about early, occupied by something which sounded complicated in the workroom. Lloyd had left about an hour ago with his uncle and mum, going to visit some temple or other to look at the scrolls on display inside it. He was not in the mood for that, so had politely declined the invite. Cole suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs, humming to himself and throwing on his dark hoodie, raven hair springing out wildly as popped his head through the neck hole. Cole pushed the hair back out of his eyes, and immediately stopped humming as he peered through the propped open door and spotted the fire ninja trying to sink into the sofa cushions and make himself less conspicuous. Cole took in the slumped posture, the vacant, dull expression, the lazy sweat pants which he seemed to have lived in over the last few days. And now the worst thing, which made Cole gasp, throw the hoodie back off and launch himself over the back of the sofa to sit next to his wallowing friend. Kai was by himself. And watching romantic movies?

Kai groaned as Cole landed next to him, flicking the tv off quickly.

"Too late, caught ya!"

Kai just eyed him, not moving from his pit except to shove some more popcorn into his mouth.

"I thought you were going to see your dad today."

"I was. But then I saw you, and you obviously need me more."

Kai just glanced at the ninja who was trying to catch his eye whilst deftly stealing some of his popcorn.

"I'm fine."

"Dude! You are not! You were watching, what even was it…" Cole leant over and grabbed the DVD case, turning it over in his hands and gasping "…Bridget Jones! You were watching this?! Seriously?! How did this even get into our collection?"

Kai shrugged, picking the remote back up and switching the tv on again, absentmindedly shoving more popcorn into his mouth.

Cole grabbed the remote, ignoring the "hey!" eliciting from Kai and mentally scolding himself as he managed to upset the bowl of popcorn on Kai's lap, spilling the precious food. He switched the tv off and resolutely turned to look at Kai.

"You've not heard from her then."

A soft "No."

"Have you been to see her?"

A sharp, shocked "No!"

"Why not?"

Cole waited, arms folded and eyeing the now squirming and not so fiery master of fire.

And he waited.

And waited some more.

Eventually: "She obviously does not want to see me, Cole."

He sounded so defeated, but Cole was not having it.

"The problem with you two is you're both stubborn. FSM help us if she decides to join the team officially, with two stubborn little hot heads running around. Come on, get up. We're going out."

"No, Cole."

"Up! Get yourself dressed."

"What? No!"

Cole narrowed his eyes, pursing his lips.

"Do not make me carry you up to your room for the third time this week…"

The threat worked and Kai grumpily backed down, much easier than he would do normally Cole thought. One way or another, this needed to get sorted out. Today.