So yeah... please don't hurt me for going off the radar for sooo long. I am finishing recovering from a broken collarbone, so I didn't really feel like updating during that time. I'm here to wrap up this story in a next few chapters. I might make a sequel... but who knows.

P.S. Slight time skip here

I don't own Ninjago

Tara's POV

Sitting atop my scaly throne, I peered over the edge of the Devourer whom had unceremoniously fallen to the ground moments earlier.

"Mwahahaha!" I bellowed as I surveyed the city from my throne, "The world is mine! ...I mean saved! The world is saved!" After acting for a few more seconds, I leapt of the oversized creature that now emitted an odor like most of Cole's food.

Kai looked over at me with annoyance as he bandaged up one of his arms, "How is it that you don't even have a scratch on you but the rest of the team got torn to shreds? And shouldn't we try to get to Zane as soon as possible?" Marching up to him, I helped Kai finish putting on a band-aid to his arm right before punching him in the same spot.

"You're just jealous of my ninja reflexes," I smirked before skipping aboard the ship, leaving the cleanup of the Devourer to the policemen.

Wandering the halls of the ship, I found that I had unconsciously entered the training room, where Cole had fallen asleep.

"Using a dumbbell for a pillow cannot be comfortable," I muttered as I sat down beside Cole. His dark hair remained plastered to his face and his tanned skin seemed to glow due to the lighting. Lifting his head with extreme caution, I removed the dumbbell underneath and guided his head into my lap. After a few minutes of worrying about the forest, I absentmindedly brushed a fly strand of hair that appeared that it would tickle his face. Cole's eyes flickered open at the disturbance; his obsidian eyes showed no surprise and stared up into my clear, blue eyes.

"Gah!" I announced with surprise as I leapt away, causing Cole's head to impact with the floor. Sitting up and rubbing the back of his head where a lump was forming, Cole narrowed his eyes at me.

"What was that for?" he demanded in frustration. Feeling a ball of guilt rise and catch in the back of my throat, I held up both of my hands to shield me from further wrath.

"I... um... was just startled. I didn't expect you to wake up," I replied sheepishly as I felt a blush rise and cover my face. Cole shook his head like a dog so his hair was no longer glued to his forehead and began drawing patterns in the floor with a finger. He reminded me of a dejected puppy left in a cardboard box.

"Well?" he inquired as he lifted his face to meet my eyes, "Get over here to learn how to take care of a teammate properly. And by that I mean no head-dropping onto the floor." Feeling slightly embarrassed, I inched my way over to Cole and knelt beside him... around ten feet away. I heard an exaggerated sigh escape Cole's mouth and an arm slinked around my waist before yanking me towards him. Immediately, a familiar scent of earth and pine enveloped me. Cole smelt... like home.

"Do it again," Cole commanded, snapping me out of my reverie. I felt my blush further creep up to my ears as I tried to ignore the pleasant smell radiating off him. Then, without warning, Cole plopped his head back into my lap. Fumbling for words, I peered down at Cole, who was grinning from ear to ear and pressing a finger to his lips to indicate for me to be quiet. My heart rate had increased and I looked around the room frantically and helplessly. Stealing another glance to Cole, I believe I imagined a slight tint of red sprinkled across his cheeks. Catching my eyes with a look of surprise, Cole lifted an arm and covered his eyes to hide his embarrassment. After a few moments of what I thought was awkward silence, Cole spoke up.

"Did you gain weight the last few minutes? Your lap seems squishier than before," Cole joked to lighten the uncomfortable atmosphere. I lifted the arm he used to cover his eyes and leaned closer to his face. Smirking with evil intent, I grabbed his head on either side with both of my hands and... dropped him on the floor again.

"Even if my lap is squishier, I guess I still haven't learned how to take care of my teammate!" I called out as I failed to saunter out of the room, leaving Cole behind with an astonished look on his face.

Jay had successfully landed the ship at the coordinates that were supposed to be the forest I called home. Opening the door to the top deck, I gasped at the scene before me. Trees lay broken, twisted, and eroding with acid. The roots were, well, uprooted and the soil lay upturned and ready for the wind to blow it away. Far in the distance, a tall, thriving tree acted as a splash of color against the barren canvas. I felt my stomach fall as I scanned the horizon for any trace of Zane. The Devourer had obviously ravaged the lands here. Had Zane been able to protect me? More importantly, had Zane been able to protect himself?

Positioning one hand to grip firmly on the flying ship's railing, I pressed my weight onto my hand before flipping myself over the edge to land on the forest floor accompanied by the slight puff of a dust cloud. Peering back up at the ship, I realized I didn't have the patience to wait for Kai, Jay, Cole, and the rest even though they had just reached the upper deck. Tying my mess of blonde hair into a concoction no one would even be able to call a ponytail, I began to sprint at breakneck speed to the one source of life in my now bleak forest. Seeing my friends and family destroyed so carelessly felt like a stab to the heart, but the worry for my new family far surpassed the pain of my old family.

Skidding to a stop, I took a sharp intake of breath of amazement due to the scene before me. My tree, my willow tree, stood alone among the carnage. Slowly circling the tree, not one scratch lay upon the bark, not one leaf perished, not one root severed, it all lay intact. But there was no Zane. Not one trace.

Why didn't he contact me?

Where was he?

Did he not trust me anymore? The blessing that I had been given by my android friend was astounding. Circling back to the front of my tree, I noticed a few drops of oil staining a few strands of grass allowed to live beside the tree. A strange stinging sensation filled the back of my eyes.

Rubbing them I choked out, "Oh, Zane...why?" Why did he push himself so far? I jumped at the feeling of a hand landing on my shoulder. Pivoting around, I came face to face with Cole. Before I had any chance to react from our closeness, he shoved a letter in front of my face. Grabbing it, I messed with the edges of the paper as I slowly read my death sentence.

"Ninjago citizens..." I began to slowly read aloud, "Damaged forest scheduled for construction of new homes... purchase now." The bittersweet taste of tree sap filled my mouth as I realized I had been biting down on the inside of my cheek.

"It's scheduled for tomorrow," Jay piped in as he approached us from behind.

"Tomorrow?!" I cried out, near hyperventilating. Sitting down at the base of my tree trunk, I gazed up into the swaying red leaves of my tree. Not only was my old family going to be cast away into firewood and building materials, my own life was now endangered too. And with the disappearance of Zane, a large part of my ninja family, I felt horrible.

Like one of those crappy damsels in distress.

I hope that this isn't worse than my past writings. What did you think? Critique, comment, and yell at me in the cute review box below. :)