Kate knocked silently on Ji's bedroom door. Normally she was allowed to just walk in. Though she didn't live at the Shiba House, she spent all her time there. In fact, she had more of her things in the Shiba House than in her real home, which was James' old house. She shared a room with Ji, and didn't need to knock when she wanted to come in, but Ji had been hard at work lately and she didn't want to disturb him. He looked up from his desk and saw her. He waved her in, telling her she wouldn't be a bother. Kate started to collect her clothes from around the room, readying them for the laundry which needed to be done.

"Would you like me to throw some of your things in too?" she asked. Ji looked up from his notes.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm doing the laundry. Do you want me to wash your clothes too? You've been wearing that kimono for three days straight."

"Oh," Ji looked down and it dawned on him that personal hygiene had been somewhat neglected. He pointed to his laundry basket in the corner, "If you don't mind."

Kate nodded and started to grab his clothes. She saw he was hard at work and couldn't help but feel curious. As she walked by, she peeked over his shoulder, "You still trying to make arrangements for the mad scientist?"

"He has been taken care of," Ji shook his head and covered his books and papers with his hand. "He has forgotten all about the Rangers and Halloween night, and my friend is keeping an eye on him so we don't get a repeat."

"So, this is…"

"Nothing," Ji shook his head. "Nothing that concerns you yet."

"Yet? So…"

"Serrator's defeat, while it is a breath of fresh air, is also troublesome. Dekker, Dayu, Octoroo, Xandred, or even some other rogue Nighlok will have less standing in their way, should they choose to cause destruction here on Earth."

"Isn't Xandred still soaking?" Kate asked. "I mean, as long as he's at the bottom of the river…"

"He has been down there for months. He will come back, and I feel it is soon."

"So, are you making a new weapon?"

"No. This is… different. And delicate, so I would like a little privacy. When it is time, you will be informed."

Kate nodded her head, "Alright. Well, if there's anything I can do…"

"Tell Serena I need her in here."

"Sure."

-Samurai-

Serena stared at her sister's frown and couldn't take it anymore. It had already been a few days since Carrie and Terran had gone home, and while the house seemed to be getting back into a normal routine, Mike and Emily were having a hard time moving on. It was understandable. They now had a relationship with a daughter they would never see or hear from again. Serena missed her niece, and even Terran, whom she still saw every day. But enough was enough.

With her fingers, Serena forced Emily to smile, "Better."

"Serena…" Emily moved her head away, "Stop it."

"You know she's safe, Emily. James is a good dad. He'll take good care of her. And she knows you love her."

"I miss her."

"I do too," Serena nodded.

"Terran's still here," Emily pointed to the corner of the common room, where Terran was flipping through the pages of a book, babbling as he read to himself.

"Carrie was my niece. I love her like you love Terran. You would miss him too, right?"

"Obviously."

"So smile," Serena made her sister smile again, "There. Now to work on Mike."

"I'll talk to him, I guess," Emily sighed. "You really think she's safe?"

"Em, I trust James with my kid," Serena chuckled and nodded her head, "He's taking good care of her, I promise. If anyone's going to step up, you're lucky it's him. Now, what'll cheer you up for good?"

"You know what cheers me up," there was a little glimmer in Emily's eyes. Serena rolled hers and groaned.

"How can you eat that much junk and not get fat?"

"Because of all that running around I do to keep you guys on your toes," Emily said teasingly, "It's not easy being the hyper one of the group. Sometimes, all you want to do is sit on the couch and nap, and I have to work twice as hard just to annoy you into getting exercise."

"Yahuh. So chocolate chip cookies or leftover pie?"

"Leftover pie is never as good as freshly baked."

"Em…"

"I miss my daughter…"

Serena groaned, "You're more trouble than your worth. You're getting leftovers."

"With ice-cream!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

Serena saw Kate coming down the hall and turned to Emily, sticking her tongue out, "Kate, Emily wants pie and ice-cream."

"It's a miracle she's not fat."

"Hey!" Emily crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm hurting here, and calling me should-be-fat isn't making me feel better."

"Neither will drowning your sorrows in junk food," Serena smirked.

"You offered."

Kate rolled her eyes at the girls and then turned to Serena, "Ji wants to see you in his room. I think it's important."

"Get your own pie, Em," Serena called. Emily stuck her tongue out behind Serena's back as the older girl walked away and then got up to help herself to pie. She saw half of it was still left and took the entire dish from the fridge.

"Pie will cheer Mike up too. And whipped cream," she grabbed the can from the door of the fridge and bolted from the kitchen, nearly bumping into Antonio on the way out, "Sorry."

"Where are you going with that?"

"Mike's still feeling sad," Emily said and held up the can of whipped cream, "This always cheers him up."

"Uh… okay, just don't use it all."

"We make no promises!" Emily cried and raced to her bedroom. Antonio shook his head.

"I'm not even going to try to figure them out."

-Samurai-

Serena could tell Ji was hard at work, and though he had asked her to meet with him in his room, she still felt the need to knock. He looked up from his desk, saw her standing at the door in invited her in. In his hand, he was holding a scroll.

"I have a favour to ask of you."

"Shoot," Serena nodded. Ji handed her the scroll and gave her a nod, signalling she open it. Serena did so and gasped. "Ji, no. You promised."

"You will pretend you know very little of this when you say goodbye," Ji told her, "When you return, anything that does slip out can be excused by your escorting her here. You will have plenty of time to speak with her."

"I can't leave now, I… I…" Serena looked down at the scroll, "Why can't someone just bring her here? Why does this have to happen now? I mean, it's about damn time but…"

"Serrator wasn't just a threat to us. He was a threat to all the Nighlok as well. His plan to crack open the Earth could have destroyed us, and the Netherworld. Now that he's out of the way, I fear more Nighlok will step up to take his place. She needs to come and get settled with the team before we need her."

"So ease her in?"

Ji nodded his head, "Serena, this is a huge favour to ask, I know, but…"

"If it's time. I guess it's time," Serena sighed. "I'll get her as long as you promise no one will know that I knew. If they find out, if Emily finds out…"

"No one will know. It is for that reason I am sending you. Should you let it slip that you know more, you will have the excuse that you spoke with her before she arrived."

Serena nodded, "If you say so. Now, where is this place, exactly?"

"She will be waiting for you at the Tengen Gate," Ji put a plane ticket in Serena's hand. "You leave in the morning."

"Enough time to say goodbye," Serena massaged her forehead with a groan, "They aren't going to like this."