YAY! FINALLY A NEW CHAPTER OF LITTLE FIRE.

This was so hard to write for some reason. I couldn't think of what I wanted to happen next and kept having writer's block every time I sat down to write! Anyway, here we go, thank you for your patience!

Let me know what you think and if you have suggestions for the next chapter :)

Kai's POV

Kai watched in horror as the giant flung his ex-girlfriend into the wall with one hand. He hated to see her hurt, no matter how much she'd hurt him. But his baby.

Kai strained, searching for his power. He had one somewhat good hand, so maybe he could just-sparks flickered in his palm before fizzling out. The creep in the doorway at the nerve to laugh.

"You think that's funny?" Kai fumed, face dark with rage. "You think you're so big and strong, so you have to resort to stealing a baby to get your way? Well, then fine. If you're point is to kidnap me or kill me, then go ahead and have at it." He lowered his good arm down, palm up in a come at me gesture. "But let's negotiate and have you put the baby down."

The creature stepped through the doorway, fully revealing his giant, purple frame. His fists alone were the size of Kai's head. Maya looked minuscule in his grip.

"You wanna negotiate?" He stopped two feet from guy, putting him in his shadow. "Fine. Have your baby."

He tossed Maya ungracefully into Kai's hold, the fire ninja barely managing to keep her steady with his one arm. Kai cradled her close as best he could, both shocked and relieved. But he knew the man-creature, he did not qualify as a person-wasn't finished.

"What do you want from me? Who do you think you are?"

"I know who I am. I'm Antoine, Adam's big brother. Sent to do his dirty work."

"Adam?" Kai scoffed. "Who the hell is Adam?"

Antoine bellowed, sending himself into a laugh attack. "Who is Adam? You're telling me you don't know? Oh man, this is too good."

Kai felt himself begin to sweat. The adrenaline and Maya were the only things keeping him on his feet. The only strength he had came through his piercing glare.

"But we don't have time for more introductions." The giant stepped slowly forward. "Let's get you out of here before I run into any more of your friends," he sneered."

Kai scrambled back, but winced as his back hit the wall. Jaw clenched, his baby held as protectively as possible to his chest, his mind searched for a solution. A way out. He couldn't fight this guy, that much was clear. He'd almost died trying to a man this size before. Or was it the same guy? The fight was still fuzzy in his mind.

A shadow fell over him. Kai swallowed back his fear, replacing it with a fierce defiance. The fear wasn't for himself, but for his baby. He'd die before he'd let her get hurt.

Kai grunted, trying not to show the severe pain coursing through him as the Antoine's giant hand pinned him against the wall.

"You can't struggle now, can you?" The man teased.

Cole's POV

A groan woke him up, but Cole soon realized the sound came from himself. As his eyes fluttered open, he tried to get his bearings, sitting up slowly. He winced at the ache in his back and dull throbbing of his head. His vision was blurred at first, but as he looked around him, everything suddenly came into focus.

Lloyd was out cold next to him, and the rest of their team was scattered around the waiting room in the same state. Cole's eyes widened. What the heck happened?

They'd come out to give Kai and Skylor a minute alone, then...then that giant creep of a man had barged his way through and...

"Oh no," Cole cursed under his breath.

He jumped up, frantically shaking Lloyd's shoulder in hopes he'd wake up to help. The golden ninja groaned, mop of blond hair shifting as he lifted his head.

"Lloyd, come on! He's after Kai!" Cole was already at the door, yanking it open. He looked back briefly, feeling bad for leaving everyone else here, but in this moment, Kai was priority. And Maya…

Cole sprinted down the hallway to Kai's room, grimacing at the sight of unconscious doctors and nurses. He hoped no one was seriously injured. Far behind him, he heard scuffling footsteps, which was a good sign. This guy was big, and Cole would need Lloyd's help.

As the earth ninja skidded around the corner, he sucked in a breath at the sight of Kai's open door. Please. Please don't be too late.

He ran through the doorway without a second thought, taking in the scene in less than a second. Skylor was out cold on the left side of the room. And on the right side, the giant had Kai - he had Cole's brother - pinned against the wall with his baby crying in his arms.

Cole had always been protective. Not the fiery kind of protective that Kai had. He didn't blow up in an inferno of righteous anger. No, Cole was always level-headed and calm. But if someone hurt his family, he was like an earthquake - quiet at first, unexpected, but a force to be reckoned with.

He vaguely registered his own battle cry as he charged at the giant, harnessing all the strength of his power into barrelling the guy away from his brother. They slammed into the right side wall, leaving a deep crater in the drywall. With a loud thud, the giant slipped to the ground, the force of Cole's hit miraculously leaving him unconscious.

A blur of green and gold zipped past Cole, instantly at Kai's side. The red ninja looked pale and shaky, as Lloyd caught him before he collapsed. Cole watched as Lloyd eased his injured brother down, supporting Maya with his free hand.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Lloyd asked him, eyes imploring the red ninja. Cole noticed the glazed look in Kai's eyes, and concerned welled up inside him. He stepped forward, kneeling next to his teammates.

"Kai?" he asked softly, who still hadn't responded and was just staring blankly at the unconscious man behind Cole.

Then he did the most unexpected thing. Cole's heart broke as he watched Kai's face crumple as he burst into tears. Lloyd and Cole shared a frantic worried look, the earth ninja rushing to sit on Kai's other side. Maya rested in her father's lap.

Lloyd rushed to comfort his friend. "Kai," he said softly. Kai, hey, it's okay. You're okay, you're safe now. Maya's safe." He wrapped an arm around the red ninja.

Kai leaned heavily on Lloyd, sobs wracking him. Which couldn't have been comfortable with all his injuries. He definitely had to be feeling pain in his ribs and neck, but he didn't seem to care. Instead his good hand grabbed a fistful of Lloyd's sleeve, and he choked out,

"I can't. I can't do this."

Cole's worried eyes never left his troubled friend.

"Kai, what do you mean?" he asked gently.

Kai glanced at him through tears, lip trembling. "I can't raise her. It's too dangerous."

"Kai, hey, don't jump to-"

"I'm not jumping to conclusions!" Kai sat up against the wall, a flash of visible pain crossing his face. "He had her! In his hand! He could've killed her and I-I couldn't…"

"You couldn't protect her," Lloyd helped him finish softly.

Kai glanced at the blond woefully, subconsciously letting Maya grasp his finger. "If you hadn't come-" he choked, trailing off.

"But, we did come, Kai," Cole said. "Everyone's safe." He placed his hand carefully on Kai's shoulder, who didn't seem fully comforted by those words.

But before they could say anything else, the sound of sirens neared the hospital, causing Lloyd and Cole's heads to snap up.

Lloyd glanced at Cole. "You think that's the police?"

"Let's hope so. I'd love to get this guy locked up," He said, jutting his head towards the unconscious Antoine.

Lloyd nodded in agreement, then looked back to Kai. The red ninja was sniffling, eyes red, but the sobs had stopped.

"It's gonna be okay, buddy. We'll get things sorted out after this, okay?" Kai didn't respond, simply gazing at the baby in his lap.

Cole looked at the door, then at Lloyd. "Stay with him," he nodded his head towards Kai. "I'll deal with everything else."