Garmadon watched as Xenudah fell apart in Yakunan's arms before gazing down at his own son. "Oh, what did I ever do to deserve you?" Tears streamed down his face. He pressed his forehead softly to Lloyd's hair and held him tightly, sighing. He felt his chest tighten with emotion. "I wish you didn't have to live in a world as dark as this one," he whispered, not knowing if his son could hear him. "I want us to be happy again. Please don't lose that light. I love you because of it..."

"Dad...?" A small voice sounded from the ground.

Garmadon looked down just as Lloyd opened his eyes. Garmadon pulled away from Lloyd, placing a hand on his head as he sat up. "Hey, sweetheart..."

Lloyd stared at Garmadon for a moment before sitting up and hugging his dad.

"You're just too kind...!" He hugged Lloyd tightly. "You're going to make me cry again." He laughed, wiping his eyes. "You've become my whole world. I can't imagine life without you here anymore. I'd go crazy." His heart felt like it would burst. How had he done it? To raise such a wonderful child while being so afraid of losing him to the darkness… It was too much.

Lloyd pulled back slightly, looking into his father's eyes. His eyes were wet. They were full of unshed tears from his enduring pain and guilt, but they also held a glint of determination and strength. The energy elemental smiled, looking back into his father's eyes. "I'll never leave you…" he whispered. "Not again, Dad."

"Thank you, my boy. Thank you for giving me a second chance to be there for you." The destruction elemental hugged Lloyd again. "I will always be your father. And nothing is going to change that. You are loved, no matter what. I love you. Forever and always. I'll protect you until my dying breath."

"Dad, you're gonna make me cry too..." Lloyd sniffled, pulling back again. His eyes teared up again, but he blinked them away, trying to hold himself together.

Garmadon wiped a tear from his cheek and kissed Lloyd's forehead, smiling. "There we are. Everything's okay now. Don't worry about that. No one is going to hurt you ever again. My dear Lloyd Ryuda… Oh, how I love you, my son."

Lloyd looked up at his dad with tear-stained cheeks. His heart felt heavy, but he managed to smile through his sobs. "I love you, too, Dad."

"Come here..." Garmadon pulled Lloyd into his lap and cradled him.

Lloyd closed his eyes against the onslaught of emotions as he leaned against his father's chest. "Dad…" He sniffed.

Garmadon rubbed Lloyd's back gently, humming in response. Lloyd took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, his sobs finally subsiding.

"Are you alright?" Garmadon asked quietly, rocking Lloyd.

The green ninja shook his head, holding onto his father tightly. "No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not yet," Lloyd murmured, burying his face into his father's neck. "Can we stay like this for awhile?"

"Of course," Garmadon replied softly, kissing Lloyd's forehead.

Eventually, however, Lloyd spoke again. "I'm sorry for crying on you… You must think I'm weak or something."

Garmadon chuckled softly. "You're never weak when it comes to expressing yourself, dear."

"Yeah, well, sometimes I am."

"That's different. You know, the fact that you let your feelings out means everything to me. I'm just glad you trusted me enough to show them. Even if you aren't feeling completely comfortable talking about them right now… It takes time for you to grow and change, Lloyd. We all need time to process stuff."

Lloyd sighed, shifting. He lifted his face from his father's collarbone. "But I feel like I need to get better. I'm scared I'm going to screw things up between us again. That I might push you away even more."

"And you won't," Garmadon promised. "I may have changed over the years, but I still care about you so very deeply. I've always been so proud of you and your ability to see beyond the surface. It's what made us who we are today and what helped us grow together in so many ways. So don't apologize."

Lloyd sighed, leaning back against his father. "I don't want to push you away, either. You're one of my only friends."

"We are a family, Lloyd. You and I both love each other. But you've been hurt by people in the past so many times that I'm terrified of losing you. Because I'm scared that if I lost you, then it would all be over for good."

"Dad, you wouldn't let it happen."

Garmadon nodded his head. "I just don't want to risk it. I don't want to risk losing our relationship, because it's all I have. The one thing that gives me hope. It's why I fight so hard to keep you by my side. I don't want to lose that."

Lloyd gave a small nod of understanding. He wrapped an arm around Garmadon's waist and rested his head on his shoulder.

"I know you're scared too." the destruction elemental sighed softly as he wrapped his arms around his son once more. "We'll get through this together…"

Lloyd nodded against his father's kimono.

They stayed like that for a while, Lloyd resting his head on his father and Garmadon running his fingers through his son's hair soothingly, breathing in Lloyd's familiar scent as the teen relaxed in his embrace. He wouldn't let his son go. He wouldn't dare.

He did not know when his son had grown into the young man sitting before him, but he knew that he would love his boy no matter what. He hoped he had given him enough to understand that…

After a little while, Lloyd seemed to come back to himself. He shifted slightly in Garmadon's arms, lifting his head up. "Sorry, Dad, I got overwhelmed for a minute. Thanks for keeping me grounded. I really needed to hear that."

Garmadon smiled. "I just want you to know that you never need to apologize for being scared. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me for putting so much pressure on you." He squeezed his son tighter, kissing his head. "I've already said yes to your request of me staying for a lifetime. And it's a promise you have nothing to worry about, my boy. As long as you need me to look after you, I'll be right there. And I won't go anywhere, I swear to you." Garmadon pulled away slightly, cupping his son's cheek with his hand, wiping away the rest of the drying tears. "As long as you need me, and I have the power and strength to protect you, I will make sure we stay together." His voice cracked as he spoke.

"Dad…"

"I love you. More than anything else. Never forget that. Please don't think that you don't deserve it. Or that you're anything less than perfect. You literally deserve the world…" the destruction elemental said tenderly. "No matter the situation, you're my son and I'm so proud of you."

"I love you, too, Dad." Lloyd hugged him, sobbing again.

"Shhhhhh… There, there…" Garmadon held him close, rubbing his back comfortingly. "I love you, son. Just please try to stop worrying about things, ok? You've gone through so much, my precious boy. Let me help you. You deserve to be happy again."

"Thanks, Dad…" Lloyd buried his face into his father's shoulder.

"Just don't hesitate to call on me. I'm here for you. I can't stand seeing you upset."

Their little moment was interrupted by the ground starting to tremble, making them both gasp.

"What the heck?!" Lloyd exclaimed, jumping off of his father's lap. He turned around quickly, his body trembling with anxiety. He couldn't lose his dad...not now! Not now, after all they'd been through together. "Dad?" Lloyd gasped, turning back around, fear etched across his face. "What's happening?!"

Garmadon's heart plummeted, and he stood up immediately, taking Lloyd's hand in his own. He looked down at his son, eyes wide. "We need to get upstairs!"

Lloyd nodded frantically, letting his father pull him out of the room. "Father, what's happening? You're scaring me…"

"I don't know, Lloyd, I really don't know," Garmadon replied. He pulled Lloyd along behind him, towards the staircase. "I… I didn't expect this."

"Worried that something bad might happen to me?"

"Something worse than that. I don't know what is going on. All I know is that this… This feels wrong. Something is definitely going on and it's way bigger than we bargained for, Lloyd… No matter what happens, we will figure this out. I've never lost faith in us. You never gave up on me," Garmadon whispered. "You did what no child should have to do. You fought to protect those people who needed protecting. You fought for me. I love you, Lloyd. We'll find a way to save us."

Lloyd smiled briefly before turning his attention to the situation. "Then what do we do now?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. We'll figure it out, Lloyd. Somehow…. Somehow we have to make it."

Back on the Island of Darkness, Kymika felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill onto her cheeks. She bit her lip harshly, trying to hold back her emotions. She glanced down to gaze down at her hands. How she wished that she wasn't stuck on this island with her mother. Where they could have had some semblance of normal lives without the constant danger. But fate, or destiny, or some other mystical force, hadn't allowed such a luxury, so now there they were, stuck. Unable to go back to Xenudah.

She glanced up at the sky, sighing deeply, her lips pursed. She frowned sadly. She knew her father would feel desperate and restless to find them.

What was taking him so long…? What would become of her father? Would he leave them and go on his own? Would he try to rescue his daughter? Had the universe planned this from the beginning? Did she simply exist to play a part in this game? To be used until someone finally saw how useless she was and decided to cast her aside?

"Kymi, come here…" Shiren whispered. She reached forward towards her daughter's trembling form. "My poor child…" Shiren sat beside her daughter, pulling her close, brushing her hair lovingly.

Kymi leaned into her mother's touch, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I miss dad so much…" she whispered.

"I know you do… So do I. He loves you dearly..."

Kymika lets her tears overflow, her body trembling more violently as time continued to pass.

"Oh, Kymi…" Shiren breathed out, wrapping her arms around her crying girl. She hugged her tightly, letting her cry. She could barely keep up with her daughter, it hurt to see her so distressed.

Kymika shook her head. "Why does it always have to happen… Why can't we ever have normal lives?"

Shiren sighed softly, holding her tighter. "It doesn't work like that..." she muttered sadly. "There are things in life…that just aren't meant to be."

Kymi swallowed thickly. "I just want things to be normal… I want everything to go back to the way they were before all this started…" she sniffled. "I want dad to be okay… I want to be happy… I don't want any of this…" She let out a soft, broken wail, tears falling freely from her magenta eyes. "I never wanted any of this…!"

"Hey, hey, shhhhhhhh, it's ok," Shiren gently rocked her daughter. Tears streamed down her face. "We'll make it through this. Together. We always manage to get through things…" Her voice broke, her chest aching painfully at the thought of her husband suffering, the idea of him hurting, losing hope, thinking that everything was over… Her heart clenched tightly inside her chest as she remembered just how painful and heartbroken he must be feeling right now. She felt sick and terrified knowing he was so upset. Knowing he was probably going through so much at that very moment. "Everything'll be alright… Everything'll be fine..." she murmured, nuzzling against Kymika's hair, rubbing her back slowly. "It'll be alright..."

"Mom..." Kymika whimpered. She wrapped her arms around her mother, pressing her face against the woman's chest, trying desperately not to cry. "Please don't leave me alone…"

"Never…" Shiren cooed. "Never, baby. Never, I promise you." She brushed the back of Kymi's hair gently.

They stayed like this for a while, neither speaking, just comforting each other with their presence. They wouldn't let go.

Yakunan gazed down at his son, his eyes holding sympathy for his broken-hearted child. "Oh, Xenudah... Oh, I'm so sorry…" His words caught in his throat, unable to say anything else, even though nothing needed to be said. The only words anyone could possibly express.

His heart ached for both of them. He couldn't imagine having to live without his child. It was hard enough, he realized, just to watch him suffer all those years. Now, he couldn't bear to think about it.

"I missed so much of your childhood, Xenudah…" Yakunan whispered, his voice cracking as he spoke softly. He tightened his grip on his son's hand. His heart broke at the realization that the two of them had been apart for so long. That the two of them had been separated for most of their lives by a literal ocean. He held his son tight in his arms, wanting to comfort him. To ease the pain. But he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough to take away what had already happened between him and Xenudah.

He would stay alive for his son. For them both. They needed each other right now. They needed to be together. For the both of them. For the future that they were now facing together.

He couldn't bear to lose his son again. He couldn't risk that. He refused to allow that. Not after everything they'd gone through to find each other. To be reunited once more.

Yakunan inhaled sharply, closing his eyes tightly, fighting against his own grief as he held his boy close. "I'm right here. Don't worry. I'm here," he repeated, kissing the top of his son's head. He held onto him tightly. A tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek, landing softly, onto Xenudah's crown of hair. "Don't ever leave me, Xenu… Please don't leave me…" his voice wavered slightly as he spoke. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, blinking back more tears that threatened to fall.

"And please," he continued, squeezing his son tighter, "Don't ever doubt that I love you, either. I love you more than life itself. I promise you that. As long as I have a breath left in my body, I'll continue to protect you." His hand trembled slightly, tightening its grip against his son's back. He closed his eyes tightly. He had to hold on. No matter what. "Please don't give up on me. You're the only thing keeping me sane, little one. I couldn't live if something happened to you…"

He let out another shaky exhale. "I swear," he whispered. "As long as I have a breath left in my body, I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."

"Dad…"

"I will do everything in my power to keep us together."

Xenudah didn't respond. He remained quiet.

"Please… I need you to hear me." Yakunan tightened his grip. "Promise me you'll stay with me. I can't… I can't be without you…" he sobbed heavily, his breathing ragged, his tone weak and pleading. "I can't handle this. I can't… I won't survive this without you... Please…" Yakunan's voice cracked, choking on his words, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Xenudah shifted slightly, lifting his head slightly, looking toward his father's tearful gaze. "I promise."

"You mean that?" Yakunan asked, his brow furrowing, a sad smile crossing his lips.

Xenudah nodded. "I promise."