Note: I've done some reimagining with a few things to make them work for this story and I've used some info that came from the film's costume designer, Cappi.

Nary awoke to Kano's warm muscular body pressed against hers; his left arm was wrapped around her waist. Using her left forefinger, she softly traced the ink dragon on his left arm as she gingerly turned around to face her sleeping lover. The morning sun was beaming through the window on his side of the room. As she admired the indirect sunlight giving his peaceful face a subtle glow, she realized how truly enamored she was with him.

Not once did she imagine herself with a man who was the antithesis of the strait-laced men that she typically dated. Yet, she loved how he was a wonderful contrast of being rough around the edges while still having a sensitive side that he never hid from her and their friends. Although James was her first love, every word, look, kiss and touch she shared with Kano felt more intimate, natural, connective and deeper. The differences between them made her love him even more, he gave her a sense of balance that she never had in her past relationships. She viewed it as a unique honor to be the first woman to have the same powerful effect on him and she intended to never take it for granted.

He began stirring when her fingers left his black dragon tattoo and started touching his facial scars. The little grunts and groans he made caused her to giggle.

"Good morning, Kano!" She planted a soft kiss on his lips then resumed stroking his scars.

His large calloused hand moved from her waist and slid under her white camisole, he caressed the silky skin of her lower back, "Baby, every morning with you is always good!"

The corners of her lips pulled up as her fingers left his scars to comb through his hair, "Agreed! So, are you nervous about tonight?"

"About that fucking wizard turning up? Shit no, I'm more than ready to beat the shit out of him and anyone else stupid enough to fight for him."

"Actually, I was talking about our scheduled video chat with Rasi…"

With a slow nod, he replied, "Eh, right..should I be? I just thought I'd be my usual charming self."

Nary said with a tip of her head, "No and I'm very pleased to hear that because he has always been in your corner…but now that we're dating, he's also gonna be in his overprotective-big-brother mode. So, I hope that you two really hit it off."

He gave her a cheeky smile, "Like I've said before, I'm a popular guy everyone loves me!"

"All right, but you must know that if you win Rasi over you're pretty much in with my other brothers and my parents, his word goes a long way with them."

"OK, but how about yours? They don't trust your judgment?"

"They do, but Rasi is the one who usually does background checks on any new people in our lives so approval from him gives you, for a lack of a better term, security clearance. And well, you're not like my other boyfriends, Kano. At least on the outside and based on your track record, you're every parent's worst nightmare. So, it's gonna take time for them to accept and love you. My approval along with Rasi's will speed up the process."

"…I hear ya. But don't worry, Babe, they'll be unable to resist my charm, just like you!"

She didn't hide her hope and worry; her hand cupped his face, "I know they will, eventually. But when Rasi and I give you tips on how to impress my parents, listen to us."

With an appreciative smile, he removed her hand from his face and kissed her palm, "Will do, Angel! But we should also talk about those Outworld assholes and what will happen if they have the balls to come here tonight."

Shrugging, she told him, "With Cole unlocking his arcana and his remarkable progression as a fighter, we're in the perfect position to win."

His fingers interlaced with hers, "Nary, I love that you're hopeful but there's still a chance that one of us doesn't survive."

"I know…but I believe in the law of averages. You've already lost so much; you won't lose me." She brought their hands to her mouth and kissed his knuckles.

In a serious tone, he admitted, "What you're saying sounds right…but you have to know, I couldn't live without you. I'm not strong enough."

She moved closer to him, "Yes you are. And you're not the same man who arrived here and immediately stole Shinnok's amulet. Now, you have a real family and me, you have so much to fight for."

He knew that she was right and was eternally grateful for her love, hope and honesty. "Can't argue with that, Sweetface…but since this could be our last day together. We should really make the most of it…" His lustful gaze traveled down her body before returning to her eyes.

Her left brow curved, "I absolutely agree!" She drew him into a heated kiss as their hands started to peel away what little clothing they had on.

Allison and Emily were cooking in the lounge's kitchen while Cole was setting the dining table for breakfast. With a large smile on his lips Kano walked in and greeted Allison and Emily first before joining Cole at the dining table.

"Coffee?" He held up the coffee pot.

"Sure, and thanks!" Kano flashed him a smile as he held up his mug. He lowered his voice wanting to keep his conversation with Cole private.

"So, eh, tonight, I'm joining Nary in her weekly chat with Rasi." Kano said to his friend.

With an extended blink, Cole then tilted his head, "Meeting her family, that's a big step."

"Yeah and a first for me. So, I need uh, I need tips on what not to say and do. I didn't ask Nary because, shit, I didn't want her to be nervous or worried about me."

"I get it…but next time just ask her. You're a couple now, you two should be able to talk about anything."

"Got it! So, how do I go about impressing her brother?"

"First, you don't talk about your sex life with his baby sister because that's gross and to say the least, awkward. No brother wants to imagine his sister having sex, no matter how old she is. This also applies to the rest of her family and friends."

This was a revelation to the Aussie, "Really now?! Every single day here I learn something new! Hit me with another one!" He eagerly encouraged him.

Cole blinked and widen his dark eyes then realized that none of Kano's past friends were the steady boyfriend/husband types, "Um, all right, don't talk about her body. You can say that she's gorgeous, beautiful, she has a great smile, pretty eyes and so on but going on about her quote, 'perfect heart-shaped ass' will do you no favors."

He huffed, "Fine, but it sounds like you want me to learn another fuckin' language, mate!"

Ignoring his complaint, Cole then said, "Speaking of language, she comes from a wealthy and successful family, Kano. So, when you're at her family gatherings, you need to cut back on the cursing, especially anything involving sex."

Kano held up his hand with his palm facing the younger Asian man, "Hang on a minute, I'm trying to get her brother to like me first!"

"I know but you should keep this in mind for the future. And based on what she's said about Rasi, you should be fine. He sounds like a regular decent guy instead of an elitist prick. You simply have to reassure him that you love Nary and that she's safe with you. That should be the easy part because we see it, you have to make him see it too." He said with a gentle grin.

After he ran his hand through his hair, Kano remarked, "I really do love her, mate. I mean, I look back at the other women I've been with and I wouldn't do any of this shit for them! But for Nary? I'd do anything for her."

His eyes went to the kitchen where Allison and Emily were still preparing breakfast; he smiled then turned his attention back to the attentive Aussie, "That's what true love is and we're both damn lucky to have found it."

Kano lifted his mug and waited to speak until Cole did the same, "In the fucked up world we live in, it's a fuckin' miracle! To love!"

"I'll gladly drink to that!" He curled his lips as he lightly clanked his coffee mug against Kano's.

Following breakfast, Nary readily helped Allison and Emily when they asked for her assistance with picking vegetables and fruits in preparation for lunch. Kano saw that as his opportunity to quickly return to his and Nary's suite. Sonya was heading for the fight pit when Kano asked her to join him in the salon.

Once she saw him turn the barber chair around to reveal the same gift box that held the garden gnome Nary gave him, she stared at him with suspicious eyes and crossed her arms, "Are you fucking kidding me? I'm not opening that shit, there's probably a glitter bomb in there!"

With an annoyed sigh and roll of his eyes, he assured, "Blondie, I swear on my love for Nary that what's inside this box is something you're gonna love."

She knew he was being honest and picked up the box. Her light blue eyes grew large the minute she opened it and saw several stacks of money.

"That's 350,000, it's to cover the fire damage that shithole you call a home took during our tussle with the lizard man. Hopefully, this'll make it less shitty," he said with a small cackle.

Absolutely floored, she gawked at him, "Wh-why are you giving me this?"

He pointed at his marking, "I didn't know what the fuck this was until you kidnapped me and jabbered on about this little mountain retreat," he gestured to their surroundings. "So, in a roundabout way, you led to me Nary and…and helped make my life worth living." He felt his voice quiver and cleared his throat.

Her brain was processing the gratitude, honesty and vulnerability in his words and eyes. The man that she once described as being "scum of the Earth" was now being kind to her without having an ulterior motive. She was always skeptical whenever people in her life talked about how love can change a person for the better. Now, she was standing in front of the living embodiment of their words. A part of her was moved but the other half of her was a bit envious of her former adversary.

With a small smile and a grip of his right shoulder, she told him, "Thanks Kano. I appreciate it. But don't sell yourself short. Nary's the only person who saw the good in you. You could've shut her out or used her - but you let her into your heart. That takes real character and courage."

He was taken aback and touched by her comments, "Shit Girlie, that means so fucking much coming from you!"

She let go of his shoulder and formed her lips into a smirk, "Yeah, well…that's all you're getting from me because there's no fucking way that I'm hugging you."

A loud snort came from him, "I didn't expect you to but eh, it's your loss, Goldie locks. These days, I'm quite huggable. And according to Nary, I'm also loveable, kissable, touchable, lick-…"

With a disgusted groan, she started to walk towards the door, "Please don't finish that sentence; I still wanna be able to look her in the eyes, Kano."

Chuckling, he assured her, "All right, I'll stop, but speaking of…there's a second present but it's a collaboration between Nary and I. But that's all I'm telling ya, it's a surprise!"

"Really? I hate surprises but I love Nary so I'll put on a brave face." She shrugged.

He excitedly nodded at her, "Trust me, you're gonna fucking love it! Now, let's get to training, we might get to demolish some Outworld fuckers tonight!"

As they headed to the fight pit, Sonya had to remind herself that she and Kano were fighting on the same side and that she wasn't in an alternate universe or a bizarre dream.

Earthrealm's champions and Lord Raiden gathered at the spot where Shang Tsung and his Outworld warriors were expected to appear.

"Are we early or are those assholes late?" Kano asked.

Lord Raiden calmly said, "They have two minutes to appear."

"Do you think he'll actually come here?" Cole asked him.

"He knows that if he fails to appear, his reputation as a fearsome sorcerer will be ruined if he chooses cowardice." The thunder god explained.

Kung Lao asked, "Do we at least know if he has two new fighters and who they are?"

"My sources in Outworld told me that he has found two Earthrealm fighters but he has kept their identities a secret."

Liu looked at his fellow champions, "Remember, every fighter even with an arcana has weaknesses, physical and mental. Use them to your advantage."

Before anyone else could speak, a black smoky portal brought in Shang Tsung and seven warriors. The last two fighters to appear made Kano, Sonya and Jax's jaws drop.

"Bloody hell, Kobra?!" Kano turned his attention to Shang Tsung, "you're so fucking desperate that you had to use my leftovers and this pretentious prick?!"

Mavado smirked, "You're still a foul-mouthed pig, it's good to see that some things don't change."

Kobra glared at the Aussie, "Oh fuck off, Kano! Shang Tsung wanted the best and he got it! I can't wait to make that bitch pay for killing Kira!" He pointed at Sonya.

Shang Tsung held up his hand, "Enough! We did not come here to squabble!"

"Sorcerer," Lord Raiden stepped forward, "I have consulted with the Elder Gods. If you or any of your fighters still take one of my champions' lives after being defeated by them then Earthrealm will be declared the winner. Another rule that must be followed is that our fighters will face each other one-on-one. If you or any of your warriors break these rules, you will force a forfeit for Outworld and Earthrealm will be instantly declared the winner of Mortal Kombat."

He clenched his jaw then tipped his head, "I agree to honor those rules. Anything else?"

"Yes, you will choose the arenas and I will transport our fighters there. However, I will decide the match-ups."

"And how is that fair?"

"I do not know Mavado and Kobra's arcanas but they have already discovered them. I am also confident that any of my champions can defeat him. Mavado is also one of the most talented fighters in Earthrealm and as a member of The Red Dragon clan he is quite familiar with three of my champions. As I see it, you have the advantage." There was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

After a moment, Shang Tsung agreed and named several locations including the temple's own fight pit. Kano was relieved when Lord Raiden pit him against Kabal but his stomach dropped once heard that Nary would fight Kobra. He knew that Kobra had five more years of martial arts training than Nary and that he was a ruthless hot-head. Before Lord Raiden transported him and Kabal to the quarry, he and Nary embraced. As she started to withdraw, he pulled her in and whispered Kobra's weaknesses into her ear.

She nodded then held his face as he grasped her waist, "Thanks Kano, we'll see each other in a few minutes."

He wanted to be as optimistic as she was, "No matter what happens, never forget that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I love you so fucking much!"

Her thumbs stroked his cheek bones, "I could never; I love you and that's what will help us win." She drew him into an adoring and long kiss.

He planted a lingering kiss on her forehead then took one long look at her, "Give him hell and come back to me, Love."

With a confident curl of her lips, she told him, "You know I will, on both fronts. I'll see you soon."

With obvious hesitation, he let go of her and walked into the lightning portal.

Once he was at the location, Kano saw that the quarry was full of tar instead of water. Three jagged slate walls surrounded the quarry while the stone ground declined into the tar filled pit.

The former cop stood on a slate platform adjacent to the quarry. Kabal had his hook swords in both hands. "It's a real shame that your little girlfriend isn't here to see me gut you like a fucking fish! But I'll settle for serving her your head on a silver platter!"

"It's fucking tragic that I had kill your little lizard friend, you would've made a nice snack for him!" He laughed as he took out his knives and got into his fighting stance.

When the speedster zoomed to the left, the mercenary immediately crouched down and push his right knife backwards stabbing his former ally right below the knee.

"Fuckin' shiiit!" Kabal wailed as he slightly stumbled and dropped his hook swords. Moving at half speed, he barely dodged out of the way avoiding Kano slashing at his stomach. He returned to his original spot but was now trying to balance himself on one leg. His eyes narrowed the minute he saw the rogue Aussie use his laser eye to burn a C around himself. The opening was in front of the cocky champion. As he pulled out the bowie knife from his leg and hissed, Kabal realized what his opponent had done.

"Smart, your little ring of fire keeps me out of range and forces me into your chokepoint, but it can't last forever. You're too much of a dumbass to think of that shit yourself!"

Kano tossed the hook swords into the tar pit, "And you're a fuckin' idiot to think that an old dog can't learn new tricks. Although you're right about the ring of fire but I'm not tellin' ya for how long it'll be hot for. You gotta find out yourself, mate." He looked into Kabal's red flowing eyes and daring him with a curve of his lips.

"Lucky for me, I heal quick and I don't need my swords to kill you. In fact, it'll be poetic to use your own precious knife to cut off your head." He gripped the bowie knife and started to steady himself.

He looked at the stab wound on his rival's leg and saw it healing. "You do heal up fast," his eyes went to Kurtis Stryker's badge on Kabal's armor, "Too bad you couldn't sober up just as quick or else Stryker would still be alive."

Enraged, he pointed the knife at him, "Don't you fuckin' say his name!"

"Or you'll what? Hobble over here like Tiny Tim and beat me with your one good leg? That still won't change the fact that your drunk ass got your old partner killed!"

Kabal looked down at his leg again and saw that it was mostly healed, "I know what you're doing asshole and it's not gonna work!"

Shrugging, he grinned, "I'm just having a friendly chat, Tiny Tim. You had the balls to call me pathetic but let's take a look at the scoreboard, shall we? I killed a fuckin' lizard man, got a superpower, met the love of my life and made some new friends along the way! But you? Shit, you got Stryker killed, you got cocky on our last job and became a deep-fried errand boy for the wizard fella. And you couldn't get me to fuck over Raiden! Face it, Kabal, you failed as a cop, you failed as a Black Dragon and you're a fuckin' failure as a man!"

"I'm gonna rip your fuckin' tongue out!" With his leg fully healed he charged full speed at Kano.

The Aussie deflected a few of his enemy's hits but then took a hard slash to the outer side of his forearm when Kabal tried to slit his throat. He then hacked off Stryker's badge distracting him long enough to sever the mask's breathing tubes. Kabal desperately grasped at the tubes with his free hand while wheezing. Kano delivered a hard front kick to his former ally's chest sending him into the tar pit. He struggled to stand and breathe as he helplessly watched Kano pick up his bowie knife off the slate ground.

With a wide smile, he told him, "Mate, this is what happens when you choose the wrong side and talk shit about me girlfriend!"

Using his laser eye, he burned a hole through Kabal's skull then watched the younger man's corpse sink into the tar. When a lightning portal materialized to the right, he immediately stepped into it.

He arrived at a red stone cave and witnessed Nary execute an uppercut punch powered by her arcana, to Kobra's jaw. Her devastating blow sent the martial arts master to the ceiling where a stalactite impaled his entire head with the pointed tip protruding through the bottom of his chin.

She turned around at the sound of Kano calling her name and was beaming at the image of his smiling face before enthusiastically leaping into his open arms.

"Shit, are you OK, Babe?" He looked at her bruised eye then marveled at how quickly it was healing.

Nodding, she explained, "Kobra's arcana was controlling his body's density through his breathing. Whenever he held his breath, hitting him felt fighting a hunk of pure steel. But I'm lucky that my boot took the brunt of my first kick. And you were right, bringing up his unrequited love for Kira did throw him off his game."

He glanced up at his dead colleague, "You surely gave him his comeuppance and if you didn't…fuck the rules, I would've done it meself! No one hurts you and gets away with it!"

She happily kissed him then looked at his healing forearm, "You read my mind…but it looks like you're already on the mend too."

"Yep and there's our ride," he said when a lightning portal appeared to their left.

Kano and Nary found themselves in The Red Dragon Caverns. Sonya was standing next to Mavado's lifeless body. A gaping hole was in his abdomen. Two destroyed grappling hooks attached to chains were at his feet.

Sonya approached them, "That fucker's power was setting his chains and hooks on fire with his hands but he was also overconfident." Her right arm had fading burn marks in the shape of chain links.

"The world is better off without that self-righteous prick!" Kano glared at his corpse.

Just then, Kung Lao, Liu Kang and Jax also came through a lightning portal; the former's face and hat was splattered with blood. Jax also had blood, brains, flesh and pieces of skull on his face, torso and arms. Liu Kang looked like his usual calm self except he was shirtless and a rapidly healing stab wound was below the right side of his collar bone.

"Looks like the bitch with the teeth gave you some trouble." Sonya said to him.

"Yes, she was a formidable opponent but it wasn't enough for her to defeat me," he tipped his head forward.

Kano spoke to Kung Lao, "And how was the gargoyle woman?"

He didn't hide his pride, "She was my first flawless victory and definitely not the last!"

"Atta boy, mate!" The Aussie proudly punched the monk's shoulder.

Nary examined Jax's appearance, "You crushed Reiko's head like a grape, didn't you?"

Jax crossed his arms and smirked, "For a big guy, his head wasn't as hard as it looked."

Before anyone else could speak, another lightning portal emerged ahead of them.

The champions walked into an ice covered mixed marital arts gym where Cole, Allison, Emily and Lord Raiden were waiting. On the octagon's floor was Sub-Zero's burnt carcass. When Shang Tsung appeared, Lord Raiden strode over to him and the two had a tense exchange before the thunder god sent him back to Outworld. He then returned to his champions where Cole asked him what happens next. Earthrealm's protector stated that there were still enemies to fight and his intention to assemble a new list of champions; it would be his current champions' assignment to find them all.

Intrigued, Cole asked, "Who's first?"

Emily couldn't help but chuckle, "Dad, he literally just came up with the idea, it's gonna take him some time!"

With an embarrassed grin, the young father said, "Right, I guess I'm still amped from fighting with and meeting Hanzo…sorry."

A rare and small grin was on Lord Raiden's lips, "It is fine, Cole. And your daughter is right. It will take me a few days to assemble a list of champions. You should all use that time to celebrate and rest."

Note: Thanks nadilla and lawlyss for posting regular reviews, your support helps keep me going! Everyone else please leave a review, guests can do this! Members can follow and favorite along with reviewing.