Little bit of drama, little bit of lemons at the end. It's all good.
"So we need to find out where the sword is and who has it now. And it would probably be really helpful to know where and when the hell Ronin stole it from." Lloyd said.
"As much as I would love to be a complete and utter asshole and say not it... I think Rumi and I need to do this on our own" Bree said softly.
"What the hell no! And what if you find the sword and touch it and it hauls you off someplace like you think the pendant can do?" Cole snapped.
He got off the bench quickly and wrapped his arms around Bree. Pulling her in close.
"Exactly. What if it hauls more than one of us off. I can only realm jump with so many people. What if a bunch of us get stuck someplace dangerous? As much as I hate to say it if its just Rumi and I we have a better chance of jumping back Cole" Bree responded. Putting her hands on Coles chest and tilting her head back to look up at him.
"And we already know that Harumi and I back here at some point in the next six months to a year. So yes while it might suck its still better than having Lloyd or Zane hauled off to god knows where again" Bree told him in annoyance.
"How on earth can you know that Bree?" Cole asked exasperated.
"Because certain things I have seen in visions will happen in that time period" She answered with a roll of her eyes.
Cole huffed in annoyance. Somethings he knew better than to argue with Bree about. No matter if she saw bits and pieces of the future it was still unsettling for her to just assume everything would be a ok.
"I don't like the idea of either of you getting hauled off to some distant realm either. But how are we going to avoid it, like forever?" Lloyd asked. "It's not like we haven't all gotten trapped in a different realm before" He said. Obviously mentioning the never realm, Zane getting banished there and them going to save him.
"I have long term plans working on that... but those are years away from fruiting. Literally." Bree answered.
Lloyd held his hands up in a what the fuck gesture. He had no clue what Bree meant. Neither did most of the ninja. They just went with Bree's weirdness most of the time now.
"I have several travelers tree's from different realms planted down in the forest Lloyd. However it will take years, if not decades till they are grown enough to flower and produce fruit for tea. I had assumed that I am the only one that can currently realm jump and that we would likely need the trees eventually." Bree said.
"How the hell did our parents go back and forth between Djinjago and here all the time then" Harumi asked. Grabbing dinner and sitting beside Alanna. Who at this point was done eating and just smearing food around with her fingers.
"The Djin had tons of backdoor portals to different realms, they really enjoyed realm hopping as a hobby. Much the same way that we can get to and from cloud kingdom. However with Djinjago gone we can't use that as a jumping point anymore. But..." Bree said as she froze in thought.
"What princess?" Cole asked in amusement. Earning him a gentle shove from Bree and snide giggles from the other end of the table.
"With time, and spells, and effort I might be able to recreate a few portals. Or... I try and teach another person or two to realm jump. That way we can come and go as a group if necessary. Finding the sword, untrapping the souls might not be so difficult. Or we could just get stupidly lucky and the sword and the person who has it are still in Ninjago." she answered.
"Which frigging one of us is going to be able to do that?" Kai asked in deadpan voice. While Cole might be married to her, Kai was still uneasy around elemental magic like hers. Bree had decided she couldn't blame him. Not after seeing what Clouse had done to them all.
"Maybe and I mean just maybe Lloyd or Harumi. I am not exactly sure how I can do it, Its not a gift that my mother had. But as we know not every elemental master has the exact same strong suits. So is it from my elemental masters powers, my djin side, or something I inherited from Wu? Who knows. But tomorrow I think we need to send a few out to check on the last known whereabouts of the sword. And send someone out to see if we can get a hold of Ronin and his wife Delphine. Or at least leave a message for them" Bree retorted.
The rest of the ninja agreed. Save Cole. But Bree put her arms around him and looked up at him. Talking softly. They would talk more later tonight after they got Alanna to sleep. They were never overly affectionate in front of the rest of them. Not enough to make anyone but Wu uncomfortable. But Lloyd could see the care and love they had for each other. And he could guess the attraction. He had seen Cole pick her up and carry Bree off to do god knows what god knows where when Wu or Harumi were playing with Alanna. Lloyd watched most of the ninja and their spouses or significant others clean up and start heading to bed. Morro and Cole following out after the others, Alanna on his shoulders as usual. With Bree and Harumi stopping to help Pixal with Cyrus. Those three getting along was a magic trick in of itself Lloyd smirked.
Bree and Pixal walked out first. Bree gently touching the sleeping babies back as Pixal carried him. Harumi stopping to grab the books she had brought in with her from her research trip. Getting up Lloyd quickly walked over to help her.
"Ill help you carry them up" Lloyd offered.
"I've got it" Harumi replied absentmindedly. Trying to read as she was walking.
"Seriously, here" Lloyd offered again giving her a half crooked smile.
Stepping up to take the books from her. Getting close enough to look down at her. She was much shorter than him, even much shorter than Bree and Nya. And without her face paint or eye make up he could see just how beautiful she was. It made his heart skip a beat for a moment. Harumi looked up at him annoyed for a second before her eyes got large and she sidestepped around him quickly. Rolling his head back in annoyance Lloyd assumed that she was avoiding the pendant.
"Wu has the pendant for the night Rumi," He said exasperated.
Once he stopped looking at the ceiling he could hear her hurrying out the door without a word to him. With a sigh he wondered if he was wrong and she would rather just avoid him as well as the pendant. That is a distinct possibility. She spent all her time with Bree and Alanna. Outside of when Bree sent her on errands with Morro. He guessed that since they both still felt like the outsiders it made for more pleasant company for her. Being single really sucked when all his friends and brothers were now very much attached and off in their own rooms for the night Lloyd thought. Maybe he'd go ask Cole if he wanted to hang out for a while when Bree was putting Alanna to sleep. Apparently when Alanna didn't want to go to bed it took Bree forever to get her down. Lloyd headed up the steps after the others to go ask him.
Finally reaching the top stair case he saw not Cole. But Harumi and Bree quietly arguing out side Bree and Coles home. Not sneaking but not intentionally making noise Lloyd walked up to them.
"Yes you do Harumi. Its the right thing to do. Its the fair thing to do. Tonight just proves it. You absolutely have to before we have some epic misunderstandings." Bree said looking exasperated with her younger cousin.
"You don't have to tell me how seriously bad it would be. I'm the one that brought it up to you" Harumi snapped.
"Then you do it. Be the better person remember" Bree said her tone not backing down in the least.
"Fine. I will. We will. After everyone gets back here from their search. Is that alright?" Harumi said rolling her eyes.
With a snort Lloyd wondered just how much they knew they acted like each other. The noise bringing attention to himself. Lloyd grinned at the young women.
"I was going to ask if Cole wanted to come hang out while you were putting Alanna to bed. But If he's getting her to sleep tonight do you guys want to hang out" Lloyd asked.
Harumi threw her hands in the air. Dropped the books she was holding at Bree's feet and vanished with an orange pop and puff of magic. Bree growling at that.
"You still have to practice tomorrow! And we need to have a nice talk. I know you can fuckign hear me Rumi!" Bree yelled.
"Where did she?" Lloyd asked. Harumi popping in and out like a Djin was still kinda of new for everyone.
"To her room for the night. Sometimes its hard to hear things that we don't want to hear Lloyd." Bree answered. Her lovely face frowning in both concentration and something else he couldn't read.
Using her elemental magic Bree gently scooped up the pile of books. And with a flick of her wrist vanished them on the spot. Behind Harumi's door they could hear the muffled yell and dropping of the pile of books. Bree smirking as Lloyd realized she dropped the books in Harumi's lap from another room. Bree's powers were growing. Talking to Hana and the other elemental masters like her was a better education than Bree could get from just books.
"Is Cole going to come back out then?" Lloyd asked hopefully.
"He was, but honestly I need to talk him into this whole thing. He worry's so much about us. I just wish he would listen when I say I am sure we will come home and be ok" Bree explained.
Leaning up against the stone wall Lloyd wondered what she meant and asked her that.
"I have seen things in my visions that are time sensitive. Meaning we have to be back with our family's by a certain time for them to work out. Its hard to explain this stuff when no one else see's it." Bree told him.
"What kind of stuff. Maybe I can help" Lloyd offered.
With a grin Bree opened the door to her and Coles rooms with a swoosh of purple magic.
"Without going into detail I am very sure Cole and I are ok." Bree smirked. "And you on the other hand need to go to bed. I want to start practicing early tomorrow." With that she stepped forward and ruffled his hair mussing it up. Before bidding him goodnight and shutting the door with a whisper of magic.
Sighing Lloyd wandered back to his own rooms. Several sets of stairs down and on the other side of the fortress almost. Only Cole, Bree and Alanna then Harumi had rooms all the way up here. Everyone else was closer to the kitchens or the training rooms. Oh well he thought. Bored he guessed he would go to bed as well. He would even have hung out with Morro if he could have found the guy. He spent half the time literally hanging out in the breeze on the ramparts. It wouldn't surprise Lloyd if he slept up there.
Bree sighed deeply. Cole was still rocking Alanna in his arms and slowly walking the front room with her. Bree walked and opened the door to Alanna's room, pulling the covers back so Cole could lay her down. Tucking her in as Cole laid several more logs on the fireplace to keep the room warm through the night. It was much colder now. Pushing into December. Both parents watched Alanna sleep and snuggle in closer in her blankets. Slowly they backed out of the room and shut the door.
"What's that look for sweetheart?" Cole asked her apprehensively.
"Lloyd offered to carry books for Rumi" Bree said, huffing in annoyance.
Reaching up to start pulling her hair out of its ponytail and up done braids. Snagging her fingers in one of them as she pulled in haste. Grimacing at her own doing. Cole walked up behind her and put his hands over hers stopping her. He starting undoing the rest of her hair for her.
"Whats the big deal with him offering to carry something?" Cole asked.
Bree turned and raised an eyebrow at him.
"It will be a big deal if Lloyd starts making goo goo eyes at Harumi again and Morro decides to try and kill him. Again" Bree said softly.
"Are you serious?" Cole wondered. "He's not just trying to be nice?"
"Rumi didn't seem to think so. But all the same I gave her and Morro the ultimatum. They tell everyone they are together and happy or I will." Bree explained.
"They knew, hell we knew if they keep it a secret its gonna cause problems. Lloyd was stupid for her. And now that she reasonably has her life together.." Cole started. Bree giving him a look. "Don't give me that, we barely have our life together. You know what I mean. But it could end up going poorly."
"I know. And it doesn't help that Lloyd is defiantly feeling lonely and Rumi is the only very pretty and unattached girl he sees everyday. You and I both need to make the effort to make time for him too. I know we are just jumping from one disaster to the other with the pendant and the sword. It's like we just can't have a normal life yet" Bree said.
She shivered as she was talking to him. With a wave of her hand and purple magic she tossed more wood onto the main fire in the large rooms. Cole pulled her close to him again. Bending to kiss her he had to pick her up to pull her to face level.
"I can think of other ways to keep you warm" Cole whispered.
"I bet you can" Bree laughed. "See I told you its going to be alright. Even if we don't get the whole sword and pendant thing worked out instantly. Things will be ok."
"Just how can you figure that sweetheart" He said gruffly and he nuzzled him face into her hair and the side of her neck. Cole couldn't imagine loosing Bree or Alanna. If he had a better relationship with his dad he would have had a lot more compassion for him after loosing his mom. Well some more compassion. He couldn't see Bree or himself ever treating Alanna badly or ignoring her if something happened to one of them.
"Because based on that kitchen vision Harumi and I, all of us, the rest of the ninja are together within six months to a year in order for Harumi's and the other children to be the ages they are in the vision." Bree explained.
Cole stilled for a moment. He knew Bree had seen what was very likely his and her future children. Two little boys at least.
"So sometime soon we...?" Cole drawled off.
"Yes if that's what we want. Its pretty hard to guess exact ages when all I can see is a wild hoard of children running through the kitchen. But yes if we want. If you want..." Brees's turn to trail off this time. She looked sheepish and embarrassed.
Cole paused, then let go of Bree just long enough to tear his shirt off. Revealing his bare chest. His arms and scar glowing already. Bree gulped momentarily staring at him, he was just so dam attractive. Reaching for her she expected him to kiss her. But instead he quickly and roughly pulled her jacket, sweater and shirt off. Getting frustrated and popping the buttons down the front. Before pulling her off her feet and under him on top of the pile of warm blankets and furs that made a large soft pillow in front of the fireplace. Kissing her deeply he ran his hands over her quickly. Touching and squeezing as he went and smiling against her mouth when he felt her gasp.
"Cole" She gasped out as he trailed his mouth down her neck to her chest. Pausing only for a moment before continuing down her belly. He pulled back kneeling as he tugged at her belt and fumbled with it.
"Why do you wear so many clothes" He huffed as he finally managed to pull her pants down over her hips.
Kissing down her body and then between her legs he listened to her cry out as he touched her intimately and made her squirm. When he felt she was relaxed and ready enough he leaned forward and on top of her. Starting off slowly as she reached to touch his back and arms and kiss all of his that she could reach. Building pressure and speed slowly. Taking his time until Bree moaned and pulled his hips tightly into hers. After she came Cole could feel her body relax and then he took the opportunity to thrust harder and faster into her. Finally Cole came too and collapsed on her. Both of them hot, sweating and puffing for air.
It was some time before either of the moved. Cole pushing up on his arms to look down at Bree.
"Quick question...?" She asked. "Did you just try and get me?.."
Face flushing red Cole nodded and then buried his head in the space between her head and shoulder.
"You do realize I am still talking my tea right?" She asked amused.
"That thought did not cross my mind till now" He replied very embarrassed.
"Hey" Bree said. Turning slightly and taking his head in her hands. "It's something we should talk about, but yes I can stop taking my tea anytime we want."
"I love you Bree, you make me more happy than I can possibly explain" Cole told her. Kissing her again then.
