Chapter Eight- Safe for Now

AFTER

"Jay. Glad you're still okay."

"Barely." Jay grimaced. "Please don't tell me you knew Cole was alive."

"I won't if you don't ask." Kai said, leading Jay down the street. Cole followed in silence. "I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you. We had to figure out- . . . had to figure out all the pieces of the puzzle first."

"What puzzle? And why? Wouldn't it have been better to make sure I was prepared? To have me know what was going on?"

"No. Because you wouldn't have left it alone. And you would have only incited Krux and Garmadon and Wu to try and get ahold of you sooner." Kai shook his head. "And we don't really know if any of them are worth trusting. I mean. At least we knew for sure what Krux wants. But what about Garmadon and Wu?"

"I don't know, Kai. What about Garmadon and Wu?"

Instead of answering, Kai stopped before a large black van. Jay eyed it warily. "I this the part where I get murdered?"

"Right. Because I'd definitely want to hurt you." Cole's voice made Jay's heart jolt. His mind was still reeling with the fact of his existence. Cole knocked against the van's door, in a practice pattern of raps.

"I mean you made me believe you were dead. What's that, if it's not hurting me?"

"You really want to argue?"

"Of course I want to argue. I told you I wasn't done with-"

The door to the van slid open, surprising Jay into silence. A young man peeked out, scanning the crowd before him. His hair was a very, very light shade of blond. To go along with it, were his eyes, shining in a very very light shade of blue.

"I was beginning to worry. I saw the storm." The guy said. "Oh. Cole. I thought we were going to keep you a secret?

"Change of plans, Zane." Cole shrugged, slipping into the van. He plopped down on the driver's seat, bringing the van to life with a rough twist of the key. "But we're still getting out of the city. Let's go."

Zane gave a nod. He then held his hand out in Jay's direction. "Hello. It is nice to officially meet. My name is Zane."

"Hi," Jay took the young man's hand, flinching at the tight grip. "Ow."

"Let's get this show on the road, then." Kai patted Jay's shoulder, before stepping into the van. With one last look around him, Jay followed.

The back of the van was devoid of seats, leaving a wide space open. The floor itself was carpeted, so it wasn't too uncomfortable. Zane moved to the passenger seat. Kai stayed by Jay's sided.

"I thought you worked for Wu," Jay said, after a few seconds of silence. "How did you . . . why are you with Cole?"

"Did you see what was in the flash drive?" Cole asked, briefly looking back to through the rearview mirror.

"I was talking to Kai." Jay said but answered anyway. "I saw some of it, but Krux shut it off before the end. Why?"

"That means you missed the best part! The big dramatic reveal, of Dr. Gordon's team." Kai said.

"Who?"

"Well see, first you gotta have a little background. Your mother's research was dangerous stuff. In the wrong hands that is. So her and her team agreed to stop." Kai began to explain. "That should have been fine. But then, the very next day after the agreement, your mother just . . . disappeared.

"She must have known she was in danger. She made the video. She hid her research. She put you somewhere safe."

Jay stayed silent.

"So the question is, what happened? And whose fault was it? It had to be someone from her team. No one else would have known anything. And who was this team, you ask me? It was-"

"Kux." Jay answered, realizing there was no need to hear Kai's response. "Garmadon. Wu."

" . . . Yeah. Way to steal my thunder." Kai scoffed. "Anyway, yes. Cole's convinced there was a fifth member, too. But there isn't any information to back that up, so personally I think Cole's just a little paranoid. Either way, the video doesn't show anyone else. It's just Krux, Garmadon and Wu, bursting into Dr. Gordon's lab."

"And?"

"And that's it. The video glitches after that."

"Oh."

"So we don't know anything about what happened afterwards. Garmadon says he wants to keep you safe. Wu says he wants to train you. But we don't know. We all started working together, once we figured out we were missing something. We made a plan, to keep you safe. To get you out of the city.

"Unfortunately, you didn't do any of the things we expected. You waltzed right into Garmadon's hands, into Krux's and almost into Wu's."

Jay rubbed his aching eyes. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he wasn't sure how his brain was still functioning. "And Nya? Is she in on this too?"

"No. She doesn't know anything and I'd like to keep it that way."

"She might know more than you think. She followed me to Cole's house. She- oh crap!"

"What?"

"When- when I got taken! To Krux! She was with me! I didn't- I can't believe I forgot."

"What? Cole, wait. My sister. My sister, was she at OverCorp?"

"I don't think so?" Cole glanced back. "I doubt Krux would take her. She's probably-"

"We have to go look for her!"

"No, we have to get Jay out of here. We're not deviating from the plan."

"We already deviated from the plan, lover boy." Kai shook his head. "Let me out then. I need to make sure she's okay."

Cole grimaced. With frown of anxious regret, he eventually slowed to a stop by the side of the road. "Be careful, Kai."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for having my back, by the way."

"Kai, I-"

Kai waved away Cole's words, stepping out of the van and slamming the door shut. Without hesitating, Cole then sped back into the night, the force of it swinging Jay against the back of the van. "Jeez. Ow. So where are we going then, that's so important we can't get Nya?"

"I told you, didn't I?" Cole said. "To the only two people that have managed to keep you safe."

BEFORE

Cole never forgot about the boy in the lab.

He couldn't have, of course. Even if he'd wanted to.

Cole's father had been working on a movie. He was always working on something. It made for a lonely childhood, but at least today, Cole was finally old enough to be allowed to tag along. He kept as quiet as he could on the drive there, eager to prove he wouldn't be a nuisance.

"OverCorp is a very big place, Cole. You need to stay close to where we'll be filming. I don't want to hear you're causing trouble. It took a lot for them to allow us to use one of their labs."

"I won't." Cole tried his best to keep his legs from swinging back and forth, but the excitement as OverCorp loomed into view was impossible to contain.

"Good." Cole's father gave a curt nod. He then began to spout off a list of rules for Cole's behavior. Cole only half listened. He knew how to stay out of trouble.

OverCorp was the biggest building in the city. Cole felt very small as he and his father walked through the halls.

For the first hour or so, Cole was content with staying near the film crew. He sat back, out of the way, with a cream cheese bagel and his father's script. He liked watching people act. And he could mouth the scenes right along with them. His father never stopped practicing.

Soon though, Cole became antsy.

Slipping out of the room was easy. No one was paying attention to him.

Cole reasoned with himself that, as long as he stayed in the same floor as the crew, he wouldn't really be causing trouble. Besides, the people working in OverCorp didn't pay him any mind either. They all shared the same thoughtful look as the rushed past, some mumbling about one idea or the other, some with noses buried in stacks of notes.

Most of the rooms Cole peeked into were labs, just like the one his dad was in. They were interesting only in theory. Without knowing what anything was or how it worked, Cole quickly found himself getting bored. It wasn't fair. There had to be something to do.

As he was debating on turning back and spending the rest of his time doodling on the back of the scripts, a small knock demanded his attention.

Cole turned to the sound. A small boy stood on the other side of a large window. He looked younger than Cole, maybe four or five years old. Chubby cheeks and freckles were pressed against the glass. "Hey! Hey! Can you open the door?"

The kid pointed to the left, to the door that led into the room he was in. Cole looked from it to the kid. It somehow seemed like trouble. Cole didn't move.

"Please. I'm really bored. My mom's working and there's nothing to do."

"Your mom works here?" Cole stepped closer to the window. Once he peeked inside, he saw that the room the boy was in was comfortably furnished, filled with toys and books. It was nothing like the other rooms.

"Yep. I'm supposed to stay here, always. But I'm bored. Always. Can you open the door?"

"If you're supposed to stay there . . ."

"Come in and play with me then!" The small boy banged against the glass insistently. "Pleaseeee!"

The boy dragged the word on and on, his voice getting shriller and shriller. Cole gritted his teeth. "Okay! I'll play with you."

"Hooray!" The boy leapt up, then fell out of view. Cole moved to the door. He supposed playing with someone was a little better than being all alone.

From the outside, the door opened easily. Cole took off his shoes, wedging them against the frame to prevent it from shutting. The kid bounced around him, shooting questions faster than Cole could answer.

"So why are you here? Does your mom work here too? How old are you? What's your name? What's your favorite color? Do you live outside? In the city? Or do you live here too? Oh! Oh! Do you have a pet? Do you have siblings? Do- ack!" The small boy tripped over a set of toys. He seemed unbothered by the interruption though, and ready to continue his rapid-fire questions. Cole had to act quickly.

He shoved his hand in the boy's direction, acquiring a professional look he'd seen his father take many times. "My name is Cole. What's yours?"

The boy giggled wildly, clinging onto Cole's hand with both of his own. He then shook it, way more than was necessary.

"I'm Jay!"

AFTER

Jay had never been so happy to see a simple bowl of warm soup.

He took a spoonful. Then another. Yeah. He definitely wanted to cry a little. "This is so good."

"You're just hungry." His mother laughed. For a brief moment, Jay's mind reeled. (I'm adopted. Adopted.) He pushed the thoughts away. He didn't want to talk about it. Not now. "Finish up and then go get some rest. We can all talk tomorrow."

"Wait, Ma, about the news, I-"

"Tomorrow, Jay." She planted a kiss on the top of his head. "Okay? I'm sure you've got enough to process without me butting in."

"No kidding. I can't believe Cole is . . . I can't believe anything anymore."

His mother was silent for a while. Jay went back to the soup. The more it filled his belly, the heavier his eyelids grew. Still, his body remained on edge. He couldn't make himself believe he was really safe.

"It was quite the doozy, when I heard Cole's voice over the phone. You should ask your father about it. I almost plopped down, right then and there." Edna shook her head. "Didn't know what to think! Then you both really did show up. You two, and that other little friend."

"Zane." Jay said, emptying his bowl. "I just met him. He- . . . He's friends with Cole. Or something. I don't know."

"Go to bed, Jay. You're home. You're safe."

"I guess." Jay chuckled softly. "I'll try."

Sleeping was every bit as difficult as Jay imagined it would be. The clock ticked, and his eyes stayed open, mind swirling with thoughts of everything. His birth mother. She'd known his parents. Why hadn't they ever mentioned her? How close had they been?

Not only that, but how much had his parents known about him? About his abilities?

Jay tossed over on his bed.

Then there was Cole. His mind was basically drowning in thoughts of him. His face, his words, and all the billion of unexplained things that hovered around his boyfriend.

Jay tossed again. Ex- boyfriend?

He could hear him outside, chatting calmly with Zane. Keeping him safe. Jay sat up. Rest was overrated. They needed to talk now.

Sneaking out of the trailer was easy. Jay knew exactly where to step, in order to avoid making any noise. As he stepped out of the trailer, Zane and Cole fell silent. Cole kept his eyes lowered, but Zane gave him a kind smile. "Could not sleep?"

"Not really. I'm exhausted but my mind won't shut up. Fun, huh?" Jay's hands began to fidget. "Do you think I could . . . talk to you? . . . Cole?"

Cole's eyes snapped up. "Oh. Now?"

"No, in five years." Jay huffed out a breath. Any nerves he might have been feeling were quickly replaced by frustration. "Yes, now."

"You should probably try to rest."

"Cole."

"Okay, okay." Cole threw his hands up in surrender. There was a small smile tugging at his lips. "No matter the situation, your nagging knows no bounds, huh?"

"Shut up."

"I'll be right back Zane. Keep an eye out?"

"Will do. Take your time. I will alert you if anything happens."

Jay shoved his hands into his pockets, to keep habit from having him reach out and take Cole's. They paced around the junkyard together. Jay hadn't been too fond of growing up within it, but if there was a positive, it was that there was always a place for privacy.

"You hurt me a lot, you know." When Jay finally spoke, his voice was soft. "I don't want to be mad at you. Not really. I lost you but suddenly I didn't and it's a miracle but at the same time I just . . . I hate you for making me go through it."

"Jay, you needed to be on your own. You needed to-"

"No. No, Cole. Don't. Don't make up some high and mighty excuse for why you did what you did. Please. It was messed up! I never felt as bad as I did, thinking I'd lost you. What if I'd made a stupid decision, huh, Cole? Did you think about how hard it was for me, to wake up and exist every day? Knowing you were gone?" Jay stopped walking, turning to face Cole. "Look at me, Cole."

Cole didn't. Not at first. But when he finally did, Jay saw his own pain mirrored in Cole's eyes.

"I never really left, Jay. Not really. I always did what I needed to to, to make sure you were safe. I would have stepped in, if you'd- if you'd needed me."

"Back at the hospital. Did you- Was that you you?"

"Yes!" Cole reached out, but stopped himself. " Was it stupid? Yes. Did I hate it? Yes. But you have to trust me, Jay. This was the only way you'd- you- the only way you were safe. But now, now you know I'm here, and it isn't part of the plan, and I don't want to lose you again."

"Hey, you saw me kick Grundle butt. You're not going to lose me."

"I saw Garmadon kick Grundle butt."

"Irrelevant." Jay shrugged. "Thanl you for admitting it was stupid."

"You're welcome." Cole said. "I really am sorry. Can we . . . can we be okay?"

A very stubborn part of Jay wanted to be mad forever. Beyond forever, even. How could he ever begin to trust Cole again? Fake death aside, there was still the fact that Cole had hidden away a whole side of his life. With each learned secret, Jay had felt something important in his connection with Cole snap. And even hearing the right words wasn't going to put it all together again.

But most of Jay . . . most of Jay just wanted to feel safe again. If only for a moment. If only for tonight.

"For tonight." Jay leaned into Cole's chest, returning the tight embrace Cole quickly enveloped him in. "We can be okay."

"What about tomorrow?"

"You'll just have to keep proving you love me."

"I can do that."

Jay didn't know when he'd started crying, but he could feel his warm tears rolling right onto Cole's shirt. "I really thought I'd never get to hold you again."

Cole let him go, slowly tipping Jay's chin up before pulling him into a kiss. It only made Jay cry harder. He shook his head, stepping back to wipe the tears. "Sorry. I'm not kiss material right now. I can't stop crying."

"You're always kiss material. Snot and all."

"You're disgusting!" Jay laughed, pushing back against Cole's chest. "Stop making me laugh."

"No way."

Jay sniffled. "Well, if anything, crying should put me right to sleep. Or give me the worst headache in the world and leave me to suffer."

"I hope you rest. You need it." Cole reached out, and this time, he didn't pull back. He took Jay's hand on his own. Holding on tight. "I love you, freckles."

"I love you too. Against my better judgement." Jay answered. "No more secretes, Okay?"

A beat of silence followed. Jay really wanted to believe it wasn't hesitation.

"Okay."