Authors Notes: Steamrolling ahead. I'll also be updating 'A heart between us' too so don't forget to read that :D

Of Smoke and Steam

Fractured Code

Chapter 8

Learning

Inkys eyes opened slowly. Her head was killing her, and she still couldn't move. The soft rumbling in the distance caused her to look around at the window. It hurt so much to move at all. The window was wide open, and the curtains blew in the wind. She could see the angry clouds above the treetops. She looked down seeing Mindroid his head resting on the side of her leg. His hand in hers still.

She was fully aware of his past. How he and the nindroid army had went after the ninja and the people of Ninjago. She knew they were at odds with one another. She just wondered briefly if they ever regretted their life with them. Were they a burden to them? Do they even want to be around her? She wasn't exactly around them because she didn't want to be. She loved them very much. She was glad she found them. They helped her so much with everything. From rescuing her from Captain Van to helping her along after the corruption. Within the city when it was taken over by Hornets...they could have stopped and went home after that. They stayed to help her father and Zane raise her while Danny was gone. Even though it was Dareth that adopted her...she felt like she had five fathers instead of just one.

Their was a bright flash and a boom that shook the cottage. This had Mindroid sitting up quickly looking around sleepily. She wished she could understand the warbles, and beeps, and soft whistles he made. But the look on his face when he realized she was awake after he closed the window. He gently took her hand and put his forehead to hers. If that wasn't love. She wasn't sure what it would ever be. She felt him pull Cryptors cloak back up to her chin and smile as he sat back down. Putting his head back down she could hear the gentle purrs coming from him as he fell back asleep. If Inky could smile she would. Love...thats what it had to have been. Her eyes closed again and sleep overtook her.

(0)

Once out of the exploding building Zareth had picked up Dannys suitcase and followed Cryptor out of the building. They weren't totally sure just how long they rain. All they knew was they had stopped off in a stock yard surrounded by old train cars. They stowed in one and stayed. Zareth pulled Dannys suitcase up onto his lap and looked out at the rain. Cryptor leaned against a bail of hay and sighed. The smell of hay reminded him a lot of that time he rescued Inky from that annoying Captain that nearly pulled him apart. His face had been pressed against that stuff for hours. He turned to see Zareth half asleep on the suitcase.

"Why do you carry her around with you when she'd be much safer with Min and Inky?" Cryptor asked. Zareth shook his head and ran his fingers over the suitcase. Cryptor asked him that once before but it was in a mocking tone. This was much more serious.

"She's all I have. The fact that she's near...makes me feel so much better." He whispered. His heart clamped onto the idea and then looked up at Cryptor.

"Why do you stick around? Whats up with you and my Inky?" Zareth glared up at Cryptor. Cryptor just scoffed and shook his head.

"I promised...nothing more." He turned over having cut the two lines keeping the hay together. He pushed some of it over to Zareth.

"If thats it...you'll be leaving once Dannys active again?" Cryptor stopped and looked up at Zareth.

"Now that you mention it. I don't think I want to." The look on Cryptors face and the honesty in his tone caused Zareth to almost trip over his own thoughts. He had a come back ready for his snarky remarks but this...was different.

"What do you mean?" Zareth asked popping a bit of hay in between his teeth in place of a toothpick since he didn't have any. They had been taken from him as a joke.

"Leaving Inky with someone as irresponsible as you...I think not." He turned over so not to face Zareth. Zareth felt his blood and oil boil. Just why did he have to put up with this bastard in the first place? He growled and rolled over his arm snatching the cuffs which were still around both their wrists. This caused Cryptor to get forcefully pulled to the other side. He grunted and glared at Zareth. Pulling his arm back causing Zareth to be pulled back around.

"Hey!" He yelled and pulled his arm again.

"Oh for the love of g...here!" Cryptor turned over and put his arm around Zareth.

"Whoho no!" He turned over and kept his face away from Cryptor. He sighed heavily and slightly opened the suitcase looking at Dannys soft face. It was dirty from being on that dirty cell floor. He sighed. "I'll clean you up tomorrow Dannygirl. I promise." He said poking her nose before closing the case back up and putting his arm around it. The soft rumble heard in the background caused him to hold the case tighter.

Cryptor watched as his brothers counterpart hold the suitcase. Why was he so intuned with Inky? That was a good question. Just why did he want to protect her so much? He didn't know, their was something in him. Just a little curious something causing him to not want to turn away from her. That little something began to grow and now he supposed family had something to do with it. Did he really and truly see her as a niece now? He exhaled and just smiled at the thought. A secret smile...just for her.