It wasn't happening.

It wasn't happening.

It wasn't happening.

It. Wasn't. Happening.

Then why did Cole still lay in his bed wide awake?

After the news, everything was a blurr. Despite Jay desperately trying to get to feel better and Janelle trying her best to be kind, Cole went silent for the night, simply stunned. After all that, he found himself in bed with his day clothes still on without even knowing.

His father...getting remarried? What was he thinking? He already had a wife! Lilly! Even though she still wasn't here, that didn't mean she couldn't still be listening.

When Cole's heart then started to pound even faster, he did the one thing he always did when cheering up...

...recalling his parents dancing.

Cole opened the door to the dance class.

And there they were.

His parents were practicing a new move that they were supposingly gonna teach for the class tomorrow.

Cole smiled heartedly as his Mom and Dad simply took a moment to enjoy their life, never wanting this moment to end.

He then smiled even more wholeheartedly as they smiled at each other.

Everything was right with the world.

Cole then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Wanting to remember this moment for ever and ever and ever!

It was all a lie.

Usually, that memory always cheered him up whenever he was too embarassed to seek comfort from his friends. It was just that good to him.

But now, all it wanted him to do was kneel down and cry.

Which it succeded in.

After gaining his breath again, wiped off tears.

Then, growling, he clenched his fist.

What on earth was he doing???

Him, the Earth Ninja, crying and accepting defeat?

Never.

He had to do something about it...

A crash was suddenly heard in the middle of the room.

"Huh?"

He turned, and it wasn't long before the familiar figure when he first got to the house and him made eye contact.

Cole then looked at it's arm. There was The Giving Tree, his and his Mom's favorite book. Ironically, he would always read it to her before she went to sleep, and when she had the strength (which was rare because of her sickness getting worse) she would read it to him before going to bed. He had left it behind when his father send him to Art School for embarrassment and for one less reason to remember his mother.

Growling, Cole got up and immediately chased after the stranger, who also dashed off.

"Get him!!!" Cole yelled when the figure headed to the hallway where Cole's friends slept for the night.

From Cole's right, Jay and Nya (who shared a room) and Zane opened their doors, still with tireness in their eyes. From Cole's left, Lloyd and Kai each came out of their rooms looking the same.

"Enemy!" Cole screamed.

Jay's and Lloyd's expression then changed to that of anger, Zane's and Nya's to surprise, and Kai with still half tired and confusion.

The black hooded figure then headed to a window, however, Cole managed to grab it by the leg before the whole body could get outside. Soon, it began to kick him, but Cole grabbed a lamp and hit it in the face. After that, the figure stopped kicking and jumped out, Cole caught the book just when it was about to fall from the window and hugged it tight.

He then cursed himself for not having his powers.

The lights went on.

Of course, Cole's friends were prepared and without shock since it wasn't the first time they chased after someone, when Cole's family came however, it was a whole new world.

"A burglar? Did he took something?" Lou asked.

Cole hid the book in his back and shook his head.

Rose came rushing from her room with her pijamas and hat that came with it and hugged her mom in fright. Orchid then came from his room with a frown and crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.

"Should we call the police?" Janelle asked.

Lou shook his head and held her hand-Cole rolled his eyes-"After that, only a fool would return and face Cole once again."

Lloyd then gazed at Orchid, who had a scratch in his forehead which was bleeding.

"Cole hit the stranger in the face." He remarked.

The kid then looked as if he was a dark butterfly spotted by a hawk in a bright forest.

Janelle gasped at that. "Orchid..."

Rose gulped. "Are you hurt?"

The kid then rolled his eyes. "I fell from my bed and hit the corner when I heard the screaming, it wasn't me."

Cole's expression was still on the kid's as his mother led him to the bathroom to clean the wound.

"Look, let's just forget this and get back to sleep, tomorrow we'll have to organize everything for the big day, and it can not be ruined for something as dumb as this." Lou said to the ninjas, then followed Janelle and Orchid to the bedroom while Rose nodded and headed to her room.

Lloyd nodded. "You heard him, let's go." The others followed him.

"Wait!"

The others turned to see Cole, who suddenly looked as uneasy as a dog in a vet.

"About the ceremony..."

Nya smiled. "It's gonna be awesome!"

"...we have to stop it."

It was a few yet long seconds until Kai finally spoke. "What?"

Cole frowned. "I cannot let it happen. Not on my watch." He looked at all of them. "You guys are gonna help me."

Zane blinked, as if trying to process each word. "Cole...are you sure? Your father seems happy and-"

"This is my family Zane, my choices. You would understand if you had one." Cole didn't mean to sound as rotten as a black banana.

"Are we guys doing another mission together as always or not?" Cole asked.

Jay closed his eyes in shame as he put a hand in the middle. A few moments later, Lloyd, Kai, Nya, and Zane did the same.

Cole then put his also in and then jumped in the couch with excitement.

"We got a weddin' to crush."