A/N: This story is back. I took a bit of a break, just to focus on other things. But, it's back, and just as things were going well, a certain blue man goes and puts his big, blue, lumbering foot in it...

Like Minded

Three years later

"Kara?"

Kara snapped her head up and walked onto the helicopter. Sonya looked over her shoulder and tilted her head.

"How's Scorpion?"

The group had found Scorpion's body in Shao Kahn's palace, and Tiama regained his soul from a weakened, almost drained soul well. He'd been placed in the Jinsei Chamber six months prior and, whilst his physical recovery was swift, his mental was not.

Kara sighed. "Sorry, was miles away there. He's doing, okay? Not too sure. He's dazed, very confused. He's was 'dead' for a long time, so all of this isn't just new to him, it's a big change".

Johnny smirked. He whispered to his wife. "Someone's got her head in the clouds".

Kara squinted. "No I don't...Actually, you know what? Fuck it, you guys already know about Stephen, so yeah, I'm a little dazed".

Johnny waved his hands, he meant no offence. "Hey, you're happy. That's what counts, right?"

Kara's face lit up, a brilliant smile formed on it. "Yeah, I am happy. How are you General?"

Sonya had squished her small, distended belly against the controls of the helicopter, refusing to let Johnny pilot, even though he'd had the same training as her. She huffed as her back began to hurt. Her husband rubbed the back of his neck.

"She's Sonya. She wouldn't tell us she was suffering no matter how badly she was. I know you're in pain Son, you don't need to hide it from me", he sighed and span around, grabbing a handrail and looking up at the serene light blue sky. "You still feel the need to hide it".

Kenshi, who had been quiet up until this point chimed in, the only other interaction he'd had with his comrades was a sharp turn of the head towards Kara when she swore. Kara looked at him, apologizing using her mind. The swordsman smiled. This puzzled Kara, until she was reminded of the group conversation.

"It's okay. The baby talk has me thinking of my wife, Suchin. Our child is due in three months".

The younger woman wondered if the 'Are you thinking of settling down' question was coming. After all, she had her boyfriend, they had money saved up. They could afford a child...

This thought terrified Kara, merely thinking upon it made her stomach drop. She took this as he body saying no.

A 'not yet' anyway...

Yes, she had Stephen.

Yes, they'd been together almost two years. But, that was far too soon for them to be considering parenthood...

She glanced back up to to an immature, goofy grin on Johnny's face. She unlaced a gauntlet and threw it at him. He collapsed into his seat, laughing.

Kara looked at the swordsman and shook her head, sighing.

"Congrats by the way. I, er, I'm not good with the whole 'kids' thing. I'm about as useless as chocolate teapot. They frighten me".

"They frighten everyone"...Johnny chimed in, prompting laughter from his friends. Even Sonya laughed, which caused his heart to beat that little bit faster.

Three years ago

Kara, once her feet hit the cobbles of her clan breathed in happily. The cold air hurt her lungs, though, this didn't phase her. She was home, and she was happy. She stopped herself from skipping down the hallways to her room. She unlocked the door, stepped inside and breathed in. The scent of pine wafted into her nostrils. The bright smile on her face could not be dimmed even when she saw her yucca plant had died. Sub-Zero passed her and smiled when he saw her that her mood had lightened considerably. So had his since returning to the clan and his duties. His job was to lead, teach the next generation of warriors, not to sit around all day in an energy chamber...

During dinner, Kara saw many new faces. She introduced herself and rpaidly made new friends. She appreciated that, not wanting to be alone since her incarceration. Being alone caused tinges of fright in her system that put her on edge.

She bumped into someone walking in the corridor on the way back to her room. She shot back, watching the person drop their clothes on the floor. They landed in a heap in front of her. She flushed, looking at the pile awkwardly.

"Sorry".

She dared a peek at the person she'd smacked into, hoping they didn't react too badly. He didn't. The man merely crouched, scooped up the his clothing and put them on the crook of an elbow.

"No problem". He looked at Kara and offered her a hand. "Kara, right? Grand-Master said you'd be returning here shortly", he smiled, "Snake. Stephen to my friends".

The stranger was a little taller than her Father, but not by much. Sandy blond ruffled hair, lightly tanned skin and green swirled with blue eyes greeted her. Kara was still flushing, though now, she couldn't distinguish whether it was from embarrassment or another, completely different feeling she had.

She coughed, shaking his hand. "Snake to me then?" She teased. Snake shook his head and smirked playfully.

Kara walked around him, and let out a little fire.

"Oh, and it's Vixen to you. Only my friends and family get to call me Kara".

Snake's smirk died as laughter burst from his mouth.

"Duly noted"...

Seventeen years later

"Cassie. It's good to see you again".

"S'up, Auntie Kara?"

Cassie waved and jogged over to Kara, pulling her into a hug. Kara returned the hug and smirked.

"So, Sergeant huh? I feel like I should stand to attention and salute".

Cassie laughed, waving her hands. "Nah. You outrank me. If anything, I should salute you".

Kara shook her head. "You don't have too. But, knowing you, you would anyway".

The young blond laughed until her waving got her attention.

It was Jacqui and her Father, Jax. The teen was talking with Takeda, and Jax was glaring at him. It took Kenshi walking over there and reassuring him that his son wasn't about to try anything for the man with metal arms to stand down. Kara flinched.

"Yikes. I wouldn't want to be smacked by those fists. Poor Takeda".

Cassie laughed, popping the bubble she'd made with her gum.

"Eh. Dibs on who'd win if Jax decided to kick his ass?"

Kara's jaw dropped.

"Cassie!"

She laughed, cocking a hip to the side.

"Honestly, you are insufferable at times".

The young blond clicked her tongue.

"Yeah, but you know you like me".

The older woman shrugged.

"You're...alright".

Kara.

Kenshi's voice made her jump.

He heard her gasp and hid a snort behind a hand.

You haven't changed. You look well.

The woman regained her composure.

Nope, still tiny and annoying. And you haven't changed much either, aside from growing a beard.

He chuckled ad waved over his son.

"Takeda, this is Kara, the woman I told you about".

Takeda warily looked at him, before standing. Kara patted Cassie's shoulder and wandered over to the pair.

"Morning! I'm Kara. We share abilities. I know you have Master Hasashi for your physical training, but your Father and I spoke of how you could be assisted in your mental training. I could help you there, if that's okay with you".

Takeda's eyes widened, and he nodded eagerly. Kara nodded in return. Someone eager and willing to learn and improve always put a smile on her face.

"Oh!"

He bowed his head, remembering his Father had told him the woman before him was general of the Lin Kuei. The woman in question waved him off.

"Kara?"

Sonya calling her name had her whop her head around, so fast, dizziness hit her. She wobbled and swayed for a few moments. It seemed everyone wanted her attention all at the same time too...

Once her head stopped spinning and she wasn't seeing stars anymore, she ambled on over to the general who looked pissed. Johnny appeared behind her and put his hands up in defeat. Kara knew Sonya well, though took that as a very bad sign. They'd been arguing, again. Kara could have smacked her forehead. She understood that their marriage had been tumultuous, and that Sonya hadn't been around much. Mere months after Cassie's birth, she sprung back into action again, not wanting to miss a single thing in the inter-realm politics. Johnny was content looking after his little girl alone, for a while, but struggled to come to terms with the rather large pit of doubt in his stomach, that, perhaps, Sonya didn't want to be around her daughter. Her own flesh and blood. He knew she often got frustrated with him, but surely not Cassandra? She was innocent in this, she didn't deserve to be virtually abandoned by her own Mother. More than once, Kara or Jax had to step in, and take Cassie away for a time, so she wasn't subjected to arguments and shouting.

After four years of marriage, Sonya returned home one night telling him she couldn't do this anymore. That she wasn't happy, and hadn't been for some time. Johnny questioned what in the hell she meant. She wasn't ever there, she couldn't be unhappy with him and their daughter. It must be with the fighting that was occurring. The string willed blond had caught the scent of Kano yet again, and was trailing him. Johnny had heard enough. He wasn't about to listen to anything she had to say. He took Cassie and left, giving Sonya an ultimatum. At the time, he didn't care if it upset her or not.

After he'd had time to think about it however? After receiving divorce paper s in the mail? The weight of his words crushed him. He'd broken Sonya, his wife, the only woman he'd truly loved and potentially put an end to Cassie ever knowing her Mother. Their relationship was fragile, and now more so, when their little girl had been thrown into the mix.

He fell apart, losing the will to eat, sleep, live, fight...

The actor looked solemn and chose to keep quiet. Unlike him, Kara mused.

"We've been getting residents from Outworld. They are fleeing in droves. At first it was a few, that became a dozen. Now, we have over one hundred, and that's in a week".

Kara's eyes widened. "Fleeing? Have they told you what from?"

Sonya nodded. "Their new Emperor".

Kara blinked, the word 'Emperor' never failed to make her stomach lurch. Twenty years did nothing to alleviate that...

"New? Mileena isn't on the throne anymore?"

The general shook her head, and motioned for Kara to walk inside the main hub tent. The two women did so, after Johnny stepped out of the way.

"No, she's been usurped by a man calling himself Kotal Kahn. They say he's having people murdered because they can't afford to eat, and therefore they steal necessities".

Kara felt rage simmer in her blood. "Bastard. What happened to Mileena?"

"She's working with Jade, Rain and Kano against the Emperor. Rumor has it Kano tried to kill him. He believes that was a direct attack from Earthrealm and may be proposing war. If he does this, and readies his troops, then"...

The young woman blanched. "Then we're fucked". She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Shit. Is there anything I can help you with? If there's any way I can stop this, I will".

Sonya wavered, thinking. She brusquely answered.

"Yes. I'm sending Cassie and her team to Outworld, with Raiden's amulet to speak with Kotal. We must convince him that Kano's attack was not Earthrealm challenging him. It wasn't our hand that forced action. It was indirectly linked simply because he's an Earthrealmer".

"Yeah, there was no causality, it was him going rogue".

The blond passed Kara an interactive pad, with an aerial map showing on screen.

"If you travel along with them your presence may placate him, being from a respected clan and all".

Kara chuckled nervously. "Could being the operative word". She stood up straight and grunted. "I'll go. Anything for a friend".

A slight upward curve of Sonya's mouth was all she received before the woman walked past her.

"Is the coast clear?"

Kara giggled and nodded.

"It is", she turned and gave the man a hug. He looked like he needed one.

"It's great to see you again? I wish it was under better circumstances", she broke the hug, "You look"...

Johnny cut her off. "Old? Pissed off? Stressed? All of the above?"

Kara bit back a snicker.

"I was going to go with old. Age hasn't treated you well now, has it?"

Johnny feigned offence.

"Ouch! Low blow Kara. Low blow", he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "sheesh".

They laughed for a while. Johnny took a hand, looking wistful, remembering better days.

"It was much less painful in the past. Much less anguish. I know we lost many of our friends, but, now? Everything feels so much heavier, darker, you know?"

Kara nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. The atmosphere is changing, it feels like something terrible lurks around the corner, and there's already been enough damn corners to last a lifetime. Can't we have a straight line for once?"

Johnny frowned. "If only it were that simple".

"If life were that simple, it'd be boring. We couldn't possibly have boring now, could we?"

A little, but genuine laugh came from Johnny. That lightened the mood, made the current situation a little less turbulent.

"I need to be going".

Johnny perked up. "To Outworld?"

She nodded. "Be careful. With the prospect of war looming, it seems like the new Emperor is a massive asshole, like the last one. Brilliant".

He rolled his eyes. Kara tried to make him feel better.

"We've known quite a few assholes Johnny, and we beat those. We can handle it".

She patted his shoulder, before leaving the tent. She had places to be, and important things to talk about.

Earthrealm couldn't handle war if it was declared. This 'Kotal' had better reconsider his words, his actions. She'd have to have a chat with him, see if she was still as persuasive as her younger self...