Hey guys. I'm back with another chapter. It took me a little bit of time to work on, but that was only because I was getting distracted with other stuff. You know, I wonder sometimes if I'm ADHD . . . no offense meant to anyone who is ADHD.

Anyway, I got to see The Force Awakens in 3-D on opening night! It was so awesome! I just wish I could work on a Ninjago crossover fanfic for it, but people would murder me for blurting out spoilers. And the best part of it was it was a half-birthday present! Yep, I'm quirky in the fact that I celebrate half-birthdays. Mine happened to fall on the day The Force Awakens was officially released in theaters, so YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSS! Best half-birthday present EVAH!

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Just to let you know, Jay's gonna be doing a lot of crying throughout this story, so expect to see words like sob, cry, tears, and other words like that.

3. Irreplaceable

Back at the dojo, Alex, worried for his friend, had come to pay Jay a visit. He had gotten the address of the dojo from Jay's parents, and Misako welcomed him inside when he told her he was a friend of Jay's. Sensei Wu had finished talking to Pastor Miles, the new head pastor at Ninjago City Baptist, who had told him and Misako about Ed's sudden death. "I'll let him know," Alex heard the old man say. "Thank you, pastor. Goodbye." He hung up.

"Wu, this is Alex Azam," Misako introduced him to the sensei.

"I'm one of Jay's friends from his hometown," Alex explained. He hung his head. "I was also the bearer of bad news. I was the one who told him about his dad."

Wu gently put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I do not hold you responsible for causing Jay pain," he said kindly. "In fact, it's probably best he got the news from a friend. Even one he hasn't seen in a while."

Alex looked slightly relieved, but he was still feeling depressed. "I feel so bad for Jay," he said. "He and his dad were always so close. It must hurt him a lot."

Wu nodded sadly. "The loss of a loved one is always difficult to bear," he said. "I'm unfortunately not a stranger to that feeling." Even now, he still felt pain over the death of his brother, Sensei Garmadon, who had been banished to the Cursed Realm and had died in the destruction of the Preeminent so many months ago.

Misako put a hand gently on her husband's shoulder. "The loss of Garmadon has affected us all, you, I, and Lloyd especially," she said quietly. "But now, we should help Jay through the sudden passing of his father. This will be a trying time for him."

Wu nodded, then stood up. "I'm going to the hospital now, Misako," he said. "I should see Jay myself. Keep Alex company." He turned and walked out the door.

Once Wu had gone, Misako turned to Alex. "How did it happen? Do you know?"

Alex nodded. "I talked with Mr. Foster, one of their neighbors who was there when Mr. Walker . . . passed away. They were about to study their weekly Bible study when Mr. Walker slumped over on the couch. Mrs. Walker immediately called 911, but she was pretty certain he had already died by the time the ambulance got there."

At the hospital, Jay had finally stopped crying. His eyes had become red and swollen, the tracks of tears marking his cheeks. "Would you like to see him now?" Dr. Jones asked quietly.

Jay nodded, not trusting himself to not burst into tears again if he tried to talk. The other Ninja didn't get up to follow him as he followed Dr. Jones out the consultation room door. They knew he needed time alone, time to see his dad.

As Jay followed Dr. Jones down the hospital hallway, his mind seemed completely confused. Part of him was heart-broken at how sudden his dad had died. One minute he was there, the next, he was gone, leaving Jay without a paternal figure he could turn to, someone he could ask for help with things only boys could understand.

But another part of him was . . . angry? That was the only word he could use to describe this curious feeling in another part of his soul. He felt anger toward his father that he hadn't told him about his heart condition. Anger toward God that he didn't give Jay a warning, or a sign that his dad was about to leave him forever. Why did You take him? he thought furiously, unconsciously glaring up at the ceiling as he walked. Why did You take him, God?

But as he walked, his anger evaporated, turning back into grief. What am I thinking? It's not God's fault! It's no one's fault. I didn't know Dad was gonna die. . . He buried his head in his hands again, trying to cover up the fresh tears filling up his eyes.

"Jay." Dr. Jones gently tapped his shoulder. He quickly gave his eyes a swipe, then entered the small hospital room where the doctor was gesturing toward. Once he was inside, the doctor closed the door behind him.

Kneeling next to the hospital bed and its occupant was Jay's mom. "Mom?" he squeaked. He ran forward into his mother's open arms, hugging her tightly as he let his tears fall freely down his cheeks.

Edna stroked her son's hair as he buried his head in her shoulder. "Oh, Jay," she murmured, her own eyes streaming with tears. "I'm so, so sorry, dearest."

Jay just continued to cry, all his pent-up feelings on the way to the hospital room released in a flow of sobbing.

Finally, his sobs resided back into hiccups, and then the hiccups disappeared too. "Is Dad . . . ?"

Edna nodded, gesturing to the bed. Jay released his arms from around his mother and approached the bed, not knowing what to expect.

Jay knelt down next to the bed where his father lay, eyes closed and hands folded over his chest, as if he had been praying. Ed looked so peaceful and rested.

"Oh, Dad," Jay whispered, gently touching his father's lined cheek, a weak smile forming on his lips. "Look at you. You could be asleep. Though, I don't remember the last time I saw you asleep. You were always so energetic, so active. So . . . alive." He sniffled. "But not anymore." Even though he felt like he couldn't cry anymore, he had the now familiar feeling of his eyes tearing up surging through his pupils. "Why didn't you tell me about your heart?" he whispered. "Did you really think I'd worry? Or did you think I'd badger you about it, because I would have, and maybe you'd still be alive."

He gave his eyes another swipe with his damp jacket sleeve. "It's not fair," he squeaked, finding it very difficult to speak through his poorly-stifled sobs, "we didn't get to say goodbye." He laid a hand on his dad's folded hands. "Somehow you should have warned me-" now he was trying to vent out his anger through his grief "-somehow I should have known that last Sunday would be the last time I heard you preach in church, and have dinner with you and Mom, and talk."

The tears in his eyes receded as he tried to remember. "What did we talk about?" He frowned. "We didn't have an argument, did we?" Then his frown curved into another weak smile as he said, "No-no, we were laughing about the time I accidentally rewired the Christmas lights to blink 'Jay did this' in Morse code. That was just wrong." He released a feeble laugh. "At least we were laughing . . ."

As he gazed down on his sleeping dad's face, his eyes began to fill up again, his small smile finally collapsing. "Did I tell you that I love you?" he whispered, voice choked with sobs. "I don't remember." He scrubbed at his eyes again. "I got a text from Kai, and while I was dealing with that, you were at the door. Mom blew me a kiss, and you waved goodbye. I can see it now." He didn't stop himself this time as his tears streamed silently down his cheeks. "How was I supposed to know that it was really a forever goodbye? There should have been a sign, an instinct, a hint that you were waving for the last time. . ."

Jay's face was contorted with grief and pain. "I'm so gonna miss you, Dad," he whispered, blinking as his tears clouded his vision. "Life without you . . . it's gonna be really hard. If I cry a lot, and if I'm miserable, you know it's not because I'm afraid, I know where you are. It's only because . . . I have to go on without you. And I'm going to be aware of your absence with every good thing and bad thing that happens to me." He sniffled. "Who'll be you for me now?"

A quiet knock came on the door, and Dr. Jones stepped into the room. "Jay?" she called softly. "Mr. Renken from the coroner's office is here to see you."

"Why?" Jay asked, giving his eyes another quick swipe.

"Well, to take care of the death certificate and such," Dr. Jones replied.

Jay heaved a shaky sigh. "Oh. Okay."

"I'll be outside if you need anything," the doctor said gently, then she turned and went back out into the hall, closing the door behind her.

Jay turned back to the bed. "I have to go, Dad," he said, unable to stifle a sob. "I'll see you later." He bent over his dad's body and gave him a hug, his lips gently brushing Ed's cold cheek. Still exhaling sob-shaken breaths, he got up from his kneeling position and left the hospital room, giving his mom one final hug and kiss before closing the door behind him.

Well, I guess that's done for now. Stay tuned for Chapter Four! Sorry if it was short.

#God's Not Dead!

#Lightning Forever!