Kai had heard the fact before- snow is an insulator. It had always meant something to him that the warmth he felt towards his brother was held and protected by the same icy coating Kai relied on for strength more than he'd ever admit. Snow and ice were retainers, shields, and cover for everything that Kai either lacked or had too much of. He knew he burned too hot, it was a fact inherent to his nature. He could try and temper it all he wanted, but he still came away burnt out of shape, just like the blades he failed over and over to fortify. There was comfort in that grounding chill Zane had. They made each other stronger in that way- Zane helped Kai to cool his jets when he was ready to jump into action, and Kai…Kai always assumed it was up to him to keep Zane from freezing in place.

It seemed like Kai had underestimated the idea of insulation; walking here with Zane, a small child trudging through the high banks of snow with small grunts and chirps of effort as he tugged his little red wagon along, he realized how quiet the world around them was. It was almost eerie, nothing like the sweep of wind by his childhood window or the creek of wooden floorboards under his sandaled feet. Here, all the sounds had been reduced to the rusty wobbling of the wagon and the crunch of ice under Zane's size 3 snow boots.

Zane had seemed happy enough to see him when he appeared earlier in the afternoon, those intense, icy eyes of his brightening, but it seemed like aside from a smile and a wave, he wasn't going to say anything to him. It was driving Kai absolutely nuts.

"So, uh…Zane right?" Kai said carefully as the little nindroid tugged his wagon incessantly along.

Zane stopped for a moment to huff, glancing curiously at the older ninja. "Yes?"

"I hope you don't, uh, mind me asking, but since I'm tagging along…where are we going?"

Zane sniffed, rubbing a gloved hand against his pinkening nose. His little face was starting to tint the color from the chill of the air. Kai had never seen that happen to Zane before, and it was a facet of the cold he wouldn't have remembered. A stab of something like pity flared up in his heart as he thought about Zane internalizing the little details of life that not even his genius father could code into him. In the past, Zane had "bled" and "bruised", he'd eaten and "burned" his tongue, but Kai didn't think he'd ever blushed. Here, he could see the tiny under his skin, he could see the intricate nerve endings in the boy's bright ice blue eyes, and the peach fuzz of his boyish face. How many times had Zane looked at his family and then to himself, noticing in ways Kai had never thought to look that he was inhuman.

Zane's voice was soft and matter of fact and he turned up his nose in pride as he spoke. "I'm off to do some chores. Father trusted me with upkeep of some of his inventions, as long as I do them punctually of course."

Kai nodded slowly. "That makes sense. I, uh, I always heard that there are monsters in these woods."

Zane laughed, a sound which lit up Kai's brain. Laughter? That was a real laugh! Kai grinned, throwing out his arms dramatically. "What, you don't believe me? I heard there are these big…spider-things who look like trees!"

Kai felt light as Zane laughed again.

"Spiders have eight legs. Treehorns only have four, which means they don't meet the necessary requirements to be classified as insects. I don't know what Treehorns really are. No one's ever studied them long enough to watch one's life cycle because they're so violent..." Zane's eyes had lit up at this and Kai knew that he was thinking about filling in that blank spot in his database himself. "However, we do know that-"

There he was. Zane, with his weird treasure trove of practically useless knowledge and his intense interest in the unknown. Kai smiled, feeling some of the tension leave the air around him as he watched the facts puff up into the air, Zane's chipper voice filling the space between them.

"-but," The boy finally finished, "you don't need to worry about them in our part of the forest."

Kai had to shake himself. "That was really interesting, man."

"Thank you! I learned it all from National Geographic's feature on them. My dad doesn't study Treehorns, he said, um, he said that biology isn't his strong suit, but he did go into the city for an interview about them and left me home with my Yaya." Zane seemed cheerful, but was evidently done with the conversation, moving back to pout at his now-stuck-wagon.

This was the second mention of his "Yaya" person. This could be something that Zane was trying to…unlock or learn about through his warped memories, right? Kai laughed awkwardly, folding his arms behind his head. "Who's Yaya?"

Zane gave Kai an annoyed look that made him feel like he was receiving information that should have been obvious as he managed unlodged the wagon. "My Yaya."

Kai nodded, quick to try and get that look off the child's face. He didn't want to upset him if he wanted to learn more. He'd try waiting until the information came naturally, as much as it burned him to have patience in the situation he was currently stuck in. He rushed after Zane as the child got the wagon moving again.

"Uh…Right, right! Your Yaya- duh! So sorry, buddy, I'll listen better next time."

Zane looked mollified at that and Kai used this to rush into a new conversation topic that might make the kid talk to him again- or at least forget that he was annoyed in the first place.

"So, uh, if it's not the Treehorns that your dad is worried about…what is it?"

"Oh, that's simple," Zane nodded to himself. "It's my health."

"Your Health…" Kai parroted dumbly. He supposed that was as good a way as any for the doctor to explain to a humanoid robot how his own metal body worked.

"Yes," The child continued, "I have Iron Deficiency Anemia."

Kai blanched, eyes wide as he stared at the child- no, the nindroid- pull his wagon. Iron Deficiency Anemia? That was a weird thing for Zane to choose for his "humansona" to have. Did it even really make sense? Maybe the doctor had it and Zane himself was parroting it? Or had the doctor lied to the robot about it? "Wow, really? That's…that's, uh…"

"It's okay, Mr. Kai, I just need check ups more often than other kids." Zane spoke plainly as he finally pulled the wagon to a stop at an odd, bus stop like awning. Zane clambered up out of the snow and into the booth, shaking himself free of snow and pulling the wagon up into it with a noise of effort. Kai followed, sitting down on the bench besides the boy as they looked out into the forest.

It really was beautiful here in a way he could see Zane appreciating. It was lush and empty all at once, full of a quiet and reserved flow of life. Kai thought the right word might be "noble". He watched small dark birds circle each other in the pale grey sky, their shadows larger than life across the ground as they played chase and raced over the jagged shadows of tree branches. A small white rabbit dashed over the top of the snow and into a burrow. Somewhere off in the distance, he saw the unmistakable shape of a fox dart across the horizon. Kai felt the unease that had plagued him earlier slowly leave his shoulders. Of course the snow was full of life- it was just like Zane.

Zane…the young boy sat next to him now, his mittened hands folded primly in his lap as he watched the birds with rapt interest. Right, Kai, be a better brother. Zane was mentally a child and spoke with such certainty that he was sick that it had to weigh on him, right?

"Is that…ever scary?" Kai asked gently. "The Anemia?"

"Hmm?" Zane blinked, returning his focus to Kai for the moment. "Scary?"

"Well…yeah. Being sick?"

Zane gave a soft hum, looking back over the snowy landscape. "...no. I don't think so."

"You don't think?"

"I've always been sick. It's just a part of life, right? If you get scared, you don't live life right. That's what my Yaya says."

"Okay, but I don't want to hear what your Yaya thinks, I want to hear what you think."

Zane was quiet for a moment, contemplating. "I'm more scared of being cold."

Kai's heart thudded. "Huh? Cold…?"

"If I'm sick, my body still works some. My Father always says 'a broken clock is better than nothing'. You work with the tools you're given and you do the best you can. Sometimes I get frustrated when I don't feel good. It's like all my upset rests in my heart…"

Zane's hand rested over his chest, right where Kai knew his powersource rested, glowing and bright. He could almost see his brother as he was now in the child's stoney face and gentle eyes, ever present in the world and thoughtful.

"When you're cold, your body…it shuts down. You can't move anymore. There's nowhere for you to go. I have…a coldness inside me. It's supposed to be a gift, but I can't use it right. Not yet. I need to…to make my body stronger before I can use it right."

Kai's breath had caught in his throat. It had never struck Kai as…weird that Zane had the power of ice. It suited him the same as the others fit their own elements, and they had all inherited the powers from their parents- he had never thought to ask Zane how his power had come to him. It had just seemed so right in Zane's hands. Kai had never met another being in his life who was more deserving of the title of Master of Ice or ninja then Zane himself. The thought chilled Kai and he felt himself reach out for his inner fire in vain- it was back in the center of his body, not here with his racing mind.

"I-" Kai managed weakly, "-how did you get this gift?"

"I was born with it." Zane admitted. He wasn't- he couldn't have been. "My sickness makes it hard for me to keep it all inside. Sometimes it slips out and I…freeze things. Or myself"

"You…" Here it was- the real beginnings of what Kai had been looking for. A way to help Zane decode whatever was really going on here…and here he was at a loss for words! A feeling of uselessness crushed him in that moment of heavy silence. Kai forced himself through it. This wasn't the first time he'd comforted a child. His thoughts wandered to Nya. When they were children, he always felt like he'd had something to prove to her. The two of them had been left on their own for so long that Kai practically raised her. He knew he was a pro at sticking his foot in his mouth, but he'd had to have said something right to her, just once…! He picked at that old familiar feeling. If he could just play along with Zane for a bit here, he could help move this memory gently along, couldn't he?

"You're just a kid, Zane. You're new to all this. You have a full life ahead of yourself to figure it out. Like your old man says, you have to learn to use what you have. I- I know you haven't known me long but I know that you're a real special person. Whatever's going on right now for you, you'll figure it out."

Zane's hands had tightened over themselves, his voice thick with fear. "And if I can't?"

What could Kai say? The goofy but oft repeated phrase Zane loved to spout popped into his head- a ninja never quits! But Kai knew he couldn't say that here. Zane wasn't a ninja right now, he was just a scared kid. He couldn't treat him like he knew him and say something that Zane, as he was, wouldn't believe. Kai sighed heavily, hands ghosting Zane's own.

"If you can't, you can't…but you don't have to do it alone. You've got your old man, you've got…your "yaya", and somewhere out there, even if they don't know it yet, are people who are going to love you unconditionally, whether you can do it on your own or not."

Zane finally looked at him again, eyes shining with unshed tears. "Do you really think so?"

Kai nodded, phantom warmth spreading through him. "I know so. I don't tell lies to smart kids who can call me out, afterall."

Zane let out a wet little laugh, wiping his eyes. "Thank you, then. I think I needed to hear that."

Pride stoked a fire in Kai's chest and he grinned, "Any time-"

Zane and Kai were snapped out of their moment by a loud thud. Kai stood on instinct, placing himself between Zane and the outside world, forgetting his momentary uselessness. Zane had stood up behind him, voice cheerful. "It's okay, it's just the Juggernaut!"

Kai stared in wonder at the giant metal body of Dr. Julien's colossal creation. Kai remembered in the past, when Zane had first unlocked his true potential, the nindroid had mentioned felling this very mechanical beast. His titanic body was painted to match the birch tree's around them. Kai yelped as the ground shook- the Juggernaut took a knee in front of the two of them, the bright blue lights of his eyes bathing the two of them in cyan light.

Zane broke excitedly towards the wagon, taking out a few odd looking tools and bounding towards the metal beast as it gently extended its hands. Zane got to work cleaning each and every joint, careful with the sensitive joints between each finger as he instructed the behemoth on how and when to move. Kai watched the practice routine in awe- there was something between the two of them that Kai felt…wrong intruding on. If Zane had family by blood- er, oil- then the Juggernaut would be it. Was this…weighing on Zane? Kai didn't know if this was wish fulfillment or the truth for the nindroid, but did it really matter? This was the happiest he'd seen Zane since he'd been put into the other's head. So the fire ninja took his seat, watching the pair with amusement. Maybe when Zane woke up they'd be able to salvage the old bot.

The sky slowly turned from a silvery grey to an ashy bronze, much faster than it should have really, but Kai supposed that Zane's false memories had room for some imagination. Zane stood back to admire his handiwork, rubbing his shoulders through his thick Parka. The Juggernaut let out a whirling hum of appreciation. Kai shuddered as a voice rumbled through his body and into the open air. "Bi-Weekly maintenance complete. New objective: bring Young Master home before dark."

Zane smiled back at Kai as the giant reached into the booth. Kai squawked in protest as the Juggernaut's hand shot towards him and right through him. He let out an awful shiver- he would never get used to that! The metal titan picked up the wagon and lifted Zane up to rest in the crook of his arm.

"H-hey, wait!" Kai dashed off after the pair as the Juggernaut took its first steps back towards Zane's home-tree. "What do I do?"

"Just try and keep up, it's not far!" Zane called back with a smile from his perch. Kai sighed- this was going to be interesting. True to his word, the trip wasn't long at all with the Juggernaut's long stride and the lack of a wobbly wagon to slow them down. The beast let the nindroid down easy and the two waved goodbye. Kai let out a low whistle as it left, retaking his place at Zane's side. "Wow. So, uh, is that your friend?"

Zane nodded. "He's the reason the treehorns don't come near us. Father made him to protect our home."

Zane was quick to go to his room, gesturing Kai along as he stripped out of his winter clothes. "Come on, I've got a heater installed in my bed so we can get warm again faster!"

Kai followed the young boy up into the protective nest of his canopy, settling down as the boy played with a small space heater in the corner. "Lay down, I've always wanted to have a sleepover with a friend. I read all about them in my adventure boy books."

Kai snorted, settling in. The Adventure Boy books were seriously old school, like something his dad would have read as a kid. He guessed it made sense due to when Zane was created, but it was still funny to hear the pride in his brother's voice at the title. He could already feel the subtle tug of Neuro at the back of his skull. His time here was coming to an end, so it was good that Zane was winding down himself. "That's great, because I'm just about ready to 'slumber' myself."

Kai watched as Zane curled up into his spot at the top of the bed, opening a big picture book. "This one's brand new, I just got it sent in from the city. It's all about birds of prey like the falcon we saw out over the tree's earlier."

"Mhmm…" Kai settled in as Zane read on outloud, starting with a long and drawling forward from some famous professor or another. This felt nice. For a moment, he could almost pretend that things were normal. Whatever Zane was looking for, he could only hope they'd find it here, and that he'd be more of a help than a hindrance. It didn't take long for the comfort of the moment and the incessant tugging on his mind to lull him back into the black inky space between his and Zane's minds, the feeling of sleep dragging him down.

Hello everyone!

Would you believe I rewrote the opening paragraph at least five times in the span of my two year absence before ashamedly putting the fic away?

I won't go into the details of my absence, but I did want to sincerely thank everyone who's wanted me to continue Dear Brother. It's a project that I dreamt up back during the run of the shows first real season but didn't get the spark to write out until much later. I can only hope what's coming in the future is good enough to have warranted such a long wait.

All my love goes out to /halcon24 and one other absolutely wonderful person who seems to have disappeared from my tumblr inbox who inspired me to continue working on this. I hope this was worth the wait and I hope to get the next chapter out faster!

I've lost my beta and had to go through myself so please feel free to point out any mistakes you see!