The door opened.

Garmadon looked over, seeing his brother return.

Wu held two cups of tea, walking towards Garmadon. "How did it go here?"

"Fine." Misako looked up at him, closing her book.

Wu nodded, then handed Garmadon one of the cups. "That's good."

Garmadon reluctantly accepted the tea, staring at it.

Misako stood. "I'm going to head back to the Bounty for a bit."

Wu nodded.

Garmadon watched as Misako left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. He looked at Wu.

"The doctors will bring your supper in a few minutes." Wu sipped his tea.

Garmadon nodded.

"Please drink that. It's healing tea."

He took a small sip.

"How have you been?"

"Fine…"

"Hmm." Wu watched him.

Garmadon stroked Ochre self-consciously, staring at the dog.

Ochre wagged his tail happily, still curled up at his side.

"I should probably take him outside again, as well…" Wu said.

"What?"

"Ochre."

"Oh." Garmadon winced, biting his lip.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright. I'll bring him right back."

"Okay…"

The door opened again.

Garmadon looked over, seeing a nurse enter.

The nurse walked over, carrying a tray of food.

Wu nodded to her. "Thank you."
"Of course…" She eyed Garmadon nervously.

After a minute, Wu took the tray from her and handed it to Garmadon.

She smiled nervously, then quickly left.

Wu turned to Garmadon.

Garmadon stared at where the nurse had disappeared, frowning. People were still scared of him. That…hurt. Though they were right to be afraid. He was a monster.

Wu looked at his food. "Hmm, soup and pudding again. Like yesterday."

"Yeah…" Garmadon started eating slowly, glancing at Wu uncomfortably.

"What kind of soup is it? Yesterday I believe it was different."

"Tastes like lentil and vegetable." Garmadon shrugged.

"Do you like it?"

"I guess…" He could care less about the taste, really. He'd rather not eat at all. Especially not food from here. What if it was poisoned or something?

Though it sounded absurd, Garmadon still felt anxiety about it. He sighed quietly, petting Ochre.

"How was breakfast?"

"Fine."

"You liked everything?"

"Yes…?" He looked at him, suddenly feeling interrogated.

Wu nodded. "Alright. What was it again?"

"Porridge, fruit, and yogurt… You were there."

"I know, sorry…"

Garmadon frowned.

"I'm just a little concerned. The doctors wanted me to check your memory occasionally, just to make sure you're doing alright and there was no serious damage to your head. When you first woke up and couldn't remember the car accident, I was worried…"

"Oh…" He stirred his soup awkwardly, looking down at it.

Wu patted his shoulder. "But you're doing alright, now? With your memory?"

Garmadon stiffened, flinching a little. He tried to relax. "Yup."

"That's good."

"Mm-hmm."

Wu removed his hand after a few seconds, watching him.

Garmadon sipped the glass of water, which had come with the food. This was very awkward.

"Are you going to drink the tea?"

"Yes…" Garmadon resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He sipped some of the tea, then stared out the window.

Lloyd opened the door, his heart rate spiking anxiously. He swallowed, entering the dark room. It was around midnight, the moon a traditional crescent in the sky out the window. The city stood silently, lit with colorful lights and leaving only a few stars visible.

He glanced around, seeing that Wu and his mom were gone—they'd gone to talk, he'd guess. He'd snuck in when they'd left. He looked across the room at the bed, seeing Garmadon laying still. He seemed to be asleep. The dog laid next to him.

He swallowed again, then shut the door and walked silently towards the bed.

Garmadon suddenly stiffened, looking at him. "Lloyd…?"

Lloyd almost tripped in surprise, stuttering awkwardly. "I…uh…"

Garmadon squinted. "What are you doing here…?"

"Uh…" He shrugged awkwardly. "I guess I…just couldn't sleep…"

Garmadon frowned. "Hmm…" He stroked Ochre, biting his lip.

Lloyd stuffed his hands in his sweater pockets, trying to hide their shaking. He hadn't talked to Garmadon since…he'd seen him after the accident. When he'd had a breakdown.

"Bad dream…?"

Lloyd stared at the floor. "Uh…yeah. I guess so."

There was silence for a moment.

Lloyd looked up, watching him.

Garmadon stared back, still petting the dog.

He swallowed, shifting. "So…um…"

"What?"

Lloyd bit his lip. What am I doing here? He hadn't been able to sleep, and he had had a bad dream, but…why was he here?

Because he was worried. Curious. Uncertain. Confused. Hopeful…?

He swallowed, staring at the floor.

"Lloyd…?" Garmadon sat up, frowning.

He looked up at him, shifting uncertainly again. "Um…how are you doing?"

Garmadon blinked. "Fine…" He pet the dog again.

Lloyd eyed the dog, frowning. He tried to shake off the awful feeling, looking at Garmadon again. Was he really…his dad?

"I have no son."

He blinked, trying to shove the memory away. Because if he really was his dad, then that meant his dad had really said that to him, and he wasn't just a shell of himself—a shadow.

And that…really hurt.

He walked a little closer, still uncertain. "So…um…about yesterday…" He looked away, blushing a little in sudden embarrassment. Why did he decide to bring that up…? He looked back, though, trying to swallow down the awkwardness he felt.

Garmadon bit his lip, wincing. "What about it…?"

"I…just. I don't know."

Garmadon watched him, then nodded. "Yeah…"

Lloyd bit his lip, glancing at the dog again. Where was their relationship, now? He wasn't sure if he'd… if they could go back to how it'd been before. Were they good now? Or…was there still a barrier? He wondered if Garmadon was disappointed in him.

He was.

And then there was this dog. Where did he stand? Between them?

"You've been in and out a lot…"

Lloyd blinked, looking back at Garmadon. "Oh…uh…sorry."

"It's okay…" He shrugged a little. "I don't mind. I was just wondering."

Lloyd swallowed. "Oh…okay."

Garmadon nodded.

There was an awkward silence.

Lloyd wanted to talk to him, talk to his dad, but…he was so nervous. His heart was thudding, and his hands were shaking. Besides, did he really have any proof that this Garmadon was his dad? The one that'd helped save him from that volcano? The one he'd fought at the Final Battle? The one who'd do anything to rescue him from the Overlord? The one who'd come with him to Chen's island, just to make sure he'd be safe?

He didn't know.

Not after what had happened at Kryptarium, after what Harumi had done.

He shivered at her name, swallowing again.

"Was…there a reason you came here…?" Garmadon watched him.

Lloyd shrugged, hands clenching in his pockets nervously.

"Okay…" Garmadon bit his lip, then stroked Ochre. "Want to pet him?"

"…What?" Lloyd blinked.

"My dog. Do you want to pet him?"

Lloyd looked Ochre. The same jealous feeling sprung up again, and he tried to swallow it down. "I…I guess." He walked over slowly, holding out his hand to the dog.

Ochre sniffed him, tail wagging. He licked his hand.

His tongue was soft and gentle. And wet. Lloyd wrinkled his nose in disgust, wiping the slobber on his pants, then gently stroked the dog.

The dog wagged its tail happily.

Garmadon smiled briefly.

The jealous feeling bubbled up again, and Lloyd swallowed, stepping back. He rubbed his hands on his pants, then stuffed them back in his hoodie pockets.

Garmadon looked at him.

Lloyd stared at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. It hurt too much.

"So…did you read anything interesting in my old diary?"

He blushed, stuttering. "I…I, uh…no, no…"

"Oh."

Lloyd fiddled with a stray string in his pocket, heart thudding against his chest. The memory of him snooping through Garmadon's stuff went through his mind like a knife. "Sorry…"

"It's okay…what did you read?"

He bit his lip. "Well…just, something about the venom…" Besides, was the diary really this Garmadon's? It was his father's. Was this Garmadon…still his father? Or someone else?

Garmadon frowned.

Lloyd shifted awkwardly. "Sorry…"

"It's okay…you were just curious, hmm." Garmadon sighed.

He bit his lip again. He had been curious. He was still curious. He really didn't know much about his father.

Garmadon stroked Ochre, staring at the dog and looking sad.

Lloyd looked out the window, then heard footsteps from outside. He stiffened. "Uh…I gotta go."

"What?" He looked at him.

"Don't tell them I was here, okay?"

"Okay…"

Lloyd hesitated, wondering if he could trust him not to tell, then hurried to the door. He slipped out, bolting down the hall and out of sight. He paused behind the corner, breathing rapidly.

"We'll just keep an eye on him," his mother was saying.

"Yes," Wu agreed.

The door to Garmadon's room opened, then closed.

Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't been seen. He hoped Garmadon wouldn't tell, though. He didn't know why he wanted to keep it a secret…he just…did. Especially if this went completely wrong. The more people that knew, the worse it would be.

Better to keep this to himself for now.