Author stuff: This has been sitting in my WIPs folder since June 2024. I think right around the time I finished liveblogging DR s1p1, but I'd have to double check there. I just remembered it today and decided to edit it.

So, this is hot off the press for everyone. And it hurt to listen to it during my editing process.

I hope y'all like it!

Missing Piece

by icyandthefrostbites

Cole should have felt comforted by the cool breeze and bright, blue sky. It meant that they'd won the fight — for now, at least. It meant they got to go home to the ones they fought for, the ones they cherished, the ones they loved.

But…

He dragged in another ragged breath. The tears on his cheeks had long since dried, and he didn't think he could summon any more. Not that he wanted to, it would just… it felt like it would help. Help him feel something.

Something other than this nothing sort of empty ache in his chest.

He jumped when he saw a pair of legs out of the corner of his eye. They swung down to hang with his off the side of the floating island that was the main hub of the Cloud Kingdom.

A head rested against his arm. Strands of black hair swirled in the dancing breeze.

Nya.

If there was anyone who understood what he was feeling, it was her. And maybe the brash red haired girl.

"I'm sorry," Nya said, the words catching in her throat. "We tried. We really did."

"Me too," he said, draping an arm around her and pulling her in for a one-armed hug. She leaned into him, twisting herself to wrap him into a tight hug. "I wish we could have… Maybe Kai would still…"

Nya dragged in a ragged breath. Cole only tightened his embrace.

"I feel like I'm losing everyone," Nya said. "Master Wu, Pixal, mom and dad, Jay, and… and Kai. And Bonzle."

"I know," Cole said into the top of her head. "I haven't heard from my dad either. No one has since the Merge."

"Misako's missing too, and Ed and Edna."

Cole frowned, something tickling the back of his mind although the idea was barely tangible.

"Garmadon is still with Vinny, though," Nya said with a dry laugh. "Lloyd was so annoyed when he found out."

"Wish I could have seen it."

Nya winced and pulled back from the hug, although she still kept one arm around him. Her eyes, glazed and unfocused, stared at the horizon.

"What are you going to tell Geo and the kids?" she said softly.

Cole dragged a breath in through his nose, the world smelling of ozone and water and sweat.

"I'm not sure," he said after a moment. "The truth?"

Nya nodded, resting her head back down on his shoulder until the red and green tile of the Monastery's roof poked through the clouds.

. . .

The anchor was cast down outside the familiar exterior walls, landing with a heavy thunk on the stone and earth below. Farewells to the Writers were made, and soon they were disembarking.

Mr. Frohicky and the Finders all waited below — Fritz and Spitz practically bouncing with energy. The pair launched themselves at him the moment his feet touched the ground. Cole stumbled back a few steps, but he welcomed the affection.

Cole dared to crack open his eyes, watching as Geo moved closer, looking around for the missing piece of their little family. But before he could speak, Fritz — a big grin on his face and looking around for his sister — asked:

"Where's Bonzle?"

The breath caught in Cole's throat and the air around him stilled. Cole's eyes darted to Geo. He could already see Geo's eyes shine with tears.

"It's my fault," Lloyd said, the words sticking to his tongue. "I… We…"

"Let's take this inside, shall we?" Mr. Frohicky said, gesturing to the open gate. "I'll prepare some tea and snacks."

"Why don't you take a rest?" Zane suggested. "I'll prepare some tea and snacks."

Cole caught the relieved glance between Arin and the two girls.

He was still in awe that Lloyd had not one, but three students. Well, technically, Kai had been teaching one of the girls, but… But she was under Lloyd's tutelage now.

"Oh, nonsense," Mr. Frohicky tisked. "All of you were off saving the world. It's the least I could do."

"I insist."

Cole listened to the pair of them bicker all the way inside. He didn't catch who ended up preparing the tea and snacks, but judging by how delicious everything looked, he had to guess Mr. Frohicky won.

Although, none of them touched their tea or finger sandwiches.

Zane did most of the explaining, with interjections from Lloyd, Arin, or Sora. Cole spoke up every now and again, but his voice seemed to catch in his throat each time he did. And, if her downcast eyes and slumped shoulders were any indication, Nya was going through the same thing. Wyldfyre was curled up on the floor, tucked into Riyu's side, her eyes not meeting anyone else's.

Cole looked over to Geo and the boys. Fritz had tears trailing down his cheeks, although he wiped them away in an attempt to hide them. Spitz was no better, curled into Geo's side. Geo rubbed soothing circles to Spitz's back with one hand and held a nearly empty cup of tea in the other. He didn't meet Cole's eyes.

When Zane had finished — his own voice cracking in his voice box — he turned to stare at the floor.

It was silent for a moment before anyone spoke up.

"So," Geo said, raising his eyes and looking around the room, "what's the plan?"

"Plan?" Lloyd asked, furrowing his brow as he turned the word over on his tongue.

"The plan to get them back?"

Lloyd exchanged a look with Nya, Cole, and Zane.

"We hadn't gotten that far yet," Nya said, frowning. "But we should probably start working on it."

. . .

They spent the rest of the evening going through as many scrolls and books and pieces of parchment in Master Wu's library as they could. They barely made a dent in the documents available to them.

The tables and chairs were stacked in haphazard piles of things that were read and things that were not. Cole wished they'd been a little more organized before they all dove in, but it was a little too late for that now.

"Wish we knew where my mom was," Lloyd said, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms.

"Yeah," Cole said, "We could really use the help of Mrs. G right about now."

"Maybe someone at the Explorer's Club knows something," Nya sighed.

"So long as it isn't Clutch," Lloyd said, sitting up straight.

"Surprised you didn't forget about him," Nya said, a light lilt to her voice. There was a glimmer in her eyes, but it died out as quickly as it had caught on.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cole caught Arin and Sora exchanging a glance. Well, that's a story Lloyd will have to share some time.

"I think," Zane said, "that it's time for bed. We'll have better luck once we've rested for a couple of hours."

There were murmurs of agreement from everyone and the screech of chair legs on the floor as they all moved to shuffle out. Everyone except Geo, who was still poring over some book.

Cole paused at the door, gesturing for the others to go ahead.

"Are you coming?" Cole asked.

"I'll join you in a bit," Geo answered, not looking up from the page he was reading over. He flipped the page a little too harshly, but it thankfully didn't rip.

"Fritz and Spitz will be looking for you."

"They'll be alright. They'll cuddle with you tonight. They missed you." Another page flip that was a little too harsh.

"I missed them too. And you."

Geo seemed to pause for a moment as the words hung in the air. Then, he sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Cole," he voice was strained, "I missed you too. But Bonzle…"

"I know. I'm so sorry." Cole could feel his eyes heat with tears and a lump wedge itself in his throat. "I tried. I really did. We did everything we could to protect her, but it… it wasn't enough. I just… I'm sorry. I failed to, failed to keep her safe. Geo, I don't… I can't…"

Cole wasn't sure when the tears clouded his vision, but he tried desperately to blink them away and choke out the words — to explain himself and everything that happened.

Geo…

Geo's arms wrapped around him, pulling Cole in close for a hug. Cole's arms came up quickly as he buried his head into the space where Geo's neck and shoulder met.

And he held Cole until he was out of tears, whispering soft, comforting words.

"I'm sorry," Cole said again, pulling away although he stayed in Geo's embrace.

"I know," was the answer. "All of you did what you could."

Cole wiped away the remaining tears, meeting Geo's for the first time since his return to the Monastery.

Geo's face was wet from his own tears, and his jaw was clenched. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed down his own emotions — fear, uncertainty, hurt, betrayal, and half a dozen other feelings Cole couldn't keep track of.

There was also determination and contemplation over something, something that sent Cole's heart through the floor.

"I'm planning on taking Fritz and Spitz back to the Land of Lost Things," Geo said, his voice tight. "They need a little sense of normalcy, for a little while, at least. When… when you get close to freeing Kai, let me know. I'll come back and help."

"When we get Kai back," Cole said, grabbing one of Geo's shoulders and giving it a squeeze, "we'll get Bonzle back, too. I just know it."

Geo gave him a small smile that didn't meet his eyes.

"I'll hold you to that," he said.

Cole pulled him in for one more tight hug before heading to his old room. Between the five of them, it was a tight squeeze on his bed, but none of them seemed to mind the overcrowding.

Except for Bonzle, who always begrudgingly accepted one or both of her siblings curling up next to her. Despite all of her eye rolling and dry complaints, she welcomed whatever affection they gave her.

Cole found Spitz and Fritz splayed across his old bed — Fritz about to slip off. He kicked off his shoes and wiggled in the middle, scooping them both up in each arm.

Spitz blinked awake for a moment, mumbling something and curling back into his side to fall asleep.

Fritz didn't even notice.

Their soft breathing lulled him to sleep. He was only woken by the dip in the bed next to him when Geo joined them, and then fell right back to sleep.

When he woke up next, the sun was already high in the sky. And Geo had left with Spitz and Spitz with Nya's help.

It stung more than he thought it would — he'd hoped more than anything that Geo would let him say goodbye to the kids. But he pushed it down. He needed to find a way to get Kai back, and somehow Bonzle too. He wasn't sure how, but he'd do it. He would do anything to have his family back home again.

Author stuff cont'd.: (:

I'm glad I got this out to all y'all.