So the main story (last chapter) actually came about because I was feeling poetic and watching Ninjago and wrote the short little section below. And then I was like "Oh my gosh, I really like this! Now I need to write a story surrounding it!" So I spent the day writing the story from last chapter, got to the end, was really excited to put the two pieces together, and then was like "...it doesn't really fit." And so stubborn me tried for a little while to make it work anyway, before finally admitting defeat... *sighs* Writerly Problems^TM

Anyway long story short, here's the little piece of work that started it all but eventually got booted from the main story...Such is life... Hope you enjoy anyway though! ~Lou

After that first night, Kai never caught Lloyd crying again, and he wasn't sure if it was because Lloyd had stopped all together or if he'd just gotten better at hiding it. Neither of those options seemed particularly healthy to him, but if it was the first, he hoped it was because they were doing something right.

Since then, Kai had… shifted a bit. He kept a closer eye on Lloyd, helped him try to figure out his… growth spurt… as best he could. He wasn't the only one, either. Where Lloyd was concerned, the same change was in the others too.

It was there in the way Cole reached out to steady him when he tripped over his too long legs, the nod he gave after Lloyd thanked him saying "always."

In the way Zane worked through the same forms with him again and again, patiently helping him relearn what he already knew.

In the way Jay so casually slung an arm around his shoulders, letting him know that no matter what had happened to him, he was normal.

With simple gestures and actions they said over and over and over,

"I'm right behind you."

"I have faith in you."

"You're one of us."

Kai wasn't exactly sure what his own gestures were saying, but he had a feeling it was something like, "I'm on your side."

Because when a kid like Lloyd saves your life with nothing but a bag of tea and a comic book quote… Well, that's someone you never stop standing next to.