All I remember is feeling as if I were living those memories again, as if they were in present time and not something that had already happened. I could feel Tobi's head resting on my lap, I could smell his blood that had soaked into the floorboards.

Then suddenly I realize, why am I so caught up on Tobi?

I don't think I will ever fully get over his death, but he wouldn't want me moping around for years, unable to do what I am meant to do because I am unable to accept that he is gone. Besides, I'm a ninja—and a damn good one too. If Tobi could see me right now, he would be so proud.

And that's when I realize what was really holding me back. The fear of being alone. I had thought that because my mother, father, and brother had died, I was alone in this world. I had no one else. I had no more family and therefore thought no one truly understood me.

But what about Lloyd? What about Nya? Cole? Kai? Zane? Jay? I think about everyone whose ever been there for me. Sensei Wu? Madam Mistaké? Even Lloyd's parents have impacted my life for the better.

I am not alone.

I keep repeating that in my mind; I am not alone. Because I'm not, I have a family. I have friends. I am understood and loved by others.

"I am not alone."

I remember screaming, jumping up and breaking the metal bonds that held my hands down.

Pythor looks up to me, my feet a few inches off the ground. A flash of fear crosses his scaly features, and I grin.

I lunge for him, moving faster due to the speed of the wind carrying me. My fist impacts his cheek hard as if the wind was pushing my hand towards his face. Pythor stumbles to the ground. He gets back up to fight but I push a huge gust of wind towards him, knocking him out the door of the helicopter.

I turn towards Lloyd who was still in the glass cage. My feet return to the ground and I stumble slightly but quickly regain myself, both of my legs working normally again.

Lloyd grins. "You're incredible."

"Shut up, I'm getting you out of here," I respond, hiding my blush.

He shakes his head. "This place is going to blow any minute. I'm weak, I'll just drag you down." I look around and he was right. The place looks like a tornado blew through, and in a way, it did. Electronic devices were in flames and sparking dangerously. The Overlord was still in his coffin thing, and that's when I realize how little time we have.

Ninety-three percent completed.

"Go," Lloyd mumbles.

"I-I can't! I'll get you out," I say, frantically searching for a key or something.

The Overlord laughs. "The boy is weak! Run, girl, while you have the chance."

I glare at the screen, slowly walking towards it.

"If you think I'm going to leave to save myself, you're dead wrong," I say darkly.

The Overlord just laughs. "It doesn't matter anyway. In a few minutes, I'll finally be in physical form again!"

Ninety-seven percent completed.

"Go, El. Please," Lloyd begs, now sitting on the floor leaning against the glass. I run towards him.

"Lloyd..." He shakes his head. "Go, now," he chokes. I slowly nod, backing away from the cage.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

One hundred percent completed.

The machine giving the Overlord Lloyd's power explodes, the power knocking me off the helicopter. It erupts in flames as I fall and I scream.

My back hits the water and I gasp, earning a mouthful of water.

I kick and swim fiercely to the surface, unable to breathe or see clearly. My lungs burn as I struggle to get to the top.

I gasp, my head bursting out of the water. I spit and sputter, slowly gaining breath again.

I could still see the shore, which was good. I begin my long and slow trip to the sand, swimming tiredly to the shore.

As I got closer, I realized that I was swimming towards a harbor. And not just any harbor, Windy Hollow's Harbor.

I swim to the boardwalk, pulling myself onto the wooden ladder and climbing to the docks. People give me odd looks, which makes sense. A girl with a grey ninja gi just climbed out of the ocean.

I look down, trying to avoid the strange looks people were giving me. I hated the fact that these people had no idea ninjas existed. Windy Hollow isn't a safe place, it could use a ninja running around or two.

I walk into a boat store located on the docks. The man at the counter looks at me oddly, and I smile weakly.

"Can I borrow a phone please?" I ask politely. He nods and doesn't break his gaze as he grabs his cell from a drawer in the counter. "Thanks," I say.

I dial Cole's cell and it rings a few time before he finally picks up.

"Hello?"

I sigh in relief. "Cole! It's me, El."

He gasps. "El! Guys, El is on the phone and is okay! You're doing okay right?"

I chuckle slightly. "Yeah."

"Where are youu? Kai can pick you up in his jet."

"Kai has a jet? Damn, how long was I gone?"

"Four days. Your location?"

"Sorry." I laugh sheepishly. "Windy Hollow."

"Where you grew up? Weird. Kai should be there in an hour. Stay safe!"

"You too!"

I hand the phone back to the guy, thanking him one last time. He nods slowly, still watching me as I walk out the door.

I walk around the city, looking down the alleyways. Some people didn't even know about the people that lurched in the small sidewalks between the tall buildings.

I stop walking, pausing by the alley that I used to take to my old house. I look around and walk towards it.

Slowly, I walk through the sidewalk, walking passed people without glancing at them, keeping my head fixed at my feet. Finally, I reached the end of the alley and follow the old street that leads towards my house.

I smile before taking the steps to my childhood home. It felt like years ago when I came here with the boys, unable to walk inside alone. It was a little over a year ago. It's crazy, how much time has passed since I've met them.

"El, you coming?" Kai asks. Lloyd frowns and walks down the stairs towards me.

"Hey, you can do this. We're here for you," he says. I nod and take a deep breath. I walk up the steps, Lloyd following closely behind me.

I walk up the steps and carefully open the door.

I step inside and look around.

The house was still a wreck from the last time I had come, the furniture still recklessly tossed about.

I walk towards the kitchen table and flip it back over, along with the chairs too. I pick up the picture frames and kick the broken glass on the ground and make a pile in the middle.

Technically this isn't my house anymore, as I'm no longer paying the bills. No one is, it's just an abandoned lot now.

I walk back outside. Kai should be here soon, but I still have time.

I follow another road, watching kids play basketball in the streets. Girls were talking in groups and the younger ones playing with chalk and jump roping.

Windy Hollow's Cemetery.

I walk up the familiar path that took me to my family's graves. I reach mine and stand in front of them.

"Sorry, I don't have any lilies. I sorta came on short notice," I say aloud.

"I actually didn't mean to come here. No offense, but I just kinda ended up here. It's a long story."

I look towards Tobi's grave. "Tobi, I now know what lies across the ocean. It's actually not that far away, but people aren't actually seen for hundreds of miles southward."

"Anyway, mom, dad, I have a boyfriend now. We moved in together recently, and his name is Lloyd. I love him, mom. I've never loved someone like that before. It's frustrating sometimes, but I like it."

I found myself talking about Lloyd then my friends, and how I was a ninja. I didn't even realize Kai was standing a few feet behind me, watching me with a kind smile on his face.

"Hey," he says finally. I jump, awkwardly turning around.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?" I ask sheepishly. He nods. "It's fine, I used to do the same with my parents."

We stand there in silence, facing the graves together.

"Hi, I'm Kai," he says. I giggle. "I'm a friend of El's and a friend of Lloyd's too. Don't worry, she's in good hands."

I laugh, smiling happily at Kai as he has a short and one-sided conversation with my brother.

"We should go," I say after he's finished. He nods and takes out his techno blade. He jumps and it turns into a jet, him sitting in the pilot seat. I blink a few time and he laughs. "Hop in."

I do, and we take off.

I look out the window, watching my childhood home fade away and become replaced by clouds and blue ocean.

"I'm glad you're doing better," Kai says, referring to my family. "It's as if the world is off your shoulders."

"Yeah, I feel a lot better now," I respond.

I feel Kai beginning to decelerate and finally, we stop. Kai returns the jet into his techno blade, and we walk into Cyrus Borg's building.

As soon as I enter the front doors, four people jump onto me. I laugh, hugging them all in return.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Nya says.

"Yeah, you had us worried," Jay says.

"My bad," I respond. Jay scoffs. "Don't apologize!"

"I'm glad that you are back," Zane says.

"Me too," Cole adds. I smile.

Cole steps to the side, revealing Lloyd. I gasp, burying my head into his chest. His arms wrap around me and he chuckles softly.

"You're okay! How? Never mind," I say.

He laughs. "The helicopter crashed a couple miles away from Windy Hollow. I made my way back."

I nod in his chest and he kisses my head before unwrapping his arms from around me.

"I am very sorry, Elaine," Sensei Wu says as he approaches us.

I smile kindly. "It's fine, you didn't know what you are doing." He nods.

"You all should probably get some rest, who knows what will happen tomorrow," Garmadon says.

-

Lloyd pushes me against the wall, smashing his lips against mine. I blink in surprise but grin happily as I kiss him back.

We turn around and I pull his shirt, guiding him towards the bed. I sit down on the mattress and we both pull off our shirts. Lloyd kisses me across my jaw and down my neck and pushes me down, positioning himself on top of me.

He brings his lips back on to mine. I could feel his tongue swipe across my bottom lip. He grins as I finally give up fighting him and let his tongue enter my mouth.

I move my lips to the corner of his mouth and kiss till I reach beneath his ear, sucking hard. He groans and I grin.

"El, the guys will tease me," he mutters but makes no attempt to stop me.

"So? He chuckles, lifting my chin and placing a tender kiss on my lips.

"It's worth it though," Lloyd says.

"You've been very cheesy lately."

"The Overlord really changes you," he jokes. I laugh, kissing him softly again.

He pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear then lays by my side. I press my chest against his back and we drift off to sleep.