2 | RE-INTRODUCTIONS

OPENING THE FRONT DOOR AND STEPPING INSIDE THE WARM HOME, COLE'S SISTER SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND HER AND STEPPED INTO THE LIVING ROOM, PEELING OUT OF HER WINTER COAT AND HANGING IT ON THE RACK. As she turned around, she caught the eye of five individuals sitting in chairs and on the sofa, along with her father on the piano bench. 

The teenager rolled her eyes and let a scoff leave her lips before glancing at her dad who was inching his way to the front door. "I'll see you later, sweetie," he smiled before exiting the house in a rush, not wanting to be left alone with his daughter and son. 

"Before you say anything, just meet my team, officially," Cole pleaded, standing slowly to his feet and walking to his sister's side. "This is Emma," Cole introduced. "She's my sister."

Jay launched to his feet and gawked between the two, "SInce when do you have a sister?" he demanded, pointing at Cole, then Emma, then back to Cole. "Must I explain to you--" Zane began, being cut off my Kai who held up a hand and shook his head, "We all took health class, Zane. I think we're good."

"What Cole meant to say was that I'm the sister he never mentioned. It's a pleasure," Emma chimed in, shaking hands with each ninja. Lloyd shook her hand last and found himself staring at her beauty. He was mesmerized and felt the need to get to know her more. But of course, he couldn't let Cole know that because he would probably fall victim to his wrath.

"Okay, introductions are done. Now, I'm here to make peace between us, between this. I can't stand us fighting any longer."

"You should've thought of that before you stranded me here, alone. Before you ran off to find yourself. I have dreams, too, Cole. Or at least I did. But because you left, I have to take up the mantle that dad passed on, I had to step up."

"And I'm sorry. I should never have left. And looking back, that decision could have been dealt with differently. I'm happy now, I'm a ninja. But you're the only thing missing from my life, Em. Dad called and he said something was wrong, he said you weren't yourself, and I'm worried."

"You came down here because dad called?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest and looking him in the eye. Cole sighed and knew he had screwed up his words. "Well, that goes to show how much our relationship means to one another, Cole."

"It isn't like that, Em. I've been so busy, and when dad called--"

"You were too busy for your own dear sister, but when dad called, you knew you had screwed up. So you raced back here to fix your problem and make amends before you went back out there and risked your life again. It all comes back to being a ninja doesn't it? Since when does being a ninja make you stop being there for the people you love?"

"There is no excuse, Emma. But don't take it out on my practice, I've worked hard to get there, and I've done it for you."

"For me? You became a ninja for me? Let me guess, to protect me? To keep me safe? Then become a police officer, Cole. You ran away from your problems, and you left me here to deal with them. It's not rocket science."

Cole briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I came here to reconcile with you, not argue. I came to apologize. And to offer you my help if anything were to happen."

Emma stopped her bickering and turned her attention to the four others who were seated silently in the living room. "Did you do it all for me? Or did you do it all for mom?" she inquired, looking into the deep brown eyes of her brother. His lips turned to a frown and he shuffled his feet on the carpet, not knowing how to answer the question.

"You know it's okay to miss her, right? If you became a ninja in her honor, I'll agree with your decision, and respect it. She deserved that much."

"I did what I needed to do in order to protect you, so I wouldn't lose you like we did her. I think that's when we all got lost."

Emma nodded and gave her brother a light smile, "Welcome back, by the way," she said, her voice lifting and her arms raising to demonstrate the place. "Ever since you won the competition, the Brookstone name has been everywhere. You really picked up business."

"Do you like what you do?" Cole wondered. "Yeah, do you like teaching hopeless dancers how to spin like a pretty pink ballerina?" Kai chimed in, his face lighting up in sarcasm. Emma sneered at the comment but stifled a laugh when Lloyd dragged Kai back to his seat. "Dad sure likes it. He's happy one of his children took up the alma mater," she dryly laughed.

Cole rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I'm sure he is."