Conquering Himself

So Close But So Far

Lloyd's POV

I narrowed my eyes and watched as Kai descended below the Bounty's deck. I let my energy slowly disintegrate and took a deep breath as I walked toward Dominique. She was still sitting on the step, wide eyed. Her arms were a bit red and her face looked like it had been sunburned a bit.

"You okay?" I asked, putting my hand out for her to grab. The last bit of green energy flickered out as she pulled herself up, taking a shaky breath.

"That was a bit scary." She gave me a watery smile. "Thanks for showing up."

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed in exhaustion, not knowing how I was gonna discuss this with Kai. He could have seriously hurt Dom!

A sniffle broke my thoughts. The seventeen year old in front of me was shaking and she wiped away a stray tear. "I'm fine! It just startled me, that's all."

I watched as she tried to look up but the tears kept coming. I took another step forward and gently hugged her. Her blond hair still waved with the wind and I pulled her pony tight again before going back to the hug.

The dam broke. Dom began to cry.

It concerned me even more that she was crying. She must have been petrified! I mean, us ninja are used to things like this. Not exactly team members losing control, but scary life and death situations. I truly doubt that Kai would ever hurt her, on purpose that is, but how would she know that?

"He not only looks like her," Dom choked out, "but some of the mannerisms and his memories are definitely hers!" She did a hiccup. "Why can't he just accept that?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Kai has to work through that himself."

"I miss my sister." With that, the girl choked up again. "Do you know what it is like, having a loved one so close, so near you can touch them, but they can't and aren't actually there?" She looked at me, her eyes red and puffy. Then, she pulled back into a hug. "So close but so far. My heart feels so full but so empty at the same time. It's like tugging back and forth. I know I have family here and I am happy with you guys, but I also know that I am missing something and even though I can literally see what I am missing, it still feels like a dagger is being stabbed through my heart. It isn't fair."

I rubbed her back. Jay clambered out from under the ship and was about to speak when he saw the crying girl. He mouthed "Suppertime."

I mouthed back. "Be there soon."

He made the okay sign and quickly went back beneath deck.

"I just don't understand!" Tears of sadness and anger continued to pour down Doms face as she opened her feelings to me. "Why did this happen to me. Why do I have to deal with this?"

Knowing I couldn't understand the grief of ever losing a sibling, I continued to rub the girl in greens back as she cried.

"I miss my sister!" the heartbroken voice of Dom spoke again. "I just wish I could tell her what she meant to me." I rubbed her back and let her pour out her tears. Honestly, sometimes it helps to cry.

I didn't like to see her cry though.

The sun was still setting across the ocean and the red and purple streaks began to slowly fade as it dipped below the waves. The air nipped a bit and Dom snuggled a bit closer.

"I am sure Kai will soon realize how important you are to the new him," I gave my advice to Dom.

She did a small chuckle. "Is that your Sensei advice?"

"Yes. That knowledge isn't cheap."

"Do you have anymore?"

I looked at the girl in my arms, then back to the fading colors in the sky. "No."

"You know what I miss the most about my sister?" Dom asked me about a minute later, her tears coming dry.

"What's that?" I asked, making small circles on her back. The cold was starting to get to me as winter months approached but I was determined to stay out as long as Dom would want.

Dom took a breath. "Her hugs. Sometimes, when my days were horrible and down, she would always give me a hug." She chuckled a bit at the memories. "Of course, I would pretend I didn't want one and try to struggle free but truth is those hugs were the best." She looked at me. "They grounded me. I could been hugged for five minutes and as soon as she let go I would want another."

A smile broke out on my face. I've never had siblings but I could imagine the love that Dom had for Ember. It is probably the same I have for the ninja.

The sky was now dark blue. Dom squeezes me tight one more time before breaking the touch and pushing a strand of hair out of my face. "Ember had no personal space." Her heat left my body and the cold really settled in.

I wrinkled my eyebrows. "Doesn't sound like the Ember I know."

Don shrugged. "She had her bad ass side. When she was angry, you ran man! Do everything humanly possible to get out of her way." The girl looked across the sea and I couldn't help but admire the way she smiled amidst the painful feelings and memories. "But when she calmed down...." She looked at her shoes.

"She hugged you?" I tried to helpfully suggest.

Dom giggled. "That. Sometimes at night she would randomly jump on my bed as I was reading and just start talking about random stuff. Like carrots." She snorted. The sun was now almost all the way gone.

"SUPPERTIME!" Coles wild scream came once again from out the window. Dom jumped a bit, startled by the loud ghosts roar, but then turned to me.

"Did he say suppertime?" she questioned sarcastically. "I couldn't quite hear him."

"I think so..." I said back, winking at her. I needed to talk to Kai before dinner so I made a mental note to drop Dom off at dinner before heading down to Kai's room.

Dom made the first move and headed toward the stairs and I followed suit.

"Thanks for the hug."

"Anything for a friend."

Shit. I did not just say that.

GREEN NINJA O-U-T.