Of Milk and Cookies

A Toast (To Not Dying)

I'll be honest... It's been years since my last update. Life happened and a lot of my writing took a hit as a result. This story was never truly abandoned, just put aside for awhile. Anyway, I am so happy to finally have another chapter ready to share with the world. Hope you all enjoy!

"You have no idea how good it is to eat real food again," Nya declared through a mouthful of pizza. She was finally home after several days of being stuck in her hospital room. The doctors had been concerned about potential infections and had a hard time believing she would stay put if they released her sooner. It had taken a wide array of medical tests (and a lot of begging) to convince them to let her leave. Nya would have danced with glee if not for her stitches. Instead, she settled for a celebratory dinner from her favorite pizza place.

"I can only imagine," Lloyd commented. His own diet lately had been an odd mixture of fast food and local delicacies (some of which were.... Unique for lack of better words) depending on his location throughout the victory tour. He had politely declined her not so subtle attempts to get rid of her bowls of jello and mystery goop by getting someone else to eat them during more than one visit.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Nya," Jay told her, reaching for a slice of pepperoni. He had been extra protective of her since their mad dash to the hospital a few days earlier. Nya wasn't sure if she found it adorable or annoying.

"Yeah, don't scare us like that again." Kai added, earning him a vicious elbow jab from his sister. Nya ignored his yelp of pain.

"I'm fine, guys, really."

"If you're fine, I guess we should put back all the booby traps we found in your room, huh?" Cole offered teasingly. Several of the students of Wu's Academy had chosen to express their excitement at Nya's return by leaving little... surprises in her room.

"Nope. Definitely don't do that," Nya relented. She didn't have the energy to deal with frogs in her bed or whatever else the kids had come up with. "How did Sally and Megan even get in there?" Whoever else may have been involved, those two were almost always the ringleaders when it came to annoying Nya.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Brad taught them to pick locks," Lloyd offered with a shrug. As much as his friend had changed, Lloyd was sure he could still be a menace when he wanted to be.

"Eh. That tracks. I gotta say, I like that kid way better when he's focused on his gardening instead of causing chaos." Nya might find Brad annoying, but she had to admit he had done wonders with the school's flowerbeds.

"He has really been trying to turn over a new leaf lately. I'm proud of him," Stated Zane. The others nodded in agreement. Brad had come a long ways since they had first met him during the Evil Clone Incident.

"With a granny like his, I'm not surprised. She scares me." Jay shuddered.

"Hey, now," Lloyd said. He took a bite of pizza before continuing. "Everyone needs a slightly terrifying old person in their lives. Brad has his granny and we have Uncle Wu."

"You find Wu terrifying?" Zane asked, skeptical. He found it difficult to see Wu as particularly threatening. On most days, at least.

"Well yeah - Sometimes." The green ninja sheepishly admitted. He was fully aware that most people probably expected his father to be the relative he found scary. And Garmadon was scary, too, but things were different now that he was free of the Great Devourer's venom. Wu was a menace because he wanted to be, not because of any outside influences.

"Have you seen how quickly Wu can move when he wants to be sneaky? I swear the guy gives me a heart attack at least once a week popping up behind me when I'm in the middle of something!" Jay exclaimed, "I'm with Lloyd on this one."

"You probably shouldn't say that in front of Wu. It'll just encourage him," Kai commented.

"Yeah," Cole agreed, "Don't give him any ideas. One time I told him he might wanna sing a little more quietly in the shower... So He sang louder instead."

Nya stifled a giggle. Their uptight mentor certainly knew how to mess with people when he wasn't forcing them out of bed hellishly early to train. No one except maybe Zane appreciated that. Speaking of beds, Nya was beginning to think hers sounded like a rather nice place to be right about now. Definitely more inviting than the hospital cot had been. With a thick pile of fuzzy blankets and plenty of extra pillows. Mmm... Yes... Bed... sleep. She had a lot of sleep to catch up on...

"Ugh. I hate to say it, but I'm about ready to fall asleep at the table. All the pain meds they had me on really wiped me out," Nya admitted, yawning. Several of the others began to boo loudly at this announcement.

"Oh stop it you guys. You managed to survive a weekend without me. I'm sure you can survive a little longer," Nya told them. She rolled her eyes at the ridiculously pathetic looks Lloyd and Jay were giving her. She wouldn't be giving in to their pleading puppy eyes routine. Not this time.

"Aww fine..." Lloyd was the first to relent. "But at least have some dessert before you go?" He leapt up from his seat and disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve a grocery bag with several boxes of frosted sugar cookies. Nya stared longingly at them and said,

"I guess I could be convinced to stay up a few more minutes." She couldn't help it. The cookies were calling to her.

"That's what I figured," Lloyd replied. He really was an expert at the Bribing Nya game. It was a skill worth being proud of.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Cole interjected, "we can't have cookies without milk. It's practically illegal."

"Truth. I got it!" Jay announced. Glasses and a jug of milk were quickly added to the assortment of cookies Lloyd was arranging on the table.

"I propose a toast," Kai stated, pouring himself a cup of milk, "To Nya not dying and finally escaping the hospital."

The sound of glasses clinking followed as the others repeated, "To Nya not dying and finally escaping the hospital!"

It really was good to be home.