"You were never protecting Ninjago. You were only after revenge."

~ Lloyd Garmadon

*******

The boy was there. The same boy from when I first woke up. I had seen him loitering outside my room but he never came in. As soon as I looked at him, he would dart away. But he came every day. I knew that. He was here now. Talking with Yua just outside. I couldn't quite figure out what was happening from the tiny window in my room but he was here. He was from my past, I knew it.

I flicked my braid over my shoulder and looked in the mirror. I hadn't been outside of the hospital room since I woke up. It felt weird. It had been something I had wanted so badly. I would lay upside down in my bed, thinking on and on about how I wished to leave. But now that I had the chance it felt scary.

I adjusted my green top, trying out a smile in the mirror hesitantly. Yua said I looked nice when I gave a nice natural smile. "Not a cruel smile." She specified, something deep in her eyes telling me something I couldn't understand. "A nice beautiful, REAL, smile."

I grabbed the bag they gave me, letting the doctor give me one last look over. She avoided all eye contact and focused on her work. Her whole body jumped when I made a sudden movement. I felt a pit form in my stomach as she rushed out.

There was fear in her eyes.

Why did she fear me?

The door clicked as it opened, I turned. There he was. Something drew me to him. This sense of familiarity. He was this beacon. He had all the answers.

He was nervous, appearing calm and cool, but he was nervous. I'm not sure how I knew, but I did. I could see it in his eyes. Swirls of green, hard and cold, but there was something vulnerable in there.

"Such a sweet natural smile."

I smoothed my composure and tried it, giving a small smile. That made him freeze in his spot, green eyes seeming to stare through me.

"Are you okay?" I took a step towards him. He backed up a step. He blinked away whatever haunted him and gave me a nod.

"I'm Lloyd." The boy said, reaching for my bag. "You'll be staying with my family and I."

I swallowed my fear and followed him. After a metal anklet was secured to my ankle, a series of rules with projected before I was finally able to leave.

I stood in front of the door. My eyes were wide as I looked at the exit. This was it. Lloyd glanced at me briefly, chewing on his lip for a moment before hesitantly reaching a hand to the small of my back. He guided forward, making sure to give me all the time I needed to leave at my own pace. Cool air hit my face and I inhaled the first breath of fresh air that I could remember. Lloyd's mouth twitched as he watched my blissful expression. The young man opened the door for me and tossed my bags in.

This was it. I was leaving the hospital. My heart thumped in my chest, I was excited, but I was also terrified. I was launched into the world with nothing but a blank slate. A painting that had been covered in blank white canvas. Everyone else knew what had been underneath. But I didn't.

"Are you scared?" Lloyd had been silent for most of the time. His words had surprised me.

"Yes." I admitted, truthfully. He raised an eyebrow, his eye looked over my composure.

"You don't look scared."

"I am." I shrugged and brushed some loose strands of hair back. "I guess I'm good at hiding it. My body just naturally alters my physical reaction to emotions..." my voice trailed off.

Lloyd's grip tightened on the wheel. "Of course." He muttered.

My own gaze flicked to him. I watched him curiously, his body language was tense. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel quickly and there was something deep in his expression. Again recognition spiked inside of me. A nervous look. An irritated, yet sweet roll of the eyes.

I tilted my head. "What was I to you?"

"What?" Lloyd looked adorably bewildered, eyes moving from me to the road in surprise.

"You knew me before...all this." I waved vaguely at my head. "What was I to you?"

Lloyd was silent. He just stared at the road and for a moment I thought he wasn't going to reply. Then he let out a shaky sigh.

"It's...complicated." He said at last.

My brows knit. "What do you mean?"

"Our relationship- or whatever." Lloyd answered quickly, anxiety made him more flustered as he talked. "It was complicated."

Okay.... not exactly the answer I was hoping for.

"Could you...try and explain it?" I pressed, I honestly had no idea what he was saying.

Lloyd made a weird face. Sort of halfway between a wince and a frustrated smile. "We were friends. Of a sort." There was a beat. "At one point."

I got the not-so-subtle idea that he didn't want to talk more about it so I let it be. He turned up a long road, the car climbed up the mountain steadily, the clouds rose like puffy cotton balls in the air. But as I looked out the window I felt a sense of determination that pushed my forward.

I was going to figure out my past.

That was what I was after.