~~~~~~ FLASHBACK ~~~~~~

In the middle of the night, Misako was woken up by the sound of a baby crying, it was her little baby boy. She went to her son’s crib and saw he was crying.

“Shh,shh,shh,..my little boy.What’s wrong?Why are you crying?” Misako asked while lifting Lloyd up to her arms.

She took him to her bed and tried to calm him down. She decided to get Lloyd’s chewing toy and once she took it, she gave it to Lloyd as he started chewing it. Once he chewed it, he calmed down. He looked at Misako as she smiled and placed Lloyd next to her and she lay down next to him. Lloyd looked at Misako and giggled, Misako stroked Lloyd’s head lovingly.

“Go back to sleep,Lloyd.” Misako said as she carried Lloyd to the balcony and showed him the stars. “You need your energy for tomorrow.”

Lloyd kept looking at Misako then the stars. As soon as he spotted the brightest star, he tried to reach it.

“You’ve spotted the brightest star,haven’t you?” Misako asked playfully.

Lloyd giggled and one of the members of the Explorers Club knocked on the door. Misako walked to the door and opened it.

“Oh.Hello,Cecil Putnam.How can I help you?” Misako asked.

“I just heard a sound of a baby crying.I just wanted to make sure if everything’s ok.” Cecil Putnam said and Misako felt bad.

“Oh,I’m really sorry.It was my son,he was crying.But he’s calm now,I’m sorry I woke you up.” Misako apologized and Cecil Putnam smiled.

“No worries,Mrs.Garmadon.I’ve been awake this whole time,making sure everything is in order.” Cecil Putnam assured Misako.

“You sure you don’t need rest?You seem…fatigued.” Misako asked being concerned about the manager’s condition.

“No need for concern,Mrs.Garmadon.I am used to it and I already have a rest-time.” Cecil Putnam replied as Lloyd was looking at him.

Lloyd tried to reach him and he got the manager’s attention.

“Hello,little boy.Nice to meet you.” Cecil Putnam greeted playfully and Lloyd chewed his chewing toy again.

“I’m going to put him to sleep now,he shouldn’t be awake this late at night.” Misako said.

“Alright.Goodnight,Mrs.Garmadon.” Cecil Putnam said and left.

“Goodnight.” Misako replied and closed the door.

Lloyd was staring at Misako while chewing his chew toy, Misako sat on her bed and gently took the chewing toy from Lloyd and started putting him to sleep by singing a lullaby while rocking her son lovingly. Lloyd started falling asleep and once he was asleep, Misako put him in his crib.

“Goodnight,my little boy.I’ll see you in the morning.” Misako whispered, not wanting to wake her already-asleep son up.

She went to her bed and tucked herself in, but before she closed her eyes, she suddenly had an anxiety for her son. She went to him and carried him in her arms.

“You’ll just sleep with me in my bed.I’m too scared to be away from you,I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Misako whispered to Lloyd and took him to her bed.

She also took Lloyd’s pillow with her and placed it on the bed, right in the middle of where the pillows were placed and gently placed her sleeping son’s head on his pillow. Then she lay down on the bed and tucked Lloyd in then herself, she kissed Lloyd’s forehead and she went to sleep with her hand on Lloyd’s chest, but a bit lower.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

After she had the flashback, she fell asleep with her son’s head on her shoulder. Wu entered the room and smiled once he saw the mother and the son sleeping together, so close to each other. He wished his brother was here to see it, but wherever he was, Wu knew Garmadon would smile at this moment too.

“Wherever you are,brother,I know you’d smile at this moment.You probably would get into the moment.” Wu said with a soft voice and a smile.

He was about to leave the room when he heard Lloyd murmured, “Daddy..”

Wu’s smile became a frown once he heard Lloyd murmured the word. He knew that Lloyd and Garmadon had been drifting apart from each other, not just in distance, but also in relationship. Lloyd had been hating 2 people the most, Harumi and….Garmadon. Everytime anyone would talk about Garmadon, he always either got out of the place/room or just change the topic. Wu walked out of the room and closed the door gently.

While sleeping, Lloyd’s hand accidentally went on Misako’s face, which woke her up.

“Oh,Lloyd.My little baby boy.” Misako chuckled while getting Lloyd’s hand away from her face.

Lloyd was sleeping so peacefully and Misako gently got out of the bed and placed Lloyd’s head on the pillow.

“I wish your father was here for you.You barely even got the chance to spend some actual time together with me and him,but mostly with him because….*sighs*..you’ve been away from him ever since you were a baby.I even had to take care of you while I was at the Explorer’s Club.And now,…you’re drifting away from him,your own father,even in heart.Why does your life have to be like this,my son?You don’t deserve this.You deserve a so much better life.You have done so much sacrificing your life for Ninjago,but this…this is what you get in-return?What does life have against you?” Misako said while crying.

She stood up slowly and tucked Lloyd in, she placed her hand on his head and kissed his forehead. Then she walked out of the room and locked the door.

“Misako,are you ok?” Wu asked, concern about Misako who looked like she just cried.

“To be honest,not really.” Misako answered honestly.

“It’s about Lloyd,isn’t it?” Wu asked and Misako nodded while wiping her tears.

“He will be alright,Misako.He’s strong,just like you and Garmadon.” Wu said to calm Misako down.

“He is,but when it comes to emotions,..” Misako replied and when she couldn’t continue talking, she sighed, “I don’t even know how to say it.”

“We’re all here for him,Misako.No harm shall befall him.” Wu said to calm Misako down.

“You say that everytime.But take 2 seconds to look back to hat happened to my son over the years!His life is just…..too…harsh..” Misako said with a very sad tone.

“I know,I also have noticed.But my father chose him to be the green ninja for a reason.Just stay calm,Misako.Your son will be just fine.” Wu said.

Misako looked back at her son’s room and sighed, then she turned to Wu.

“Alright.” Misako said and smiled.

Then she made her way somewhere.

Meanwhile, Harumi was still sitting in the dungeon cell, crying. She had tried everything to free herself from the cell, but no matter how hard she tried, she never succeeded. Then, she heard footsteps and looked out of the metal cell.

“Lloyd?Is that you?Please!I need to talk to-” Harumi shouted, but then she saw the person who actually came.

“Misako..” She said with a soft voice, but in shock and fear.

“What do you want with my son?!” Misako asked coldly with suspicion.

“I-I…I want..to…u-uhh…” She stuttered, mostly because it was Lloyd’s mother she was talking to.

“What do you want with my SON?!” She repeated impatiently.

“I…uhh….” She stuttered again, but was interrupted by a familiar voice, the voice she had been waiting to hear.

“Mom.” The familiar voice was heard and Misako turned to see her son walking to her.

“Lloyd,what are you doing here?You’re suppose to be in your room,resting.” Misako asked and held Lloyd to make sure he wouldn’t fall.

“And I thought you were suppose to-” Lloyd said but stopped talking once he saw who was in the cell.

Harumi and Lloyd caught in each other’s eyes, but Lloyd looked away as Harumi stood up.

“Lloyd.” She called but Lloyd ignored her.

She ran to him and grabbed his hand, Lloyd looked at her with suspicion. Then Misako separated Harumi’s hand from Lloyd’s. Harumi cried and kept trying to reach Lloyd’s hand as Misako pulled Lloyd away from Harumi, at least until he was out of her reach.

“Please!I have to-” Harumi begged but Misako cut her off.

“My son wants nothing to do with you!!” Misako cut off and held Lloyd closer.

Harumi kept crying and tried to reach Lloyd. She kept begging to be let out of the dungeon cell but no one would let her.

“I just want to talk to Lloyd!I promise I won’t do anything to him!Please!” Harumi begged.

“There’s nothing to be talked about!” Lloyd shouted as he moved his right arm, gesturing a ‘no way’.

“Yes,there is,Lloyd!And I need to talk to you about it!” Harumi replied.

“What is it?!” He asked coldly.

“Not with your mother here with us!It’s too awkward!” She said.

“There’s no way I’m leaving my son alone with you!!” Misako shouted and pulled Lloyd away from the dungeon cell.

“WAIT,DON”T GO!!I…I need to talk to Lloyd!!It’s important!!” Harumi shouted while crying, but Misako kept pulling Lloyd away from the dungeon cell.

Once she saw that they were nowhere to be seen, she fell to the ground as her hands were holding on to the metal of the cell.

“Lloyd..” She whispered to herself and cried even more and a bit louder.