Ninjago - One-shots and short Stories

Sick Day (Part 2)

When Nya had finally managed to get up and change from her sweaty nightgown into a fresh top and comfortable leggings, Jay had already finished packing the children's overnight bag for their stay with the grandparents and was waiting for her outside their room.

It was not a big bag anyway, Abigail and Robert pretty much only needed to bring their toothbrushes, their dragon plushies, and their favourite bedtime story book. Both sets of grandparents kept a set of the most needed items, including some spare clothes (suitable for playing at the junkyard and blacksmith shop, respectively), strawberry-fragranced shampoo and body wash, nappies and wipes for the younger Walker child, and colourful plastic tableware at their homes.

Together, the married couple walked along the corridor. Seeing that she was on rather wobbly legs, the Lightning Ninja placed an arm around his sick wife's slim waist to support her, and the usually strong and independent young woman gratefully leaned onto him.

In the living room, the children were sitting on the sofa, their eyes glued to the television. But as soon they heard their parents enter the room, they jumped up and ran to their mother.

"Mummy." Abby cheered. "You feelin' better?"

"A little bit, honey." Nya gave her daughter a weak smile.

"Ma-ma." The smaller boy tucked at her trousers, looking at her expectantly with his big brown eyes.

"Sorry, sweetie." Nya told her son. "I'm afraid, mummy can't lift you up today."

"But I can." Jay let go of her waist to pick up their son and carry him into the living room, tickling his tummy along the way.

Abby and her mother followed the pair, but Nya had to stop when another coughing fit overtook her.

"You needa cough in you' eyebrow." The girl lectured her mother, demonstrating the correct technique of coughing into her elbow, as she had learned at playgroup. "An' you needa lie down." She gestured at the sofa.

Nya followed her instructions, and Abby started gathering some cushions and blankets from around the room and started to put them in her mother's back respectively on top of her. The younger boy curiously watched his older sister before he started copying her.

When the children were satisfied with their work, they quietly sat down on the floor in front of the sofa and proudly smiled at their mother who was hidden somewhere in the pile of cushions and blankets.

"We're goin' for a sleepover with granny Edna an' grandpa Ed." The blue eyed girl informed her mother. "But you don' need to be sad. Daddy'll take care of you, okay?"

"Okay, sweetheart." Nya nodded.

Robbie stood up from the floor and walked to the huge box of toys they had in one of the corners of the family's main room. When the two-year old returned, he was holding a big electric blue teddy bear that he placed into Nya's arms. "And Mr Zaptwap take care too." He said.

Uncle Cole had given the huge soft toy to his godson for his first birthday - and uncle Kai had named him.

"Thanks, Robbie." Nya softly ruffled the boy's messy brown hair. "I am sure that with such good care from both daddy and Mr Zaptrap I will be fine again when you come back from granny and grandpa tomorrow."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. The kids excitedly raced to the door.

"Granny, grandpa." They cheered.

"Ah, my little darlings. Are you feeling better again?" Nya could hear her mother-in-law enquire.

"And how much you two have grown again." Ed added. "Take a note, Edna."

"Mum, dad. Thank you so much for taking them." Jay greeted his parents. "Abby, what did mummy and I tell you about answering the door?" He asked his daughter in a stern voice.

"Sowwy, daddy." The girl apologised.

"It's okay, darling." Nya smiled hearing her husband's voice soften again. Jay could never stay mad at his precious little girl for long. "You just didn't want to let your grandparents wait outside in the cold, right?"

"Yes, daddy. Not want granny an' grandpa get sick too."

"Awww, that's our little girl." Edna cooed.

"Big girl." Abigail insisted. "Robbie's little. An' Tori's even littler."

"You are right, sweetie." Edna then peeked into the living room. "Nya, dearie. Sorry to hear you are a bit under the weather."

"Thanks, Edna." Nya tiredly smiled at her husband's mother. "And thanks for helping us."

"Oh, not at all." She exclaimed. "We are always happy to have our two big little darlings around. Aren't we, Ed?"

"Of course, my sugarplum." Ed appeared behind his wife, Robbie sitting on his shoulders. "Get some rest, Nya, and let us take care of these two."

"And Jay needs to take good care of you." Edna added.

"Don't worry, mum. I will." Jay kissed his mother's cheek. "Thanks again."

The Water Ninja sighed in relief when the door finally closed after the two oldest and the two youngest members of the Walker family. As much as she loved her children (and her in-laws), her pounding head was incredibly grateful for the sudden absence of noise in the house.

Enjoying the peace and quiet, Nya leaned back against the pile of cushions in her back and closed her eyes.

When she woke up again, she found Jay sitting in an armchair, reading a Starfarers comic book (that officially he had only made the subscription for for their children - when the oldest one had been just two months old).

"Hey Sleeping Beauty." He put the book down and smiled at her.

"Hey." She smiled back, slowly sitting up. "How long was I out?"

"Almost two hours." He replied. "But it's not like you've missed much. It took me almost an hour to clean up the kitchen from making the scrambled eggs earlier. And I've got some chicken soup cooking on the oven. My parents went shopping for us before they came here for the two monkeys."

"Sounds great." Nya still wasn't very hungry, but she appreciated his efforts. While his kitchen skills had never matched Zane's - and later P.I.X.A.L.'s as well - Jay had always been one of the better cooks in their team, thanks to his mother's teaching. He was definitely a lot better than his wife.

"It still needs a bit, so I am all yours now." Jay wiggled his eyebrows.

"Then maybe you could start by bringing me a new box of tissues." Nya smirked.

"Yes, ma'm." He saluted and got up to get the requested item.

"Anything else you need?" He asked, putting the box on the table in front of the sofa.

"Yes." Nya smiled. "Can I get a hug?"

"Hun, you can always get a hug from me." Jay removed some of the cushions so he could sit down on the sofa next to his wife and put his arms around her. Nya snuggled into his side and immediately fell asleep again.