Facing Fears

"JayJay?" Nya whimpers, standing in his doorway clutching one of his hoodies in her hand.

"Hey princess, you okay?"

Nya walks over and sits on his lap, leaning against his chest. Jay wraps his arms around her and kisses her head. Nya snuggles into him.

"Kitten, what's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare about...him."

"Shh I know. I don't like it too."

Nya shivers and leans against him. Jay holds her tightly. Even though the whole Nadakhan incident happened five years ago, Nya is still terrified and refuses to go anywhere by herself, sometimes even to the bathroom. Jay is slowly getting less scared but doesn't like anything pirate related and will shiver if his name is ever mentioned. He'd been going out to the memorial ever so often and looking at it. It helped him become less scared and have less nightmares.

"Hey, I have an idea."

Nya looks up at him.

"How 'bout we go to the place that helped me become less scared of him?"

Nya looks down before nodding slightly. Jay smiles and stands up. Nya puts Jay's hoodie on over her clothes. Jay grabs her hand and leads her outside.

"Where a-are we going?" Nya asks, shivering.

"Here," Jay leads her to the Nadakhan memorial.

Nya shivers more and forces herself into her arms, hiding her face in his chest. Jay hushes her and walks closer to it.

"It's okay sweetheart, it's just a picture."

Nya shivers and snuggles more into Jay.

"Y'know what I did?"

"No."

"I wrote everything I hated about him on a plate, smashed it and yelled at his face."

Nya giggles weakly. Jay grabs the paper bag he'd picked up on the way out and pulls out two plates and two permanent markers. Jay sits on the concrete ground and pulls Nya onto his lap. Nya grabs a plate and a pen and starts to write.

Ten minutes later, both Jay and Nya's plates are covered in writing. Jay stands up and pulls Nya up.

"Ready?"

Nya nods and throws her plate onto the ground, successfully smashing it.

"I hate you! You d*ckhead!"

The courtyard is filled with frustrated shouting.

***
"Kai! Hurry up!" Nya yells from downstairs, wearing a blue t-shirt and some shorts.

"Do we have to go?" Kai asks, trudging down the stairs.

"Yes we do. Now get Cole and Morro."

Five minutes later, Cole and Morro appear at the top of the stairs. They slowly come down and the team walk down to the beach.

Kai shivers and sits on a deckchair, as far away from the sea as possible. Cole grabs Seliel and cuddles with her on another deckchair. Morro lays on a towel in the sand.

"Don't you wanna go in the sea?" Seliel asks, curling up against Cole's side.

"No," Cole shivers slightly. "I don't like it."

Skylor gently sits on Kai's lap, stealing his sunglasses from his face and putting them on her own. Kai pulls her on top of him and snuggles into her.

"Babe?"

Kai hums and looks down at her.

"Can we go in the sea?"

Kai freezes, gulps and nods shakily. Skylor jumps off him and drags him towards the sea. Seliel pulls Cole over as well.

Skylor pulls Kai in until he's ankle deep in the water. Kai shakes slightly. Skylor hugs him and rubs his back.

"Shh, it's okay Kai."

By the end of the day, Kai, Cole and Morro aren't as scared of water as they were previously.

***
"I can't Kai," Skylor whimpers.

Kai grabs her hand and squeezes it gently.

"It's okay, it'll be okay."

Skylor leans against him and grips his hand tightly. Kai rubs circles on his knuckles.

"It's gonna me be okay, it's just a phone call."

Skylor shakily picks up her phone and dials her fathers number. She looks over at Kai. Kai nods and pulls her onto his lap.

"It's just one phone call babe, it's gonna be okay."

Skylor shakily presses call and raises the phone to her ear.

"He...hello?"

"I'm okay."

"Me too."

"Bye."

Skylor puts the phone down and leans against Kai's chest.

"It...it wasn't that bad."

Kai smiles and kisses her forehead.

***
Seliel curls up in a ball, sobbing loudly. Cole walks into their room, his heart nearly breaking at the sight of his girlfriend sobbing. Cole runs to her side and pulls her onto his lap.

"Hey, shh, it's okay, shh. What's wrong?" Cole rests her head against his chest and rocks her gently, trying to ease the girl from passing out.

"They...they're...they're in...in..."

"Shh, take your time sweetheart."

"H...hospital!" Seliel starts to sob hysterically.

"Sel, shh, it's okay. They're gonna be okay, I promise."

"I-I can't l-lose them."

"I know, I know...should we go and visit them?"

Seliel nods shakily. Cole takes her to the hospital.

Seliel holds her mother's hand and shakes.

"Please be o-okay...p-please."

"They're okay Sel, I promise."

Seliel smiles weakly. Cole holds her on his lap.

***
"Please don't l-leave me," Maria whimpers, griping Morro's hand.

"Mari, I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be two minutes."

"No!"

"Hey shh, I know you don't like being alone, I know."

Maria tightens her grip on Morro's hand and shakes. Morro rubs her arm and pulls her closer.

"Hey, grab my hoodie and squeeze it until I come back, okay?"

Maria nods shakily and grabs his hoodie from the floor, squeezing it tightly. Morro takes this opportunity to run out of their room and to the bathroom.

When he comes back, Maria is crying softly into his hoodie but isn't shaking as much as earlier.

"See? You were okay."

Maria nods shakily and hugs him, keeping a tight grip on him.

"We can try it in small segments, like bathroom and shower trips."

Maria nods against his arm.

"Thank you Diaz."

"No problem Santiago."