Fathers, Ninjas and Divided Loyalties

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Summary: Karai is Miwa and Splinter has been hiding the truth. But what happens when she finds out? Can Leonardo convince her to switch loyalties or will she plot to destroy them? And can Splinter ever make things right again for his mutant family? Leorai and Apritello.

Disclaimer: Do I really need this? Not ours.

Notes: This would not have been able to take shape if it wasn't for my beta SleepingSeeker who coaxed this story out and added all the awesome parts. So if awesomeness is to be credited, it is to be credited to her.

In light of the finale, this needed slight editing but since no one but Splinter knows the truth about Miwa yet, we're all good to go.

We begin...

The old rat stepped out from behind the shadow of his turtle warriors who stood shading him from peril as they always did; alert and protective. Yet this was one occasion that the old rat did not need their protection. This was one time he'd face the danger alone, for the burden he'd been carrying was about to be released.

Miwa would know the truth. He'd been protecting her, telling his turtle sons to go easy on her... but tonight he had to come out himself. He had to be there.

For the first time it became obvious to all what had long been known to only him and his enemy Oroku Saki. That enemy was waiting to strike from the ground level of the building, now that all the pawns were in place; inside on the twenty-sixth floor. As the rat strode forward and paused, staring at her intently, Karai took in that probing look, that solemn-faced desperation as he was face-to-face with who he'd never stopped wondering about... his mistake. His greatest failure and deepest shame.

"Miwa. My daughter," he breathed.

Comprehension dawned on her face. This was why her father couldn't rest until Hamato Yoshi was dead. This was why her father had said that she should hate his enemy too. He'd abandoned her. He'd abandoned her to what? Raise sewer turtles? What sort of a person does that? What sort of a father does that?

"No!" she shouted sharply. She didn't want to believe it. No, this was not her father, Oroku Saki was her father. He was the one who'd been there for her when she was sick or frightened. He was the one who trained her and gave her his affection and love. Not this creature. Not this... this... traitor! Her blades were at the ready. She did not have to accept this. She would not! She had to do it... do the one thing her father could not do and kill the enemy. Her clammy fist tightened around the hilt of her ninjaken. The familiar feel of it gave her courage.

"You don't have to do this," Leonardo's voice rang out as the sewer rat held his tense body back with one hand placed gently against his son's chest.

"Leonardo is right. You have a choice Miwa, you always have a choice." His strained words were laced with pain, as if he already knew the choice she was going to make.

Her mind was reeling with the possible choices but it didn't make it any easier to act on one. This was insane. What did they want from her?

"Don't call me that!" she spat, eyes darting to the left and to the right, unsure of her next move.

She was outnumbered, and she was confused and she just wanted to rewind to five minutes before in her ignorant bliss before the truth complicated things. This ugly truth that spoke of too many betrayals, too many conflicting emotions. A truth she would not accept. Never! Her loyalty was to the Shredder, to her father. She shouldn't even be thinking about other "choices" as if she could change fate just like that. So she did what any good kunoichi would do in that situation and bolted. She needed to get away from the turtles... from Leonardo with that pleading look in his eyes... from that no good rat and all his lies as soon as possible.

And as one solitary tear slipped down her cheek she slipped back, letting her father's foot soldiers storm the level, streaming from the elevator which just opened on her left and from the ceiling vents where they had been lying in wait. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky streaming blinding light into the room and she turned her back, not daring to see what fate awaited them . . . her sometimes enemies.

That night played on her mind again even though she'd already vowed last night, as she tossed and turned restless in her bed, to let it go already. Was it really only a week ago that it had happened? There was no reason to keep reliving it time and time again. Every quiet moment she had seemed to be plagued with the memory of that surreal conversation, of his face, his desperate eyes. And the rat that she'd only seen as enemy reaching out to her as if he knew her. As if she belonged to him. She huffed hard through her nose. What was done was done.

In the days that followed, her father had been attentive to her and surprisingly gentle following the revelation on that fateful night. He did his best to remind her just who it was that raised her and taught her everything she knew. The fact that he'd lied to her for all these years was fading into the background as her life found normalcy again. They didn't talk about it. The topic was ignored and it was almost as if it never had even happened. But he was well aware, he had been there. Her father had ambushed the turtles and their rat as was planned and when the battle broke apart with the retreat of the Hamato clan, the night ended. Then it was another day. Nothing needed to change. She didn't owe that sewer rat or his turtle family anything. But now she was finding even her normal routine wasn't helping her to forget.

A traditional Japanese style breakfast was laid out in front of her as Karai crossed her legs in her chair, the morning sun streaming through the window. Nori, broiled salmon, a side of rice, tamagoyaki with grated daikon radish, natto, pickles and two bowls of miso soup sat barely touched by father. One could be mistaken for thinking that the intimidating man never ate. He hadn't left any sign of it that morning, just a scoop of the rice and a sip of the soup could have been missing but even then it one couldn't be certain it hadn't been originally like that.

Karai held a pair of exquisitely crafted chopsticks in one hand, a red dragon's tail spidering up the side of it, and poked at the tamagoyaki on one of the plates in the middle of the table. The eggy mass broke apart at her poking and she gathered some up to put in the bowl in front of her.

"We have much work to do today, daughter," her father said. "You will be accompanying me to a meeting." He paused, making sure he had her full attention without a doubt and she gave it to him with her raising slightly, letting her tamagoyaki hang mid-air with the aid of her chopsticks. Her brows wrinkled a little as she stared at her plate. "As my next in line. . . you need to begin learning the inner workings of your empire." Her legs felt like lead under the blanket of his scrutiny and it was a good thing she didn't have to move.

So it wasn't going to be danced around any longer. His plans for her future. Her fate. He'd been grooming her to take his place and he was ready for some kind of trial run. That was unsettling to her, mostly because there was a little part of her that wondered now about her future, as it was so tied in with her past that it was a tangled mess of confusion and it wasn't going to go away. It had been over a week and there were days that she told herself she didn't want answers, that she didn't want to know why her father had given her up but then there were other days where she thought that she needed to know... something... anything. And of course, her feelings for Leonardo were not helping to keep her mind focused and clear.

She shoved the omelet in her mouth and gulped it down with barely a chew, then searched the table for something else to eat. "Hai, father," she finally replied and her tone was reluctant but obedient. She zeroed in on the bowl of miso soup to her right. She set down her chopsticks and grabbed the bowl, swirling the liquid contents around a few times with her spoon.

He nodded, satisfied. "Be ready," he rose from the table.

She dipped her head and blew on her soup gently. "I know what I need to do."

Her father passed her, and the back of his hand gently caressed her cheek in a swift movement, letting his hand only linger for half a minute. "Good, watashi no musume."

The egg felt like it was protesting in her stomach, twisting around. It wasn't good at all. Not even close. The rare gesture of affection from her father only served to complicate matters more.

The day had been less eventful then she had first worried over. While she was being groomed to take over the "family business" there was a side to it which wasn't quite as entertaining as being in the throngs of battle. Sure, she enjoyed being able to make a few decisions for once. Her father actually asked what she thought on several occasions which was a big deal because he'd never actually asked for her opinion before (it was suspiciously a big deal come to think of it). But despite all of that, Karai had plans for tonight. Plans her father needed to know nothing of.

Enough was enough. After being taunted with the memory again that morning, she had decided tonight was time to seek out the turtle family to get a little more clarity for her own sake. If she was who they said she was then there was no point running away from it. She had to confront it head on. She had to confront them head on. But at least it could have its benefits, as every encounter with her ninja enemy did (barring the last encounter however).

There was something to be said about the game - the teasing, the sparring, the innuendos and seductive maneuvering - just before ending it with a brief promise of more and another attempt to gain the upper hand. And there was probably no one that she'd rather play that game with than the leader of the foursome, Leonardo. He held his own but played along quite nicely, often surprising her with the way he countered her attacks. Throwing him off-guard with sensually seductive movements or comments was a constant source of entertainment for her. The way his eyes turned stormy in response to her and confused at turns; the way his face flushed pink; it thrilled her. He was too much fun. Karai had always liked surprises... except when they came in the form of life-altering ones, sprinkled with a dusting of daddy-issues.

The turtles had been a surprise in themselves even though Karai had never been much of a stranger to what the mutagen could do. But the greater surprise went to the one with the blue bandanna. He intrigued her, the way his mind ticked wasn't all that much unlike her own but even then he exerted a type of grace under pressure that she wished she had a handle on. It was no wonder that he was chosen to lead them. It seemed so effortless for him and she felt that he had it all together. Sometimes it made her feel like she was a pretender in comparison.

She never had much difficulty finding Leonardo and his brothers. They were so predictable in a way - patrol, pizza or April O'Neil stalking. The regular haunts. Tonight she'd laid in wait for some time to find them jumping from roof to roof, pizza in hands and almost painfully oblivious to the potential threat that was waiting right around the corner. How nice must it be for them. To play and wrestle amongst themselves as if they didn't have a care in the world. She knew they were tuned in as far as sensing possible threats, and those threats were very real, but sometimes she wished she could be a free as they were. To have a taste of that freedom they seemed to take for granted.

A shiver went down her spine. Fun. She scoffed at it. Fun got people killed. She sprung out from behind them, expertly sending her blade right through the pizza box which sat in the hands of the one who wore the orange bandanna. The others were quick and drew their weapons as Michelangelo yelped; dropping the box and jumping back in shock.

"Hey! Pizza! Not cool!" He sputtered as he turned with the others and realized just who it was that they were face to face with.

"Karai." Leonardo said her name with finality, as if he'd been expecting this confrontation to happen for some time. His katanas were drawn in front of him, keeping his gaze level for any signs that this was not some drop-in for a friendly chat. She supposed that she liked that about him, that he treated her as if he didn't know what to expect... as if she were dangerous. A thrill went through her at that. He wasn't wrong to think so. She prided herself on her unpredictability and she didn't want that aspect of her to be lost on the brothers. They needed to know just who it was they were dealing with.

Apparently some of them were less fazed than their leader however.

"Soooo..." Donatello let his grip slacken on his bo and he dropped the hand holding it horizontally in defense mode and leaned on it appraising her. "I suppose you're like our sister now?" He asked it genuinely but got a sharp elbow in the side from Raphael for doing so who was spinning his sais around only half-ready for an attack.

Karai's eyes flashed. "No." Not even close; nothing biological was between them and they weren't even raised by the same person. There was no way she would ever consider herself to be one of them, not if a hundred years passed or she morphed into a mutant rat herself. "If you think I'm just going to move into the sewers and play mutant house then you'd be wrong. Nothing has changed." She said firmly. She was still going to treat them exactly the same - as not-quite-enemies but close enough to an enemy to be a threat.

And why was she even bothering explaining herself to these numbskulls? Leonardo was the closest one to understanding her and it was pointless to explain herself to his brothers. She removed her blade from the pizza box and sheathed it, vowing to clean it later. "I need to talk to you." Her eyes found Leonardo's pointedly.

He nodded as if he'd expected she would and sheathed his own swords. His heart quickened, as her eyes locked on his. He had to ignore it, to keep wary and on guard around her, even without his weapons. It was when she appeared unassuming like this that she could get the upper hand on him. He vowed not to be a fool around her.

Leonardo had known for some time that this was coming but yet he still wasn't sure that she'd listen to reason. He'd never given up on Karai, on her choosing the side of good and now he realized why that was so. She was Master Splinter's true biological daughter - she was born to be good. Looking back on all their encounters now he could see that. That's why he never gave up hope. That's why he clung to it no matter what Karai did to the contrary. And for the fact that he wanted to believe there was good in her. Needed to. Because of what he'd begun to feel when his mind conjured images of her when he was alone with his thoughts. He couldn't deny the attraction he felt towards her. Couldn't hide from himself the truth of those burgeoning feelings like he had from his brothers . . . and father. She had to make the right choice. She had to.

Leonardo followed her, to an adjoining rooftop, but still within the sights of his brothers who were now trying to salvage what they could of the pizza, either thinking that Leo wouldn't notice or just wouldn't care.

"Come with us," he pleaded and instantly hated the tone in his voice. He cleared his throat, attempting to sound less desperate and more in control. "Master Splinter needs to see you. It's killing him inside. You need to give him the chance to apologize, to make this all right."

Karai sighed, edging closer to him but still careful just in case he tried anything. And what was she so nervous about? What did she think he'd do? She gazed into the blue of his eyes, wondering would he knock her out and bring her to his father? A smirk played across her mouth. If she was in his shoes she'd probably try it.

She grew serious then. "Do you think an apology can make this right, Leonardo? He abandoned me." She thought he, out of everyone, could understand that. This betrayal she felt. Leonardo's deep sense of right would make him see that she couldn't just forgive these actions. He had to see. She needed him to understand. He would be the only one in all the world that did. He'd understood her before when others didn't. Perhaps she was just putting too much faith in him. For some reason, the thought was painful to her.

Leonardo frowned. "He loves you... maybe even more than us." He cringed, hating saying that out loud but it was the conclusion that he was forced to accept. Of course his father loved them all, but he and his brothers were different, they weren't his flesh and blood. The love just couldn't be the same, it was close, but not the same. "He's your father, do you think he ever would have stopped loving you?"

"Oroku Saki is my father," Karai replied coldly.

The imaginary invisible wall was put up and Leonardo knew she wasn't going to listen. He held out his hand to her, a desperate attempt to touch her and let something besides his words convince her. Splinter cared about her . . . he cared about her too. Couldn't she see that? She put her hand in his for a moment, eyes meeting his with all her true feelings shining in them. He felt his heart hammering at the touch, she'd done this to him before and he knew that he was swimming in dangerous waters by being this close to her. It wasn't safe for him, the powerful attachment that arose, the desire to protect her, the painful yearning to pull her in closer. He felt weakened and vulnerable and he resisted the urge to close his larger hand over hers. With a shuddering inhale he composed himself.

He could tell that she wanted to see Splinter, he could tell that she wanted to go with him but he knew why she wasn't going to. Loyalty. Her loyalty was to the Shredder. A noble trait and one that attracted him to her immensely, but still something that was a rift between them when it came to where those loyalties lay.

She closed up his hand slowly and pushed it back to him. It was like a gentle rejection to him. But a rejection still the same. And it hurt. She was pushing him away again. He couldn't help but feel sheepish. He knew Karai, what did he expect? For her to keep hold of him? To show affections that he wasn't even sure she had? Most likely she didn't. What woman could feel that way towards them? He had to wake up from this ridiculous dream.

"I get it Karai. Don't think I don't get it. I understand you better than you think." His voice was gentle, it carried a careful note to it, like he was afraid she wouldn't believe him or push away again.

She stepped forward, close, wearing a half-smile. In all that had changed between them she still trusted that. He was on her side. For that she was grateful. She pressed her lips to his cheek for a half a second, Leonardo forgot to breathe. She took a step back watching his hand go to his cheek in surprise. It was a small consolation to all this mess that she got to see the turtle who was so easy to throw off-kilter.

"Then understand that I'm not ready to be a daughter to your Master."

"I'll give you time," he stated firmly, determined to help her in any way possible.

"Hold your breath for as long as you want to, Leo."

She dismissed him with a wink and then jumped off the building, disappearing as she usually did leaving Leonardo to ponder on why she had to be so difficult all the time and how he was going to break the news to Master Splinter and lift him out of the spiral of depression and regret he seemed to be getting sucked into. As he turned away, his mind raced, even as the feeling of her lips on his cheek lingered.

How was he going to get through to Karai? How was he going to prove to her that she really was born to be on their side, that she was really as good as he thought her to be? He was a turtle on a mission. He would get through to that girl. He would show her that they needed her too... that Splinter needed her. He was going to do it even if it killed him. All she needed was to see sense.

That night was a jumble. He had sensed a trap from the beginning, he had even told Splinter not to come, but in the end some sage words from his Master won out and they'd been accompanied to the abandoned office building. Leonardo watched his master unravel when Karai arrived. They'd known Karai for two years and every time it looked like she might become an ally it was like a switch occurred and she ended up fighting them with all the more ferocity than before. Now the beautiful kunoichi was in front of them, mouth agape and eyes blinking rapidly, probably to keep back tears. Would she turn on them again just when she was so close to realizing why she belonged with them?

"You don't have to do this," he remembered saying.

Leonardo didn't struggle when he was held back. This wasn't his place. He and his brothers were there as intruders in a very private moment.

"Leonardo is right. You have a choice Miwa, you always have a choice."

Miwa. He couldn't help but picture what it could have been like if their father had kept Miwa all along. Would she have been raised with them in the sewers? Trained with them? Grown up laughing and playing alongside them as family? He knew his father must have pondered the same thing, with a tinge of regret for the way it could have been. Instead of enemies... Karai could have been closer than a sister to them.

He saw the switch coming before anyone else. Leonardo had become an expert at determining Karai's moods and as soon as he heard, "Don't call me that!" he knew she wouldn't be sticking around. What he didn't expect was the ambush of foot soldiers that dropped in on them from all directions, cornering them until Raph made an escape portal by breaking one of the surrounding windows with the back-end of his sai.

Wind whipped them from all around and rain splattered on their shells as they leapt down, scaling the outside of the building to get back to their underground shelter of the sewers.

He was frustrated. Nothing he could do or say could get through to the stubborn girl. It was even more frustrating because he knew her so well and he understood it, even if it didn't make things easier.

"You tried your best," Mikey said upon Leo's return patting him on the shell, the outside of his mouth splattered with the slightest bit of tomato sauce at the sides.

"She just needs time," Leo justified her actions to his brothers. He didn't know why he was always doing that, defending her, but he couldn't help it. It was a knee-jerk reaction that was brought on by the honor that she had earned. And that little squirming feeling in the pit of his stomach which controlled him more than his brain whenever she was near him. There was that hope again, pointless desperate hope that he alone carried. Time. Time was his answer now.

"Time to get together a plan to take us out for good," Raph said with his eyes narrowed.

Leonardo shook his head. "No, she's so close. If she can just see-"

"And how many times have you said something like that before, huh?" His hot-headed brother scoffed. "And what always happens? It's time to give it up, Fearless. Accept the facts in front of your beak. She's never going to be one of us. Life just don't work out like that." He shrugged, "It is what it is. She was raised by Shredder. She's loyal to him. Just because you're hot and bothered for her ain't gonna change things."

Leonardo's wide stance stiffened immediately, muscles pulling tight.

That was a low blow but he chose to ignore it and it wasn't why Leonardo had been defending her so staunchly... was it? Not all of the reason he had been. He prided himself in not being clouded by emotions like his brothers were at times. Was it really true that he was sucked in by his feelings for her? No. He was doing this for Master Splinter, not for himself. His father deserved to get his daughter back, his father deserved to right the wrong that had occurred 17 years ago.

"Splinter deserves his daughter back," he said ignoring his brother's remark but feeling the back of his neck heat up, "I'm telling you she wants to . . . she's just confused . . . And besides, she's the one that went looking for us tonight. I think that proves something."

"Whatever you say," Raph stated sarcastically with his hands put up in mock surrender but Leonardo knew this wouldn't be the end of the debate.

"We should get back." Donatello said uneasily, never liking it when his older brothers came to heads with one another.

"Yeah, we wasted enough time already," Mikey backed him up, "And now we've gotta go get another pizza."

"What do you mean 'go get another pizza'? You practically swallowed that last one in one gulp." Raph turned to him, unamused.

"I mean go get a pizza for you guys," he chuckled. "Karai ruined the other one."

"Which didn't stop you from eating it all."

"Yeah, yeah... whatever. You're just jealous because I was quicker than you as usual," he snickered. He stuck his tongue half out of his mouth, taunting his brother, blue eyes alight with humor.

While Raphael tackled Mikey to the ground, Donatello shot Leo a heavy look. Maybe it was telling him that he had bitten off more than he could chew (much like Mikey with the pizza mere moments ago). Maybe telling him that he supported him for trying. Leonardo gave a grim smile and gazed over the rooftops, wondering just where Karai had gotten to now and whether tonight had made any progress whatsoever in getting through that steely exterior of hers.

To Close: In light of the most recent ep, this needed to be rewritten just a lil bit. Any advice? Sock it to me.