Well, I'm back with a new story. This is what I've taken to calling the 'dark sequel' to "Beautiful Disaster". I've been having a great bit of fun writing this, and I finally was able to finish it. So, expect to be seeing some regular updates on this story (so long as I can remember them). I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT or any of its characters. I have Amy and Gage. Chris Nova belongs to Solaris Prime.


"Amy… I'm sorry."

"Will I see you again?"

"Turn around."

Amelia Hamato's eyes snapped open and she was met by darkness. Light snoring beside her reminded her she was perfectly safe; in the room she shared Gage Turner. She slowly sat up in bed, resting a hand on her forehead before slipping out from under the covers and walking to the kitchen. She filled a glass with water from the tap and gulped it down, cringing when the glass clinked when she placed it in the sink. With a heavy sigh, she leaned against the counter and stared out the window of their apartment. That was the tenth night in a row she'd had that dream, where she saw her deceased brother again. It was bad enough she still thought she heard him, but two years after his death? That was just ridiculous.

And still, Amy couldn't help but feel as though it wasn't as ridiculous as she told herself. She had seen and felt him a year ago, when she was captured by Agent Bishop and Baxter Stockman. She was given his other blade, something she couldn't have possibly obtained if he wasn't real. She still kept both of them with her. Chris saved her life that night, and she couldn't help but believe he was still alive out there, somewhere. But why he hadn't shown himself to her or their family was anybody's guess. Amy sighed heavily as she made her way back into the bedroom, sliding into bed without a sound. Sadly, stealth is difficult to accomplish when one's bedmate has also been trained as a ninja.

"Amy?" Gage asked groggily, sitting up in bed. "It's four in the morning. Is everything okay?" Amy shook her head, though she wondered if Gage could see her in the darkness. She didn't doubt it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. Just a bad dream," she answered easily. Gage's hand rested on her shoulder, as though he was still concerned.

"You've been having a bad dream every night for almost two weeks now." Amy frowned and wondered why Gage hadn't said anything before now if he'd known about her getting up in the middle of the night.

"It's nothing. Go back to sleep. My family's visiting tomorrow."

"Remind me again why we gave Michelangelo permission to plan our wedding," Gage said with a chuckle as he leaned back and pulled the blanket over himself again. Amy did the same, but found she couldn't sleep. She couldn't close her eyes without being plagued by visions of a man who should be dead. With a feeling of longing in her chest that hadn't disappeared in two years, Amelia closed her eyes and tried to sleep.


Later in the morning, Amy and Gage were busy preparing their apartment for Amelia's family to visit. While most couples would be spending their morning scrubbing the floors to impress the future in-laws, their preparations included ensuring the window by the fire escape was unlocked while all other windows were shielded from prying eyes. It wasn't that Amelia was embarrassed of her family; far from it. The problem was that the neighbors would call every number imaginable if they saw four giant mutated turtles, a rat and a salamander.

"You didn't have to pretty the place up for us," a tenor voice with a surfer tone said from behind Amy as she finished wiping down the kitchen counter. She didn't bat an eye and simply finished with her task before turning around and hugging the turtle wearing an orange eye mask.

"I heard you open the window, Mikey. Good to see you," she answered with a smile. Amy caught a glimpse of a face in the window and her smile faltered, but it was gone before she could blink. She could've sworn she saw Chris.

"You okay, Amy?" She turned her attention back to the youngest of her older brothers and simply shook her head.

"Yeah. Just a little tired, that's all. Is everyone else in the living room?"

"Duh. You know, you really should learn how to be a better hostess."

Amy rolled her eyes as she walked to the living room with Michelangelo. She was greeted by the faces she was raised with, as well as a face that recently returned to her life. Along with her brothers and surrogate father, there was a mutated green salamander known as Mona Lisa. She'd returned to New York City just over a year ago and had become like a sister to Amy.

"There's the bride-to-be!" Mona exclaimed as she came forward to hug the woman in question.

"It's good to see you guys," Amy said. "Do you want anything? We're ordering pizza later."

"We're fine, Amy. We were just talking to Gage about what you guys are planning for the wedding," Donatello answered.

"Hey! I'm the planner here!" Mikey yelled. A low chuckle echoed in Amy's ears and she turned to see who it was. To her disappointment, nobody was there. She quickly turned her attention back to her family.

"Amelia," her father and teacher said, his sage-like voice commanding the attention of everyone in the room. Amy bowed her head to him.

"Yes, Master Splinter," she answered.

"This is a joyous time for you, but why does such sadness linger in your eyes?"

Amy shook her head quickly, prepared to give him the same answered she'd given Michelangelo. "I've just been having trouble sleeping. It's nothing to worry about. I'm glad you could come out and visit. We have so much to talk about and plan for the wedding and I want you all to be a… part of it…" Her voice trailed off as she saw a shadow on the window shades from outside.

"Amy?" Gage asked, looking his fiancée over curiously.

Amelia quickly crossed the living room and pulled the curtain to the side. The shadow was gone, but she could see a figure fleetingly out of the corner of her eye. She blinked twice, questioning whether or not her mind was playing tricks on her. She couldn't possibly be seeing him, could she? After all, she hadn't encountered him since her rescue a year ago.

Before she could question herself further, Amy was already climbing out the window and running down the fire escape to chase after the fleeting image of Christopher Nova. She could hear her brothers yelling after her, but they couldn't follow her without risking exposure in broad daylight. Amy's shoes pounded on the concrete as she weaved her way through the alleys and people in her chase.

"Chris! Wait!" she yelled.

She could only catch glimpses of the man—the top of his head over a crowd, his shoulder as he rounded a corner—but she knew she was following her brother. He may have been great at stealth, but that didn't mean she couldn't see him now. The figure brought her to the park, through the trees and to a clearing with a single stone marker. Amelia stopped short, no longer seeing her brother. Her gaze fell on the memorial stone that stated Christopher Nova's name and his lifespan.

"Amy, what are you doing?" Gage's voice demanded from nowhere. She jumped, resting a hand over her heart, and turned to look at him. The worry in his eyes was clear, but Amy couldn't seem to see it. Instead, she turned back to the memorial stone and fell to her knees with tears in her eyes.

"I saw him. I know I did." Gage's hands rested on her shoulders and he pulled her into a gentle embrace.

"Amy… we should go home."


I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter. Please R&R.