You Could Be Happy

You could be happy
And I won't know
But you weren't happy
The day I watched you go
– Snow Patrol

The moment he spots her, he stops responding to his brothers. His breath halts in his throat, his heart slows down, and his hands shake at the sheer impossibility of what his eyes are showing him. Karai is not mutated. She is her normal self, but she hasn't noticed him yet. If this is real… she'll sense me. She will turn around.

Because that's how they were, even when they were sworn enemies, their bodies seemed to gravitate towards each other in battle – the eagerness to be close, even if it were to fight was too much to deny.

Leonardo can barely hear Raphael asking what the heck was wrong with him, because his entirety was focused on her. Karai had his complete attention – as usual.

All at once, her shoulders tense and she stands rigid. Her gaze; once watching the sky and the brilliant stars that shine down on her was ripped away as her eyes catch his.

It's her.

His feet carry him forward before he can hesitate long enough to inform his brothers – there's no time for that. Not when she can disappear without a moment's notice. His eyes do not disconnect from her face as he lands heavily on the rooftop that they now share. She turns, lips parting to speak, "Leo-"

Her words cut off when he pulls her into him. His grasp is too strong for her to struggle, and she doesn't. Her arms come around his neck to accept his desperate embrace. She sighs against his shoulder; one of content and regret.

"Karai?" Mikey's voice sounds from behind Leo.

Karai offers the youngest turtle a small smile. "Hey guys."

Leo pulls back, but grips her arms to keep her rooted in spot. "This can't be real, I saw you – we all saw you! You fell in the vat-!"

"Stockman altered it," Karai explains gently. "I don't know what he put into it but I can… shift into mutant form. I can't control it."

Leo chuckles in disbelief. "I can't believe it."

Karai nods her understanding. But regret twinges deep within her chest. He will want her to come home, and as much as she wants to build her life with them and her father… she can't. Not when she cannot control herself when in snake form. The thirst is too much and the past week, regrets have piled up. Is it selfish of her to want to protect them?

"Master Splinter will be so relieved," Donnie breathes his own relief, shaking his head with a smile.

And while the others talk enthusiastically about the prospect of Master Splinter snapping out of his funk, Leonardo's eyes become hooded as he watches Karai. He knows me too well, she thinks with an audible sigh. She slips her arms from his grasp, grazing his palm with hers as she twists her hands upwards to catch his fingers in a gentle hold.

"I can't," she says softly, only to him.

Leo looks as if he's about to argue, about to grab her against her will and drag her down to the sewers kicking and screaming – but he doesn't.

"How long?"

"Until I can control it."

That's not an answer. Well, it's not an answer he likes so Leonardo keeps his mouth shut, but he cannot find it within himself to let her go. He wants to help her, no matter what the consequences are but he cannot blame her for wanting to protect them.

"Let me help."

"Leo-"

"Please." His words are pleading, and his fingers tighten around hers. "I'll meet you whenever, wherever you want. Just say the word."

After a long moment of silence, one that couldn't even be penetrated by Mikey's joyful laughter and yelping as Raphael hits him – Karai nods.

"I'll come to you when I can."

And that's all he wants. He wants her to be safe, wants her to feel wanted and above all, he wants her to be happy. And he hopes, as long as she knows he won't give up, that he can offer all of that to her, and more.

Just a quick little one shot. This is basically what I wish happened after an almost 3 month break of episodes -_- good to have them back though!

Byee~