Never Loose Hope
A/N: I have been thinking of this story since season three started, and I have had many sleepless nights because I was fighting the urge to write it on account I have Firsts to finish, Stolen Child to Finish and After the Blaze to work on. But I can not fight it any longer so here it is.
Eight months earlier...
His head was swimming and heavy as he tried to sit up, he coughed up the water that had gone into his lungs. He knew he had lost the fight with Shredder, after another wave of nausea passed he leaned over the edge of the walk way and threw up more of the sewer water that had gotten into his body.
Every part of his body was aching and in pain, he sat up and looked around, it was dark but thanks to being a rat he could see. And he saw that he was alone, the last thing he remembered was his second eldest son's please. He remembered continuing the fight for them, he had know way of knowing where Leonardo was. But he knew that Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo and April was ok, he could still hear their cries in his head as he got to his feet.
Looking around once more he knew he was half a mile away from the lair.
"maybe they went back home?"
He said aloud to himself.
He walked for what seemed like hours until he found their home, stepping inside he saw all the krang droids scattered all over the place.
"Donatello? Raphael? Michelangelo? April?"
Taking a ragged breath he said the final name that brought tears to his eyes.
"Leonardo?"
With a heavy heart he walked around the lair looking for his lost family, the tv flickered in the living room. He walked over to it to see a camera flick to life and he saw hoards of mutants scrambling around the city. He frowned and said allowed.
"what happened?"
He perked his ears up at the sound of movement from near his sons rooms, he raced in that direction.
"Turtles? April? Who's there?"
From the shadows he saw a small figure appear, his eyes filled up with tears once the figure came into the light.
"father... Master Splinter... I... Oh my..."
Karai ran into her father's arms, she was in human form, she felt hot tears running down her face as she said into his damp robe.
"i have not seen them father... I looked for them every where..."
Splinter looked down at his daughter and asked.
"do you know of Leonardo? What happened to him?"
Karai bowed her head when her father let go of her, she had tears running down her face.
"the Shredder... he defeated him... I saw the battle... I tried to fight as well but Tiger Claw wouldn't let me in there to save him... so I went to find the other turtles... I ran into Casey and Raphael... they had been running to April's apartment."
Splinter looked around his home before asking.
"was he alive the last time you knew?"
Karai felt a cry leave her throat as she started to cry.
"I-I can't be for sure... maybe he was just unconscious? But... they through him threw a window... that was when I ran into the sewers when I felt my self get angry and mutate into a snake."
Splinter hugged her again, he was grateful that at least one of his children was safe.
"doesnt it shock you father that I'm human?"
Splinter gave her a weak smile and told her softly.
"Donatello saw you change form one night, he told me after wards despite Leonardo's warnings not to. Since then the two have not been getting along."
Karai looked up at her father's face and told him.
"we will find them father, I promise you that. I don't know where the turtles went but I don't think they are in the city anymore."
"How do you know this?"
Karai noticed how weak her father was getting from standing so long she lead him to the torn up couch and had him sit down.
"right after I rescued you from the swirling water, I went topside. I saw Donatello and Raphael getting into a colorful looking van. I didn't see Michelangelo but I assume he got in before I saw the other two. I saw Casey in the drivers seat and April in passenger, so I think they sought out shelter out side of the city some where."
That made him feel some what better, that his sons were out of harms way, but he still worried about Leonardo.
Karai saw the question in his eyes that he wanted to ask.
"Leonardo's with them father... I saw him laying in the floor of the van just as the two got inside and before the door shut. As far as I know he may still be alive but I don't know."
She watched as her father bowed his head, she knew he was hurting and not just from his injuries, she knew his heart was breaking due to his sons disappearance. She wondered if this is how he felt after her mother died and she was kidnapped.
After nearly ten minutes of silence she spoke softly.
"how long father? After mom died did you... did you find the turtles?"
Splinter felt tears well up in his eyes, he tilted his head up and looked forward into nothing as he spoke.
"I came to New York about two months after your mother's funeral... the fire department found no traces of you in our home... they said... they said that... you um... had most likely burned in the fire..."
Taking a deep ragged breath he continued.
"after your memorial wich was shortly after your mothers funeral I left Japan. I only took what was necessary including our family picture. Once I got to New York I took classes at the local university to learn english better so I could function here in the States. I found a low paying job and an apartment but I found it to be lonely. So I went to the pet shop down town, there they had just got a shipment in of various pets."
He smiled at the memory, he looked over at his daughter and told her gently.
"I found swimming in an aquarium four baby turtles, they were so little and cute. The attendant asked me if I wanted one, I picked one up and the rest came swimming to the side of the tank. That was when the attendant told me they were brothers. I didnt have the heart to separate them so I took them all, not maybe thirty minutes later our lives changed forever."
Karai knew what he ment by that, that they were mutated.
Splinter looked over at his daughter again and told her.
"they were not your replacement my child, they filled the empty space yes. But they could never replace you. I never forgot about you or your mother, raising the turtles had been an adventure all on its own and a struggle as well. There were times we didnt have enough food for us all. I failed them though..."
She could hear her father trail off, scooting around on the couch she looked into his brown eyes.
"father, dont talk like that! You didnt fail them. You fought for them, for me, for New York, yes we lost a battle. But Shredder wont get away with this."
"He told me he took Leonardo away from me the way he took you..."
Karai frowned and asked him.
"would you like me to go check? I am sure I saw him get thrown through a window and I am very sure it was him in that van. I kept my distance, I didn't want them to see me, I was scared of distracting them. I knew they needed to get out of here."
Splinter shook his head, and told her gently.
"no, but thank you."
Karai folded her hands in her lap and looked around at the destroyed lair, she knew this had been the turtles home for 15 years.
"why dont you go get cleaned up father, while I try and clean this place up a little. I will make us something to eat and make some tea. Then we will go find another place to live."
Splinter looked over at his daughter and told her.
"thank you my child, I think a shower would benefit me."
Splinter walked to the bathroom and shut the door. Walking over to the closet Donatello had built for him he pulled out a clean robe and set it on the sink. Taking off his old one he put it in the basket.
Standing under the hot water he let the tears flow, he knew his exterior wounds would heal but the greatest one was the loss of his children. He had raised them from infancy, and now they were gone.
Using the scrub brush he lathered it up with soap and scrubbed the nasty sewage that had gotten under his robe and now stuck to his fur.
He reached for the soap again to wash a second time when he took notice of Michelangelo's mask discarded on the tubs edge. Picking it up he ran his fingers over the fabric, he held it close to his body for a moment as the tears came again. Oh how he missed his sons, he put the mask down and finished his shower.
Karai looked up at the clock and noticed her father had been in the shower for nearly an hour, she frowned and went to the bathroom. Knocking on the door she said.
"Father? Are you alright?"
She could hear movement and knew he was there.
"yes, I am sorry Miwa I will be out shortly."
Karai nodded in understanding and went back to the kitchen, she saw that the turtles had pretty well cleaned house when they left. They had taken most of the food in the pantry but left some things behind, she was able to make soup and sandwiches for them to eat.
While the soup was warming she wandered into Donatello's lab and found the first aid kit, she could tell not every thing was in it. But there was enough she could help her father clean his wounds. Taking it into the kitchen she saw her father walk in soon after her.
She sat a bowl of soup down in front of him and said.
"father, I know you miss them, but they are still alive. I will try to find out where they went, I know how to tap into security footage and do scans and things like that. Can I use Donatello's computer to do this?"
Splinter took a sip of tea and said.
"do what you have to, I am sure he would not mind if you used his computer. Is his laptop still here?"
"no, it looks like he took it with him, along with some medical supplies."
They were silent as they ate, after Karai finished she asked.
"I do know of a farm house just about an hour outside of town, its upstate. I ran away from Shredder once and that is where I ended up. He never found me though... I wound up coming back because I got scared of the woods all around."
Splinter looked up at her.
"do you know who owns it?"
"my best guess is Kirby O'Neil."
Splinter sighed and said.
"is the Shell Raizer still here?"
"yes but its on its side, and there are holes blown into it."
Splinter finished his food and put his plate in the sink, placing his hands on the counter he sighed and told his daughter.
"first thing we have to do is search for another place to live, then we come back here and strip it bare and take what is fixable to the new home."
Karai nodded and told her father.
"then we find the turtles right?"
Splinter turned around and she could see the determination in his eyes.
"Yes, then we find the turtles."