A/N: The turtles are still not mine, don't have their copyright anywhere. I checked twice today. Might be able to find Macbeth's though...


The lair was quiet. The television was turned off and the left over pizza had been neatly set on the coffee table. They had been gone most of the night and now it was nearing dawn. Splinter's room was still dark. A silent sigh of relief went through them all. It would be a while yet before they'd have to deal with whatever Master Splinter might say.

"Hey, let's grab some munchies from the kitchen. I'm starved." Mikey led the way. The kitchen was a somewhat safe place to hang out due to its distance from Splinter's bedroom.

"I'm pretty hungry myself. I don't think I've eaten since the day before yesterday. Those goons sure weren't going to stop and pick me up a big mac or anything." Sarah yawned, the exhaustion of the past two days sinking in.

Donnie frowned. "Maybe you should go rest. You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch."

She shook her head. "I'm too excited. I don't think I could sleep right now." She gave Donnie a weak smile and he returned it.

"I'll warm up the pizza we had last night." Raph grabbed the box from the coffee table and shoving the pizza in the microwave.

They talked for a while, Sarah told them of her life in Oregon and how boring it had been most of the time. The turtles took turns catching her up to date on their very busy life in the big city. They told her about Shredder, Krang, Rocksteady, Bebop, Leatherhead, the punk frogs, and of course their friendship with April. They were all so wrapped up in their story telling that no one noticed Splinter until he cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him. Sarah slumped slightly in her chair, hiding a little behind Donnie's shoulder. The sudden uncomfortable emotions welling from her made him go stiff and a need to defend her grew inside. "Master, I….We….You remember Sarah?"

"Indeed I do." The old rat began, eyeing the young woman.

Everyone began talking at once.

"Master Splinter, she was being attack by those mobsters and we found her and-" Leo started explaining.

"Shinju's guys kidnapped her and Donnie beat them up, but-" Mikey began.

"She ain't safe up there, Master! She has to stay with us!" Raph shouted a little louder than the others.

Donatello stood, a small growl emanating from deep inside him, interrupting Splinter's intense gaze. "She's staying here." It was all he could muster around the growl. The statement had been more of a demand than anything else. Splinter raised an eyebrow at his son. Donatello usually never took such a stand of defiance against his father.

"Sarah, I would speak with you privately."

Sarah pushed back from the table and stood, but Donnie's hand caught her wrist. "No." His eyes were still transfixed on Splinter.

The old rat sighed. "Fine, you may come too Donatello." The others began to protest, but a quick glare from their master silenced them.

Donnie nodded and Splinter headed for the dojo. He turned to look down at Sarah, her big brown eyes pleading quietly with him. He touched her cheek. "It'll be alright." She nodded, accepting whatever fate may come as long as he was near. His hand slid from her wrist to her hand as he led the way to the dojo.

Inside, Splinter knelt on his straw mat his eyes closed and face hard to read. Donnie and Sarah knelt across from him, folding their hands in their laps respectfully waiting and dreading.

Splinter began to speak his voice cracking some. "What I did all those years ago, I do not regret. It was for the best and even so it did break my own heart to make you go, Sarah. But I feared for both you and Donatello." Donnie opened his mouth to protest but was quieted by Splinter's hand. "But seeing you today reminded me that if one lets love go and it returns, then it was true to begin with. You were a human girl, Sarah. How could I be certain that you would remain in the sewers with us as you grew or that you might hope for a family of your own someday? I had to be sure and to do so, you had to go be in the world above. I knew it would be very hard on both of you. Even as children you had developed some type of psychic connection that could not be denied. As I suspected would happen you both grew untethered by the other, until now. Until you were old enough to understand the great sacrifice both of you will have to make."

Sarah raised her eyes and for the first time spoke to Splinter, her gaze full of conviction. "There is no sacrifice here, Master Splinter, only reality. Fate has brought me back to nearly the same place that you found me all those years ago. And our bond is what saved me. There is nothing in me, but love and joy and gratitude. There is no room for regret or resentment." A smile slowly crept over Splinter's lips. Sarah's response was to throw her arms around the old rat's neck. "I've missed you too, Master Splinter."

Donnie sat quietly examining his hands. He hadn't understood as a child, but now as an adult he understood what Splinter had done. He understood it was done to protect their hearts, both of them. It had been done with the knowledge that his own son might despise him for it. A doubt sprang into his mind, but was quickly washed away as Sarah's warm hand touched his shoulder and her confidence swelled inside him. He met her eyes and there was complete certainty there. She already knew what he was thinking and wanted to reassure him. Donnie stood to leave, but Splinter spoke once more.

"I will ask you to be mindful of others and respect their presence." He raised his head a little more. "Take things slowly. Respect one another as well." Splinter felt his warning was somewhat unnecessary, but it must be said.

"Yes, Master. And thank you, Master." Donnie bowed deeply to his father, giving the ancient rat the full respect he was due. With that they left Splinter to his meditation.


"They've been in there awhile now. Maybe we should check on them." Leo paced the living room.

"Well, I ain't heard any shoutin'. That's got to be a good sign." Raph remarked. He ought to know since he was usually on the receiving end of Splinter's lectures.

Just then Sarah and Donnie rounded the corner into the living room. "Everything's okay, guys. Splinter is letting me stay. He didn't even put up a fight." Sarah said, a smile creeping across her face followed by a long yawn.

Donnie slipped an arm around her waist. "Come on, you need some sleep. It's been a long night." He turned her toward the bedroom they all shared. Due to the lack of doors there was little privacy in the place, except if they split off to separate sections of the lair. Which happened when they'd have a big enough fight that the boys didn't want to have anything to do with each other for a while. The other three turtles followed shortly as they too were tired.

Donnie showed Sarah his alcove in the bedroom and was about to leave, when Sarah caught his hand. "Where will you sleep, if I have your bed?"

He smiled, tired but amused. "On the couch for now. Maybe later today we'll find a more permanent arrangement." He started to leave again.

"Stay." Her soft plea caught his attention. He realized with a bit of guilt how terrifying her life must have been up until now. How everyday she must have feared for her life, always looking over her shoulder. She wanted to feel safe, if only for a few more minutes. She blushed a little. "Just until I fall asleep."

He nodded solemnly and settled down into a seated position on the floor beside the bed. He had to admit being this close to Sarah made his own body relax and sleep wanted to consume him, as her steady even breath echoed in his ears and the smell of lavender filled his nose. The last conscious thought he had was, How did I ever forget that scent