Three

That night (probably sometime close to 3am), I couldn't seem to sleep. My stomach scar burned and I felt unsettled by the things my family had said. I got up late in the darkness to meander to the kitchen. I left the lights mostly off and pulled open the refrigerator door, somehow sensing the presence of my eldest family member.

"Good evening, Rhian-san," Splinter greeted as he looked up at me from the counter. Even half-expecting him, I jumped a bit at his voice.

"Hey. What are you doing in the dark? There are lights you can use, you know."

His fingers were curled around a small steaming mug, probably filled with the herbal tea I always bought for him. "The darkness doesn't bother me."

I shut the door and turned on the light above my sink. "Still, it can't be safe to start wandering in total darkness. You could stub your toe." Splinter rose a fuzzy brown brow at me, the whiskers on his nose tilting with his expression. "Ok, maybe not you. But normal people that don't know ninjitsu, say for example me, would appreciate a notice of your presence ahead of time so they don't get startled and trip all over the place."

He gave a small chuckle, raising the cup to his lips. "What keeps you awake this night, Rhian-san?"

I shrugged, pulling out a small glass cup and filling it with water.

"Probably just not used to the new schedule," I lied. "Working only on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays really isn't that bad, but the longer hours definitely throw off my sleeping schedule." Splinter knew I was lying-he always knew-but didn't say a thing.

"I'm sure you'll be used to it in no time," came Leonardo, who approached the counter from the blackened hallway leading to his room.

"Hey, looks like we've got a club started," I joked. "Want me to warm up some tea for you?"

"Sure, that'd be great." Leonardo set himself in the stool at the edge of the bar. I turned up the heat for the kettle and prepared him some of the tea that Splinter was drinking. I gave a moment's hesitation, then made myself some too. Leonardo's forehead furrowed. "I thought you didn't like tea."

"You two are always telling me that it helps you sleep," I countered. "I'm willing to try anything to get a couple of z's."

Leonardo chuckled, sipping his own tea. I took a gulp and shuddered. I typically loved lemon-flavored anything, but this was mixed with some flower that made it overly bitter and sour on my tongue. Leonardo laughed again at my expression. Just to spite him, I took another painful sip.

We sat in the dim lighting of my old home for a few minutes, enjoying the familiarity of the honking horns and yelling New Yorkers outside. The sounds of the city used to bother me when I was a kid, but now it was like a soothing ocean soundtrack that was essential for sleep.

"Rhian," Leonardo began. He didn't meet my eyes, instead twirling the surface of his tea with one of his three large fingers. "There's something we need to tell you."

"What is it?" I felt my heart clench with nervousness, and I clung to my red-highlighted hair with uncertain fingers. It took Leo a little while to spit out what he had to say.

"We've decided that we are going to move back into the sewers."

I nearly toppled from my seat. "The sewers? But…why?"

"We can't keep dwelling on the surface like this, Rhian. This isn't where we belong. But you, this is where you live. You deserve to have a life among people of your own…species. We should be completely moved out by Saturday."

"My own species? But what about my family?"

Leo tensed and stood up, meeting my eyes. "You have family, Rhian. You have a sister that you never bring by and good friends that probably don't even know where you live. This place is a total dead-zone."

"I've never minded that!" I argued. "You are my family. We grew up together, we've lived in this house for years together. We're able to keep your secret just fine because I didn't bring other people over, so I don't see what the issue is."

"The issue is that you're a human and you're living like a mutant." Leo started to get very animated, throwing his arms around the entire space around him. "Look at this place, Rhian. You live in a place with boarded up and blinded windows. You always check the door twice to make sure it's locked for us. You never bring anyone over, or go out yourself. You live like an outcast and keep a distance between you and the people that you care about on the outside. This isn't living, Rhian. This is self-imprisonment."

I sat in my chair astonished. My muscles felt frozen in their positions for a few minutes, unable to hear my brain's neural messages to move around.

"Leo," I finally spoke. "I never felt that way. Not once…"

Leonardo sighed and sat back down, putting a hand on my back. "It's because you never tried to live any other way. We want you to be happy, Rhian. It'll be better this way, to push you back out into the light while we return to the darkness."

Splinter, who'd been silently observing the conversation the entire time, finally chimed in. "Rhian-san, we are dwellers of the night. You've taken care of our family for a long time, but now it is time for us to take care of you."

"This is what's best," Leo added.

I shook my head, closing my eyes to withdraw into myself for a moment. I could understand that concern about being caught on the surface, that would be a reasonable excuse to sink into the safety of New York's sewers. But why did they make seem like it's all about me? Granted, I didn't get out as much as I should. Heck, my skin had even gone a ghostly pale shade. Still, I never once felt like I was missing out on something. I was just happy knowing that I had people waiting at home for me.

Nonetheless…I could still see Leo's concerned expression from behind my eyelids' darkness. I imagined that what he said was also a reflection of his brothers' opinions, too. If this was what they thought would be best for them…

What choice did I have?

I opened my eyes again, giving Leo and Splinter a soft smile. I didn't meet either gaze directly, as I knew that the gesture didn't reach my eyes.

"Then, I support you fully," I told him in the cheeriest voice that I could muster. "I'm sure that you guys will be making the best choices for yourselves, too."

I could tell that neither believed my happiness was true, but Leo at least smiled anyway.

"It'll be good for all of us, I'm sure," he told me. I felt an awkward silence come on after that, so I swiftly stood up from my stool.

"Well, I'll be off to bed, then." I wanted to leave, but my feet couldn't seem to muster up the courage to even flinch. They felt that this would be one of the last times I'd get to spend talking with the two like this…They didn't want to miss a moment. "Will…you guys at least come to visit once in a while?"

Leo shook his head with a small grin. "Of course we will. We'll come to see you as often as possible."

I felt a little bit of my body relax in relief, but that was just because the grief hadn't quite set in yet.

"Then, goodnight to you both." I forced my feet to melt their hesitation and headed off towards my room.

"We'll always be watching over you," Leo added softly. I faltered in my steps. "We'll still be there to protect you."

My lips twisted up ruefully. "I know you will."

- ... - ...

Apologies for the hiatus. Here's the next chapter. :) Please leave constructive criticism! It'll help make the writings more enjoyable and make me a better writer. :) Thank you much!