A/N: Sorry for the delay. I hope you can forgive me. Please accept this chapter as a token of my sincerest apologizes.

Disclaimer: see chapter one

Michelangelo stared through the window of a pet shop. Inside he could see large cages with several small kittens and puppies playing around with each other or with toys that had been placed in the cage with them. Michelangelo felt his eyes burn when he saw one kitten that looked similar to Klunk. It had been a week since he had buried his beloved friend, but the pain of the loss was still fresh. Splinter had tried to help him talk through his pain, but Michelangelo felt like letting go of it would be letting go of Klunk's memory. It was something his brothers had done easily enough; forgetting about Klunk as soon as he was buried. It made Michelangelo's stomach twist in anger. Klunk had been like a brother to them, how could they just forget about him so easily?

Donatello had suggested getting another cat, which just made Michelangelo's anger burn even hotter. Not only were his brothers forgetting about Klunk, they were planning on replacing him with some common cat. Klunk had been special. It had been fate that Michelangelo had found him in the park. They had a bond. A bond that came from both of them being social outcasts; Klunk as a stray that no one wanted and Michelangelo as a mutant that everyone ran away from in fear. The others just didn't understand that. No matter how many times he tried explaining it to them, they would never understand.

Michelangelo shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and walked away from the pet store. He didn't know how he was going to continue on without Klunk. He hadn't told anyone, but sometimes he thought he saw Klunk running around the lair or curled up on his bed asleep. Michelangelo liked to think that the reason he was seeing Klunk was because his friend was still with him, even in spirit. He stopped his walk and looked skyward. A cool, fall breeze blew across his face, chilling him. Michelangelo shivered and continued on his way back to the lair.

The hammock gently swayed from side to side. Amber eyes stared up at the ceiling, distant and cold. A piece of red cloth hung from limp fingers and brushed against the floor as the hammock rocked. The cloth had been an old mask that Klunk had claimed as his own when he was first brought into the lair. Raphael half expected to feel a slight tug on the other end from the playful kitten. But, it never came. Raphael lifted the piece of cloth up and studied it. The edges were ragged from years of teeth chewing on it.

Raphael sighed sadly and his eyes began to burn. He never knew he could get so attached to a little animal, but Klunk had stolen his heart just as much as he had stolen Michelangelo's. The tabby had grown to become one of the family; and the best little ninja cat in ninjitsu history. Losing Klunk was like losing a brother. It had left a hole where nothing could fill it. Klunk seemed to always know when Raphael needed someone to vent to, besides the punching bag. The little cat always showed up just before Raphael lost himself to his anger, coaxing the turtle in his own way to talk through his anger instead of blowing up. Klunk had been a great listener.

Raphael closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. His arm fell to his side and his hand relaxed. The cloth gently floated to the floor. It wasn't going to be the same without Klunk around.

The lab seemed darker; lonelier. Even with the lights on a shadow had cast itself over the once happy room. Donatello numbly tightened a screw in his shell cell. Nothing he did brought him any joy. He had hoped that he could work the pain away, but working only seemed to make the pain worse. He missed having his building buddy. Klunk would always make time to come in and see what the purple masked turtle was up to; sometimes distracting him so much that Donatello would give up trying to fix whatever he was working on and play with the tabby.

Donatello's eyes drifted over to his computer, his eyes lingering on the desktop picture. The picture had been taken by one of his brothers. It depicted the purple masked turtle fast asleep with his head on his work table and Klunk curled up beside his head, also asleep. Donatello felt his heart clench in icy sorrow. He had seen the loss of a loved one depicted countless times throughout the media and movies, but he had never experienced it for himself; until now. He felt guilty that he wasn't a whimpering mess, crying his eyes out until there were no tears left to shed. But, then he had read that everyone mourned differently.

However, was he mourning or trying to bury Klunk's memory? That thought made the guilt sharpen even more. Donatello hunched over in his chair, pulling his arms to his chest and curled into a ball; hanging his head and closing his eyes. He wanted Klunk back. He wished that there was a way to bring him back, but no matter how advanced science became it would never advance enough to bring back the dead. Besides, Klunk was in a better place. He was no longer suffering. To wish that he had lived longer would only have prolonged his suffering and that was just as cruel as having to put him to sleep.

So, Donatello would bury himself in his work; losing himself in his inventions, trying to work through the cold, stabbing pain of loss. And maybe, if he came out on the other side in one piece, he would find some peace and the memory of Klunk wouldn't be painful, but happy, just like the little cat himself.

The first time Michelangelo had brought Klunk home Leonardo had been skeptical about whether or not his brother was responsible enough to have a pet. He was even a little bit concerned about what it would be like for Splinter having a cat around. But, the feline had warmed all of their hearts and had intertwined himself in their lives so much that he became one of them. Leonardo had sometimes considered cats to be cold and distant, and some were; but not Klunk. Even as a kitten he was warm and inviting. Leonardo often wondered who saved whom on that fateful Christmas Eve night. Klunk immediately claimed the lair as his own and any newcomers had to get past him before entering.

Leonardo remembered the first time he tried to go into the dojo to meditate, only to find Klunk sitting in the doorway. The two stared at each other, golden eyes locked with brown. The cat looked up at the turtle with a mischievous glint in his eyes, almost daring the turtle in blue to take a step inside the dojo. When Leonardo did try to enter the dojo, Klunk swiped at his feet, digging his little claws into the sensitive skin. Leonardo had playfully pushed the kitten over with his foot, which only excited Klunk more. The kitten wanted to play and he had chosen the level-headed leader as his playmate.

Leonardo had tried to shoo Klunk away, telling him to go play with Michelangelo. However, Klunk was relentless. Every time Leonardo would begin to slip into a meditative trance, he would always be pulled back by the sound of claws scraping across his shell, which was quickly followed by a high pitched meow. Leonardo would shoo Klunk away and try to resume his meditation, but the kitten would always wander back; until finally Leonardo caved in. Michelangelo had grumbled and complained that Leonardo had been the first one to teach Klunk a trick, which had been how to play fetch.

Leonardo ran his fingers over the gashes in his shell made by Klunk's tiny claws. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, trying to focus his mind enough to meditate. Whether it was his memory or his ears playing tricks on him, the last thing Leonardo heard before he slipped into a deep trance was the sound of Klunk's playful meowing.

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