Rynn stared out the window. She hoped this was the night Raph would return but it never was. A year had gone by now, and she was getting worried. She just hoped he was all right. He was far from okay.
Time seemed to sease to exist, and his mind was slowly spinning to down a dark spiral. Voices he thought he would forget, but they haunted him...
"Go ahead! We don't need you!" That was Leo.
"You are here because the ouside world rejects you..." Shreader...
"You are unique among your brothers..." Splinter.
"You're DNA doesn't match ours." And Donnie's. The one who discovered the truth.
The ugliness of those words were always fighting with another's voice. Rynn's. "I'll miss you..."
The tap on her window caused her to come out of her thoughts of Raph. She was surprised to see Keno before her. "Keno." she went to let him in. This was becoming a bad habit of his but she had to admit. She enjoyed his company and he helped eased the pain of missing Raph.
"When are you going to use the door?" she asked him when he was in.
"When your uncle starts to like me."
"And that will be when hell freezes over." she said.
"Yeah, he didn't like us when we snuck out so long ago did he?"
"No." she answered. "How are the guys?"
Keno shook his head. "Not good."
Rynn had slowly stopped visiting them. She figured if she did so, it would help but it didn't. It made it worse. Keno always gave her the heads up, and it was never good. Mikey didn't smile anymore. Donnie was becoming more and more like her uncle, and Leo just put his frustration in his practice session, which these days, he did alone.
"You know Donnie is actually thinking of giving up science." Keno informed her that night.
"What are you serious?" she asked, shocked. "But why? He's brilliant!"
Keno looked at her. "You know why..."
"Yeah..." she sighed. "Damn."
"Rynn, whats going on in there?" Perry's voice came from outside her door.
"Shit," she cursed again. "You have to hide."
"Where?" Keno asked.
"There. Under the bed!" Rynn helped him by pushing him under. Once he was under, she rushed to the door. "What?" she demanded of her uncle.
"Is someone in here?"
"No," she answered quickly. A little too quickly to his case. "I'm just talking to myself." That was always the excuse she used.
"I'm getting worried with that habbit of your's."
Rynn rolled her eyes. "Everything I do worries you."
Perry shook his head and left her alone, knowing there was nothing he could do with her. When he left, she went to help Keno from under the bed.
"Such a charmer uh?" Keno asked.
"Yeah, really." she agreed saracastically.
"Look, why don't you come with me?" suggested Keno. "You haven't seen the guys in awhile and I know they miss you. Maybe you'll be able to cheer them up."
"I doubt it. They suffered another loss Keno, it's true that Raph didn't die, but in a way, he did..."
Keno laughed. "You're starting to sound like Leo."
"Shut up, am not." she hit him playfully.
"See, you need to see them." Keno urged her.
"All right, all right." Rynn finally gave into him. "Lets go."
"Guys, look who I picked up on the streets." Keno announced to the guys once they were down in the den.
"RYNNIE!" Mikey cried happily and glomped her.
"Mikey, air!" she breathed.
"I thought you didn't like us anymore." he said to her.
"You know I love you guys, it's just..."
"We know." he said as he let go. He knew she missed Raph, like all of them.
Rynn looked over at Donnie. He was putting his books, projects, and computer away. He caught her gaze. Then went back to packing without saying a word. Then she noticed that Leo wasn't around. "Where's Leo?" she asked.
"Splinter's old bunk." Mikey answered.
"Excuse me." she went to find him.
There he was as Mikey had told her. "Leo?"
Leo turned to find Rynn before him. He was surprised to see her. "It's been awhile."
"I know, I'm sorry about that..." she apologized. "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." he answered.
Rynn knew better. If Leo were to have a theme song, "I'm Fine" would be it. She could tell by his eyes that he wasn't. "Yeah, right." she said. "Leo its okay to miss him you know."
"You don't understand, I have to be fine." Leo told her. "If I don't, then who else will be strong for my brother's? If I break now, then that will show signs that I've giving all hope of Raph coming home."
"You know its not healthy to keep it all in."
He gave her a small laugh. "I use to say that to Raph."
"Then maybe you should follow your own advice." said Rynn.
"I'm sorry, I just can't..."
"Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you know where to find me." Rynn offered with a smile. "Come join us outside when you're ready."
Rynn turned to leave when Leo stopped her. "Hey Rynn."
She turned back around. "Yes?"
Leo bowed. "Thank you."
Rynn laughed and returned his bow. As Rynn went to join the others, someone else returned, but not to the den. To New York City.
TBC...