Three: The best Christmas

Meanwhile, Leo wasn't doing so well. He was on the rooftops trying to fight off the Foot Bots.

He continued his fight while also trying to keep his gift from Caitlin safe. ''You guys just don't know when to give up do you?'' suddenly Leo tripped over a fallen Foot Bot and dropped Caitlin's present.

''No!'' it bounced off a few heads of the Foot Bots, then fell off the roof into the alley below. Leo landed in the alley below and he saw it across from him.

He smiled and just when he was about to reach for it, a Foot Bot landed in the alley, crushing the locket under his foot.

And Leo was ticked off. ''Are you kidding me?! that was my present for Caitlin!'' He took out his katana and charged for the Foot Bot.

*…*

Back at the tree place,Raph and Casey were still cleaning up.

Raph sighed, ''well this sucks.''

''Hey but despite how things work it'll be so worth it when get the tree'' Casey replied.

''Agreed.''

They continued to clean up and were almost finished when a man walked in.

''Excuse me, I was wondering if I could by that tree over there'' he said pointing to the tree Raph and Casey were arguing over earlier.

They looked at each other before looking back at the man, ''sorry the tree's been reserved'' Casey lied. ''That's alright, I-I understand.'' He turned to leave but not before two little kids, a girl and a boy came in.

''Daddy did you get the tree?'' said the little girl, ''is that the tree were getting for Christmas?'' ''Sorry sweetie, it isn't but I promise we'll find one.''

''Awww'' the kids said with a frown. Raph and Casey looked at each other again, they felt terrible. They knew there were no trees left and the family was going to come back empty handed.

''Wait a sec,'' said Raph ''you don't have to do that you can take the tree. The tree is ours and the person who reserved it is no longer interested.''

''Oh thank you so much.'' They watched as they paid and left with the tree, happy that they made the right choice.

*…*

Back to the lair, April and Mikey had finally gotten back.

April sighed, ''I hope Caitlin likes this.''

Mikey nodded, ''agreed. And looks like were the first ones back, you think the others did better than us?''

''I have no idea Mikey.''

They headed to the kitchen where they found it to be a mess. Batter everywhere. burned food, and foam coming from the fire extinguisher.

''Wow, this place is a wreck.''

''Agh stupid thing!''

they looked over and saw Donnie completely frustrated and holding the fire extinguisher.

''Donnie are you okay? what happened in here?'' asked April. ''I was trying to cook the food properly like the stupid book instructed. But things didn't turn out so well, and then it kind of set on fire. I knew I shouldn't have done the cooking.''

April knelt next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. ''It's ok Donnie you tried your'e best.''

Then they heard footsteps from the other room and walked out to see who it was. Raph and Casey came in first and then looking completely exhausted.

''What happened to you guys?'' asked Mikey, ''We ran into a few problems picking out a tree, and we kind of got into a fight, then the guy in charge made us clean up, and were still gonna get it, but a family needed it more.''

Casey held up a small and scrawny looking tree, ''and this was the only one left.''

''But you guys did the right thing,'' said April smiling, ''I'm sure Caitlin will understand.'' She then went over to Leo and helped him to the couch.

''And what happened to you?'' ''I got attacked by Foot Bots, and I lost all the decorations.'' Leo looked down at the ground, ''and I got a present for Caitlin until a Foot Bot destroyed it. Now Christmas is gonna be ruined.''

''Don't say that Leo, I still think that Caitlin would like it.'' ''How?''

''Just a feeling I have.''

Leo nodded, ''by the way where are Caitlin and Chris?''

*…*

Back at the pizza place, Caitlin was fighting Fishface while Chris was fighting Rahzar outside. Caitlin was trying to avoid his attacks, but Fishface just kept coming.

She grabbed the wooden paddle that was used to put pizzas in the over and tried to keep fighting him off.

''That's all you got girl? pathetic.''

Caitlin kept blocking his attacks with the wooden paddle and glared at him. So she lifted the paddle and hit him with it, knocking him back. ''Is that what you were talking about?''

He charged for her again and goes for some punches and kicks, and knocked away the paddle.

Caitlin was shocked but thought fast and grabbed one of the shakers filled with spicy peppers and threw it right in his eyes.

''Agh!'' Caitlin threw a few more punches, and then kicked him into the oven. ''Let me out of here!''

''No way fish breath.'' Caitlin thought about turning it on, but just locked and went to find Chris.

Chris dodges Rahzar's attacks using his powers. Every time Rahzar charges at him, he moved out of the way, and let him hit whatever was in his way.

''Too slow, little doggy.''

Rahzar growled, ''Don't call me dog.''

Rahzar tried to attack again but Chris dodges his attack again. ''That's fine, since you look more like an experiment gone wrong. Oh and by the way you smell more like something that died weeks ago.

''Why you little, get back here!''

He continued the attack but kept missing and missing getting him more frustrated. ''I think I should probably end this so I can get back to eating with my sister.''

Chris uses his powers to spin around getting Rahzar dizzy, then went near a fire hydrant and broke it causing water to cover his oppent, and then spun around again causing the water to freeze around Rahzar rapidly.

Chris then stopped and looked at the frozen Razhar.

''Don't worry. You should thaw out in an hour or two. Consider this me letting you off easy, especially since it's the holidays.''

Caitlin walked outside and found Chris. ''You froze him? nice one.''

''Thanks, did you take care of his little buddy?''

''Yep, if you want we can have sushi with our pizza later.''

''Nah I don't like fish on my pizza,'' said Chris when he noticed the time on his watch. ''It's getting late though. Let's pack the rest of the pizza and go check on the others.''

*…*

Back at the lair the turtles, April and Casey had just finished up getting things ready.

''There were done'' April said. They stepped back to see their work. And…let's just it wasn't how Caitlin's first Christmas was going to look.

''This, looks really bad'' said Casey.

''Oh come I think it could still work'' said April, ''Yeah, right.''

Raph nodded, ''I gotta agreed with Casey on this one.'' April sighed and went to help Mikey and Donnie clean up the kitchen. While Leo was sitting on the couch holding Caitlin's destroyed gift in his hand.

I messed up. It was supposed to be the perfect night, I was going to make it perfect for Caitlin. But…now that's not gonna happen. I messed up, and now her present is ruined.

Then everyone heard footsteps and braced for the worse as Caitlin and Chris walked in.

''Lucy we're home!'' he then looked around to see the mess. ''Wow, and here I thought I was bad at decorating.''

Caitlin looked around and then pushed him, ''knock it off, I think it looks good.'' ''Guys what's going on here?''

Leo stood up, ''well were trying to give you the perfect Christmas, but it didn't turn out so well.''

''We were gonna get a tree,'' said Casey, ''but me and Raph got in a fight, then we had to clean up, so we gave a family the tree, they needed it more than we did.''

''Then me and April went to get movies'' said Mikey, ''but it was too crowded and we could only find one movie, It's a Wonder Life.''

''I was trying to learn how to cook,'' said Donnie ''but everything went wrong and the kitchen turned out being a mess.''

Leo sighed, ''And I was going to get the decorations…and your'e present, but some Foot Bots attacked me, and your gift…got destroyed.''

''I thought I smelled something burning,'' said Chris.

Caitlin shoved him, ''Guys that's so sweet thank you.''

Everyone looked at her shocked.

''You mean-''

''It doesn't matter. All I wanted was a Christmas with my family and I found it. I don't care if it isn't perfect all of this, and being with you guys is all I need.''

''Exactly,'' said Chris joining in the conversation. ''You guys went through so much trouble to give my sister here a great Christmas. I think just the dedication for it is enough to show you guys care.''

Everyone smiled. ''Thank you guys so much'' said Caitlin, ''you guys are awesome.''

''Caitlin is right,'' everyone turned as Master Splinter walked in. ''You all did your best and I am proud of you. Now come, there is something you should all see.''

Everyone followed Master Splinter to the dojo and came to a surprise. The tree that sat in the middle of the dojo was completely decorated.

''I overheard your plan and I wanted to do something for Caitlin as well. And when I heard what happened with the tree, I decided to decorate this one instead.''

''Now that is an awesome Christmas tree'' said Chris. ''Totally'' Mikey replied. ''And come on what are we waiting for? let's celebrate!'' the others agreed and the headed back into the other room.

But Caitlin took Leo's hand and held him back. ''Caitlin…I'm sorry about your present.'' ''It's okay Leo, can I see it anyway?''

''But it's-''

''Let me see.''

Leo sadly opened the box that he put the locket in and showed it to her. Caitlin took it out of the box and took a closer look at it.

''Hmm you know, if you take a close enough look, it kind of looks like a heart.'' ''Really?'' Leo took it from her and realized she was right, what was just a simple locket before turned out to be much more.

Caitlin smiled as she took it from him again and put it on. ''It's okay about what happened Leo, I'm just happy to celebrate Christmas with you and my new family.''

Leo smiled and hugged her. ''Merry Christmas Caitlin.''

''Merry Christmas Leo.'' Leo brought her closer and the two kissed, and Caitlin had never been more happy.

Until Mikey broke it up. ''Hey lovebirds! you coming or what?''

Leo rolled his eyes, ''yeah Mikey we'll be right there.'' Caitlin smiled and took his hand as they joined the others to celebrate. And as she sat back snuggled next to Leo she couldn't have ask for anything more.

This was the Christmas she had been looking for. Except, she realized there was one thing missing. Chris.

Shredder's Lair…

Karai was heading to her room to get some rest while feeling a little that she wouldn't be able to spend the holidays with her sister because of everything that had happened.

As she got to her room she found a box inside. She carefully opened it and found a purple colored scarf which was beautiful and soft and also found a note.

''Even though you lied and you work for a grinchy metal dork, I still wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. So Merry Christmas, Karai from Chris.''

Karai was absolutely shocked, but smiled a little when she found a rose on her bed as well. She took it smiling as she laid down and fell asleep.

While Chris watched her from outside on the nearby rooftop and took off.

Happy Holidays. XOXOXO