I do not own the turtles, or the rat, or the hockey-mask guy, or April, or any of the villains I mention…

Chapter four

Kit returned to the lair less than an hour after she had left.

A couple minutes after she slipped through one of the entrances Leonardo tried to do the same at a different entrance, but he ran right into a very angry mutant cat. Leo couldn't remember her looking this angry, or scary.

"I don't know what annoys me more; the fact that you were shadowing me, or the fact that you weren't doing a very good job at it." Kit snapped. Leo opened his mouth to object and deny, but his distaste for lying stopped him as soon as he opened his mouth. Kit sneered and shook her head, "Whatever." She grumbled before turning away from him and stalking to the kitchen.

Donatello came up beside his brother, "What happened?" He asked softly.

Leo shook his head, "Nothing, she ran a lot and came back to the lair. At some point she realized I was following her."

Mikey came scurrying out of the kitchen with the look of a child who's behind had just been swatted for no reason. "Dudes, I don't like her like this!"

Donnie spoke a little more urgently. "Leo, we have no point of reference for this!" Leo and Mikey waited for a translation, Donnie finally gave it, "We never had a mother; how would we possibly know what it's like to lose one?"

"Stupid question, Donnie." Raph joined his brothers, also from the direction of the kitchen. "We don't."

Leo frowned, "I don't know, it might be like…like if we were to lose Master Splinter." Donnie considered and nodded, Raph seemed to agree as well.

"I don't think so bros," Mikey disagreed. He was looking thoughtful, never a good sign, "I mean, think about it, she ran away two years ago. Wouldn't that make it, you know, easier?"

"Mikey DUCK!" Michelangelo ducked just as something silver cut over his head and hit the stone in front of him with a precise tone they were all too familiar with. An instant later a door slammed hard enough that they could hear the wood crackle. When the echoes had died away he looked up at the shuriken embedded in the wall.

"Good going nun-chuck-for-brains." Raph smacked Mikey on the back of the head and stormed to his own room, Donnie duplicated the abuse before making for his lab.

Rubbing his head as his two brothers walked off Mikey turned to Leo, "Wha'd I say?" Leo shook his head and smacked Mikey once more for good measure.

For a long time Mikey stood there rubbing his head distractedly. After a while his eyes went wide as saucers when he realized his mistake, "O-oh!" He turned to look at Kit's door; it was the first time he could remember her shutting it herself. She had slammed it because of what he had said. Mikey cringed, "Oh." He brought his hand to his face and smacked himself for being so stupid.

Inside her room Kit stood, fists clenched so tight that her claws dug into her palm. It was a good pain; it didn't hurt as much as she did. Mikey was wrong, her running away hadn't made this any easier. What kind of loving daughter leaves her mother with nothing more than a sloppily written note? How much effort would it have taken to send a note saying she wasn't dead? Did her mom think Kit hated her?

The sound of another shuriken striking stone caught her attention and Kit's eyes opened slowly.

A throwing star was stuck to the wall opposite her door. Kit looked behind her and realized that the door was still shut. The only person who could have thrown it was herself. For a minute the firestorm of her emotions died and she just stared at the bit of metal sticking out of the wall.

The star she had thrown at Mikey had been on purpose. Between Mikey's training and Leo's watchful eye he hadn't been in any real danger, but this second one… With complete calm like the eye of a hurricane Kit patted her belt and made sure she hadn't thrown any other stars without thinking.

After assuring herself that everything was in its rightful place Kit lay down on her bed. Her mind refused to work; it had been through too much today.

Lying in bed, still fully dressed, Kit faced her nightstand. Normally she'd pull out her bible and read. A small inner voice told her she needed the comfort and communion she gained through her nightly devotions. She needed to get her temper under control and apologize to Mikey.

She rolled over and waited for sleep.

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