Chapter 9

Donnie P.O.V

I was working in the lab with Dr. O'Neil and other lab assistants by my side figuring out what was happening and what files were taken. We couldn't track who took them because it was burrowed under walls and walls of firewall so it was taking a while to find. Catherine was out of the building for the moment working with a sister company on what was happening. Dr. O'Neil and I were decoding messages that were sent from our servers to a competing company over a deal that could place O'Neil Tech on the map. But for now we were dealing with viruses and Trojan horses corrupting files and sending everything across the internet.

We battle for hours trying capture and destroy all of the viruses infecting the system.

We were finally able to get rid of everything and safe most of the files we had. But for those that were corrupted where going to reentered and placed under heavy protection. We were able to locate the missing files and now talking on video conference about who took them with our computer techs.

"What have you found out?" Dr. O'Neil asked.

"We found the ID number of a card used to access the files sir."

"We then tell us who did it." I said in an aggravated voice.

"Sir I would like to do this with just Dr. O'Neil Dr. Hamato."

"Dr. Hamato is my partner, colleague, and friend he will stay so tell us who accessed the files." Dr. O'Neil demanded.

"Sir it was Dr. Hamato's ID badge."

"What!?" Dr. O'Neil and I shouted.

But it was true the tech showed us that my ID badge and code was used to access the files but thing was it was used when I was working with Dr. O'Neil so it couldn't have been me. But the evidence was stacked against me. Dr. O'Neil had to place me on admissive leave and sent me to go to my office and get ready to leave.

Walking into my office with the weight of everything that has happened people who heard the news were staring and whispering about me as I passed them to get to my office. Walking in on my desk my lab was turned on and an envelope with a kiss mark was left in the light of the lamp.

I walked over to it and recognize the lip stick it was Catherine's'. I opened it to see a letter and my badge tucked in it.

Donatello

By now you have found out that it was me who did all of this. My simple fool of a boyfriend believed that meeting like that was fate? Please I just used you to get what I wanted. I true love is with someone else and all you were was a mark.

Take sure my small minded friend and I hope things go well for you now.

Catherine

I collapsed in my seat with the letter hanging over the arm of the chair still in my hand. I open the draw to my desk and look at the small box I had lying in there. The ring I was going to use to ask Catherine to be my wife. A fool I was to fall for someone like that. Leo was the one who found his true love, so was Mikey and Raph me on the other hand deserved to stay alone devoted to nothing but work. But now even that was being taken away from me. I walked out of the office changing into my regular clothes and went to visit my brothers and to talk to them about everything.

"And that's everything that has happened." I said.

"Can I see the letter?" Raph asked.

I handed the letter to Raph.

"I'm going to send this to the lab to analysis it Donnie." Raph said.

"What's going to happen now?" Mikey asked.

"Now I'm going to go and drink for a while then go home and sleep." I said.

No one was going to talk me out of it so Raph joined me since Leo had to drive back to DC now. Mikey just got out of the hospital so he couldn't drink. Jessica was going to stay with him so Raph was going to watch me.

We went to a local bar where she spent our twenty first birthday at when Leo came back during one of his tours.

I drank heavily while Raph drank at a slower pace. I don't remember what happened after a while but I was told the next day that Raph carried me on his back to a cab to my place. He watched me the entire night. My brothers are great. Even though Leo had to go back to DC he still called later to check in with me and Mikey came in with Jessica to see me. My heart ached badly over Catherine and what was happening at work to the point I was just numb about everything.

Raph P.O.V

It been a few days since the incident at O'Neil Tech I had the letter sent to the lab to see if it was really Catherine and through test they were 100% that it was her. The news broke Donnie even more to the point we couldn't leave him alone. Since I was suspended I was staying with him but there were times I was called the station to talk with Jacob about what he found out about the incident then Mikey or Jessica would take over. Leo on the other hand was having problems of his own. The school that he helped build was destroyed by a suicide bomber killing soldiers and children in and by the school Dozens were injured and EVAC from the area. So now Leo was being called back to duty to help the situation. He was going to have to leave Kaz because it was just a negotiation situation so he was staying with Sarah and to continue protecting Erica.

He was upset about leaving with things as bad as they were now but Sarah talk to him about it and they decided that if he could save just one child and teach them to read and write then it could make the world a better place. Leo was leaving in the next two days so he was going to spend it with Kaz and Sarah as much as he could. I went down to DC to see Erica and take her around so Leo and Sarah could be alone.

Leo P.O.V

I leaving to go back to the Middle East for a week so I was going to spend all my time with Sarah and Kaz how was going to be staying home because of the situation. I would like to have him come with me but I have my orders and Kaz was needed to continue training other bomb sniffing dogs with a different handler. We were lucky that the handler was a friend and Kaz was okay with him because he didn't warm up to people easily and hates it when I'm not by his side when working.

Sarah and I decided to take a walk around the Reflecting Pool then go to pay our respects to the Vietnam Memorial Wall where her grandfather's name was engraved. I wanted to do something for Sarah but in order to do it I had to do something she hated. Waking up early.

I took Sarah and Kaz with me at Predawn back to the Reflecting Pool.

"What's going on Leo it's too early in the morning to do anything." Sarah whined

Kaz whimpered in response to Sarah.

"Relax you too I think its time now to tell you." I said.

I turned to Sarah and gave her Kaz's leash to hold. Placing her at the head of the pool with her side to it I stood in front of her and took her hand.

"Sarah you know how much I love you right?" I asked.

"Yes I know Leo, why?" Sarah asked.

I bent down and got on one knee pulling out a small box from my pocket.

"Sarah Clark"

Sarah broke down and covered her face with her hands crying.

"Will you marry me?"

Sarah crying and trying to understand what was happening cried out,

"Yes. Yes I'll marry you."

I took Sarah into my arms and pulled her to my chest, our lips meet as if it was the most natural thing to do. We kissed with Kaz sitting between us looking up.

I pulled the ring out of the box and placed it on Sarah's finger.

A beautiful ring with one large diamond between two slightly smaller diamonds on a platinum band.

"Wait can I see that for a second." Sarah said taking the ring off.

Sarah looked into the band to see the engraving I had in it.

"What does YAMH YAMS mean" Sarah asked.

I pressed my lips against hers.

"I'll explain when we get married." I said.

"You better" Sarah said placing the ring back onto her finger with my help.

I held Sarah in my arms as she burrowed her face into my chest.

The woman I love and hope to have a long life with was right her.

The next day before I announced Sarah and mine engagement to my brothers and friends. They were happy for us and ecstatic about when we were getting married. Raph and Erica finally started dating after the both of them spent time together again after weeks of being separated. Mikey and Jessica were as strong as ever and Donnie was getting better.

Casey and April have their hands full with Shadow but they couldn't wait until the ceremony. April was going to help Sarah get everything ready for the wedding while I was away. The only thing I really had to worry about was the rings and who was my best man. The ring bearer was Kaz of course and Sarah had a niece that was going to be the flower girl.

I let my brothers decide that but now I had to fly and leave them to debate it.

Raph P.O.V

It been a few days since Leo left and he announced his engagement to Sarah. We were all hanging out at the Jones's house helping them finish moving in. They decided to raise Shadow in the country on a farm that has belonged to Casey's family for generation. They had to get things repaired and fix before moving in but it was beautiful. Erica was standing in the doorway watching me play with Shadow for a bit since April and Casey were setting up her room.

"Cute" Erica said.

I turned around saying "What?"

"Just making me think about the future." Erica said.

We both laughed. The future was something we couldn't understand or anticipate but with Erica I could forget all of that and be fine with just her. I was finally reinstated in the department but I was going to have a lot of paperwork for a while. We just finished helping Casey and April move in when a black car drove up to the farm.

Sarah walked out of the farm while all of us followed. The look on her face was something that made my stomach drop.

"Sarah what's wrong who's that?" April asked.

The door opened and two formally dress military officers exited the car. Sarah fell to her knees crying into her hands with Kaz pressing his head against the side of her face. Another man exited the car and finally understood what was going on. It was an army chaplain.

The officers and chaplain walked over to us with the officers hanging back a bit standing in attention and saluting us.

"Ms. Clark, everyone, I'm sorry to tell you this but SPC Leonardo Hamato was killed in an explosion earlier today. I'm sorry but there was nothing we could do to save him."