Chapter 10

(Casey POV)

I'm an asshole! I can't believe I said that to her yesterday! I wanted to help her and there I was making it a million times worse. I sat on my bed with my brother's jacket clenched in my hands. It's his favorite leather jacket. I took a breath and put his jacket away before going downstairs to go watch some TV. I had to distract myself and Raph was out of commission for a little, so I couldn't wrestle with him. Maybe I should talk to Lena, if she actually lets me even enter her room. I sighed and went to the living room where Mikey was eating chips and watching some action movie.

"Hey Mike, have you seen Lena?" I asked.

He was just about to answer when Splinter spoke. "She is upstairs with Raphael. I brought her to him last night."

"You think she'll let me apologize?" I scratched the back of my head.

"She has started her meditation sessions right now, Mr. Jones."

I sighed. "Alright, can you tell me when she's done?"

"Yes." Splinter nodded before going to the kitchen for some tea.

(Lena POV)

This morning I told Splinter I wanted to try meditation to try and get Shredder out. He agreed, so here I am in lotus on the floor next to Raphael's bed. Splinter went to go get some tea so Leo offered to continue my lesson. Terrific, but I did notice that the urge to tear him in two is unnoticeable now. Well, that was progress.

"Focus." Leo told me sternly.

"I am." I countered.

"No, you're not. I can tell you're getting distracted."

"How?" I kept my eyes shut.

"I can just tell."

I sighed not wanting to argue to whole time. I made my mind go completely blank, and threw away any thoughts that came across my mind. My worries went away. Then I felt something cold pull me harder, and the Shredder's throne room appeared in my vision.

'I see you have not completed your mission.' Shredder's voice boomed.

'I won't do it!' I snapped.

'Fine then your family will perish! Who shall go first? Your uncle? His girlfriend, April? Hmmm...'

'No, leave them alone!' I was being pulled back into the darkness as my past replayed; my capture played like a movie in my mind.

Pain erupted in my head as I made my eyes open. Both Leo and Raphael were waiting for me to relax, a little unsure about what to do. When I did I spoke. "I was in Saki's throne room." The pain subsided and Raphael put his arms around me. Leo smiled at us. "What?"

"I don't know about the others, but I'm glad you two are together."

"Thanks, Leo." I smiled back.

"Yeah thanks, bro."

Leo stood up. "I'm going to tell Splinter that we finished, and later you should tell him about you're vision."

We nodded and I turned to Raphael. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore." He was leaning against the pillows behind him.

"I'm sorry." I traced the grooves on his plastron.

He chuckled. "I've been injured worse than this."

"I don't like it when you get hurt." I mumbled.

"I'm fine." He kissed the top of my head.

We both looked towards the door as someone came up the stairs. It was Casey and Splinter. Raphael's grip tightened around me as I tensed. I can't believe I was acting like this. He's my uncle and I know he has a bad temper. I patted Raphael's hands letting him know it was okay and I was going to handle this. Slowly, he let go.

"So when were you going to tell me?" Casey asked.

"What?" I looked him in the eyes.

"About you two."

"What about us?"

"You two being a 'thing'." Casey flung his hands about his head as Splinter left. Casey turned his attention to Raphael. "Dude, she's my niece!"

"Yeah, I'm your niece, but you can't control my life!" I stood up and yelled at Casey before Raphael could. Casey pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Raphael and his brothers have helped me so much. My question is: Where were you?"

He clutched at something behind his back as he answered. "I know I haven't been there for you as much as I should, but too much has happened."

"Too much has happened to me too! You weren't there when my parents died and you don't know what happened to me at the Foot HQ!" I yelled. "If you're just going to yell at me then could you just leave me alone?"

"I wasn't planning on coming up here to yell at you." He sighed.

"Then what?"

"To apologize for yesterday, I went way over the line. I'm sorry, L." Casey calmed himself then pulled the thing from behind him. "Here, I want you to have this." It was my dad's jacket.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked accepting the jacket and running my hand over the worn leather.

"Your dad forgot it here the last time he visited." Casey's brows furrowed before he shut them. A single tear ran down his cheek. I ran up to him and hugged him. He was shocked at first, but returned the gesture. We needed this. "I can't believe he's gone."

"I know, Casey. I know."

"Lena!" April called from downstairs.

"Coming!" I called after her. "I'll be right back." I told Raphael and Casey before going down the stairs.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs the front door was open, letting a cold breeze in. I looked and saw a girl from my school. She has medium brown length hair and big dark eyes. Camille wore jeans and a big purple fluffy jacket and matching purple gloves. She was one of the few people I'm friends with at school. Wait, where were the others?

"Hey." Camille said kind of shyly, unusual for the usually peppy girl.

"Hey, not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you here?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing with everything." She smiled trying to brighten our awkward greeting.

"I'm good, it's hard, but I'll survive." I shrugged.

"Good, um, do you want to go for a walk and catch up? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

Her smiling was contagious, and I put my dad's jacket on. Surprisingly, it was really warm. So I put on my boots and gloves before following Cam outside. We were quiet for a little before Cam spoke.

"SO when are you coming back to school?"

"Uh, I don't know, Cam. There's just been a lot going on right now, and school would probably make me go insane." I answered.

"Oh come…..your uncle can't keep you here forever." She tugged at my arm.

"I have to stay here a little longer and take care of something back in the city."

She pouted, but started giggling. "I could always kidnap you." I gave her the 'you're crazy' look. "Dude, I'm kidding!" She shoved me as we turned to head back towards the house.

"I don't think my uncle would appreciate you stealing me." I laughed with her.

"I wouldn't be stealing, just borrowing?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're a nut."

"You know it." Camille slung her arm over my shoulders.

"Alright, Knucklehead, what's the real reason you came."

"The Foot are tearing the city apart trying to look for you." Camille's face became serious. She's a part of the Foot too, or well was. She was able to escape them without a scratch on her. "I heard what they did to you and I wanted to help."

"Well one of the people I'm supposed to kill is helping me, as well as the other ones." I acted casual as she gave me a crazy look. "It's been getting easier and I prefer their company more than Casey's sometimes."

"I'm so happy you're pulling through."

"Me too." I laughed as we returned to the front of the house.