What We Could Have Been

by calliopechild

The feud between the Turtles and the Foot has been long and violent, and Karai is determined to end it. But at what cost? By giving up 'what we could have been'.

10. The Cost of Living

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT show, any of the characters, any of the settings, or anything turtle-related whatsoever.  And it makes me sad. I do, however, own the plot of this story, the story itself, and my OC. Not that I expect anyone would want to take my OC…I mean, he's kind of a jerk. :D (Speaking of which, there's been a name change; Tetsuo's name is now Nakamura Tetsuo. Just a small change, and just 'cause I like this name better. Lol.)

Sigh. So once again I'm here with apologies for another overdue update. It seems like nothing is going to let me finish this story; if it wasn't one thing, it's been another. Exams, midterms, quizzes, projects, no Internet connection, and power outages (we actually lost a transformer here on campus, resulting in absolutely no power whatsoever. And considering it was still freezing outside, it made for a couple chilly nights. . ) But the last chapter of "What We Could Have Been" is finally here. After this, it's just the epilogue, and then my second story will be done:D The epilogue will be kind of short, since it's just wrapping things up; "short" in my terms, which means "not thirty pages long". Probably only 15 pages or so. XD

Now then, on to the thanking!

Thanks very much to Aurora Musis Amica, BubblyShell22, Tristripe, Ranitagoyle, greshunkai, Tailfeather, Tewi, and Eridani23 for reviewing Chapter 9, and thanks to everyone who read it. I really appreciate the fact that none of you are sending me hate mail for the sheer number of cliffhangers and the excessive waiting between chapters, even though I'd deserve it. ;;

I think that's pretty much everything, so on to Chapter 10!

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"Greetings."

"Who the hell are you?" Raph demanded.

The man glanced at him, then smiled politely. "Nakamura Tetsuo." He then turned from Raph to face Leo. "And you are Hamato Leonardo, I presume."

Leo stared back coolly. "How do you know my name?"

"Easily. You are something of a…celebrity of sorts among our clan."

"A celebrity," Leo repeated wryly. He gave a short laugh and shook his head. "Meaning everyone in your clan wants my head."

Tetsuo chuckled. "You are as sharp as they say."

"I'm honored that my enemies hold me in such high regard," Leo said tightly. "What do you want?"

The man smirked. "I thought that you were sharp, Hamato-san. Put that mind of yours to work. I am a human that knows of you and your family, walking through these ungodly sewers with four Foot ninja. What else would I be here for?" His smile turned sharp and dark, and he slowly rested a hand on the sword at his hip.

"I am here for you."

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"Me?" Leo's eyes narrowed. "Because of the fight with Karai, right?"

"Correct. As distasteful as I find it…you are the current ruler of the Foot."

"What?!" Raph exploded as he turned back to look at Leo.

Leo swallowed, feeling as though someone had just struck him in the gut. "There's no way—"

"You defeated Karai in battle and killed her. Leadership passes to you by rule." He snorted as he drew his katana. "But that will change. It is wrong and repulsive that an enemy should be holding the throne, let alone such a…being…as you. But I shall change that now." With that, he leapt forward at Leo.

Leo's hands immediately went to the handles of his weapons, instinct guiding his muscles. A sharp pull on his left side, however, sent his left arm straight back down. He winced in pain as he drew his right katana only. I guess we're doing this with only one sword.

The two warriors came together violently. Leo winced and hissed as the impact shot through his arms and into his aching side. Pushing the pain aside, he focused all of his attention on the fight.

This guy is no amateur, he noted, his mind snapping into the calculating mode he fell into whenever he fought a new enemy. Whoever he is, he's good. He's most likely been training with swords from a young age. He relies a bit too much on strength, though. His stance is rather unstable, too. Leo grit his teeth as he parried a particularly forceful blow and felt something tear in his side.

Dammit, he thought, wincing. My wound's opened up again. He could feel the familiar burning in his side, and a thick ache was beginning in his thigh as he braced himself once again. Glancing to the side, he risked a glance for Raph.

The hothead was being held back by the Elite, blocked from going to Leo's aid. He was swearing darkly and dealing out furious blows, and despite being outnumbered, he was managing to hold his own. A second, sharper tear drew Leo's attention back to his side, wetness spreading along the bandages on his side. The pain drew a ragged hiss from the injured turtle.

"Ah."

Leo jerked slightly in surprise as Tetsuo spoke and stepped away.

"You are injured," the dark man said as he sheathed his blade, indicating Leo's side with a nod of his head. "We shall cease. This is no honor in defeating an injured warrior." He snapped his fingers and the Elite broke off as well.

One of Leo's eye ridges rose, and he restrained himself from snorting in disdain. "How kind of you," he said tightly.

"Leo!" Raph was at Leo's side in an instant. "Leo, you okay?"

"I'm fine, Raph," Leo said quietly.

"Ah, yes, Raphael. The Foot ninja here have much to say about you as well. And where are the rest of your charming brothers?" Tetsuo asked with a dark smile.

"That is none of your concern," Leo bit out. "What is it that you want?"

"Control," the man responded smoothly.

"What?"

"As I may have guessed, I am not from this country. Japan is my homeland, and I am the jounin of the Japanese division of the Foot clan."

Leo narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Wasn't that Karai's post?"

Tetsuo's lip curled up slightly before his features smoothed over again. "At one time, yes, it was. However, that changed when she came to your city. I was named to command in her absence, which greatly benefited the Foot; the loss of her leadership was no real loss at all. As seen by what has happened here, she was not meant for leadership of the clan. And now that has changed as well. You defeated Saki, and the clan's rule fell to Karai. You defeated her, and now it falls to you."

"I don't want the rule of your clan," Leo spat in disgust.

"Good, then on that issue we agree," Tetsuo retorted. "That is the control I have come for. Karai named no heir to this branch of the Foot clan, and I am not well-known to the clan members in this city, so I lack the influence needed to merely take control. They are fools, to remain loyal to leaders that don't deserve it. And despite my rule of the Japanese branch, they refuse to acknowledge me until I take control of this branch from the current ruler. Disgusting as it is, you are the leader of the Foot now. You could see that by the actions of the Elite; they can find their master anywhere, and their master is the only one they bow to. These ninja still cling to the idea of leadership ascension by battle, even in such a situation as this. I have come with the intention of assuming control." He paused slightly, and the smooth tone came back into his voice. "But you are injured, and it would not be an honorable or perfectly decisive fight."

"Mmm," Leo said noncommittally. He remained silent for several moments before speaking again. "So do you intend to just come back later and battle me when I'm well?"

Tetsuo smiled pleasantly, though the expression was sharp. "Yes."

"I see. Wouldn't you rather just take the forces now and leave?"

The man stiffened slightly. "What are you implying?"

"A deal."

"Leo!" Raph snapped. "Don't you—"

"Be quiet, Raph." Leo stared calmly at Tetsuo. "Well?"

"A deal, hm?" Tetsuo's eyes narrowed. "What is your suggestion?"

"I will forswear leadership of the Foot, and name you as the new jounin. You will get the rule, control and followers that you want without a fight."

"That is quite generous of you," Tetsuo said after a moment. His face remained impassive, though a strange light came into his eyes. "And what benefits do you receive?"

"You will take all the Foot ninja in this city and leave New York. Every last one of you will go to Japan, and you will not return. That is the deal."

Tetsuo's eyes widened. "You think to banish me?" he managed, his voice harsh with disbelief. "You cannot be serious."

"I can and I am," Leo said coldly. "You have two choices; either you take my offer and go, or, as the admitted leader of the Foot, I will order the Elite to destroy you now."

"What?" Tetsuo stiffened in anger and shock, and his hand gripped the hilt of his katana. His eyes shot from the Elite, to Raph, and then finally back to Leo. He spent several minutes staring at Leo, then pulled his hand off of his sword with a grimace that was more reminiscent of a snarl. "I…accept. Let us get this over with."

"Very well." Leo drew both of his katana, then cut a small slice in one hand. Holding both blades in front of him, he spread blood on each of the swords, and then met Tetsuo's eyes. "On my blood, swords and honor, I swear that I abdicate rule of the Foot, and name Nakamura Tetsuo as the new jounin. I am satisfied."

Tetsuo smirked, but repeated Leo's actions. "On my blood, sword and honor, I swear that I accept rule of the Foot, and that my forces and I shall depart this city and not return. I am satisfied." Drawing out a handkerchief, he wiped the blood off his blade and bound the cut on his hand. "It was a pleasure doing business with you," he drawled with a slight bow. He snapped his fingers, he and the Elite disappeared in a flash of smoke.

Raph blinked in surprise and turned to look at Leo. "Wait, that's it?"

"I guess so." Leo sighed and cleaned his swords, then sheathed them. He then sagged against the tunnel wall and slid to the ground.

"Leo, you okay?" Raph quickly knelt down by Leo and swore when he saw the redness on his brother's bandages. "Dammit, yer bleedin'. We gotta get you home, bro."

"Yeah, just…wait. Just let me rest for a minute."

Raph tried again. "Look, I could carry ya…"

Leo laughed slightly. "Raph, it's alright. I'm not going to bleed out, and I can walk on my own. I just need to get my breath back; this is more movement than I've done in a while," he said, wincing.

"Yer an ass, ya know that?" Raph grumbled, shifting into a more comfortable position and pressing his hands carefully against Leo's side.

A sharp hiss whistled through Leo's teeth at the pressure. "Dammit, Raphael! Try warning me before you do that!!"

"Shove it, Leo. Yer kinda bleedin', if ya hadn't noticed, and we are not goin' through the same thing twice."

Leo breathed heavily as he tried to get the pain in his side under control. "Dammit, Raph…"

Raph glanced at his brother in concern. "Look, we'll just get the bleedin' stopped an' then we'll getcha home, alright?"

"Hn," Leo grunted noncommittally, the muscles in his jaw working tensely. "It didn't even reopen that much, you know."

"No, 'course not," Raph drawled sarcastically. "The bandages were just red ta begin with."

"Mmhm," Leo murmured, his eyes closed.

Raph frowned. "None'a that, bro; you gotta stay with me."

Leo sighed and opened his eyes. "I'm not falling asleep or passing out, Raph; I'm just resting."

"If you say so." Raph sighed and allowed the silence to stretch out as they waited. After a few minutes his attention wandered, and he glanced down at Leo's side, shaking his head. "This has been one helluva crazy-ass night, huh?"

"Yeah, it has," Leo said softly, his expression turning serious. Grimacing again, he looked at Raph. "We need to get back, Raph, just in case Tetsuo decides he doesn't need to keep up his end of the bargain. Has the bleeding stopped?"

Raph peered under his hands. "It's slowed down, but it hasn't stopped yet. Give it a couple more minutes."

"No, we need to get home." Leo gently pushed Raph's hands away and slowly began pushing himself to his feet.

"Dammit, Leo—"

Leo looked at his brother impatiently. "I'm not going to bleed out between here and the Lair, Raph. We need to head back. And besides, Don and Mikey are probably already out looking for us, and I don't want them wandering around out here right now either."

Raph growled but acquiesced, throwing Leo's right arm around his own shoulder in order to provide some support. "Yer a thick-headed asshole, ya know that?"

"It takes one to know one, Raph, but I appreciate your concern."

That drew a grudging laugh from the red-banded turtle as they started their trek home. However, he sobered as he caught sight of the cut on Leo's palm, which was hanging over his shoulder. Adjusting his hand momentarily, he tugged on Leo's lightly. "Hey, Leo, what are we gonna do about this?"

Leo sighed. "We're going to go home, Don's going to yell at us both, I'm probably going to be drugged out of my mind, and then I'm not going to move for an entire week."

"I meant about that Tetsuo guy," Raph said impatiently. "A guy like that…there's no way he'll keep up his end. It'd be way too frickin' simple fer one thing, an' fer another, we don't have that kinda luck."

"I know. And you're right." Leo sighed tiredly. "Later, Raph. We'll talk about this later. We'll discuss all of this tomorrow, but I'm just too tired to get into it tonight."

"So what're we s'posed to tell everybody?" Raph asked doubtfully.

Leo was silent for a moment. "The truth," he said finally. "You ran out, I went after you, I overworked myself, you felt bad about it, and we came back."

Raph chuckled. "Selective omission doesn't exactly count as the truth, bro."

"Well, what do you suggest, Raph? If we tell them tonight, they're all going to worry about it, and I really don't have the energy to go through all of it. We can tell them tomorrow."

"You sure yer okay?" Raph asked concernedly, tightening his grip on his brother as Leo stumbled.

"Mmhmm. I'm just…tired. I haven't really moved this much…in a while."

Raph glanced down at Leo's side but couldn't tell if the stains on the bandages had grown. "Don't worry, bro, we're only a couple minutes from the Lair."

As they approached the tunnel leading to the foundry, Raph sighed.

Leo glanced over at his brother. "What's the matter?"

Raph smirked. "Look at me," he said, indicating his additional weaponry. "You went an' ruined a great night out. I didn't even get ta kick anyone's ass."

"C'mon, Raph, you got to fight the Elite," Leo offered, trying to hide his smile. "All four of them, and at the same time, even. That's got to make up for missing out on some low-level Foot ninja, right?"

"Like hell," Raph laughed. "It wasn't even long enough to be a good fight. An' besides, even if they suck, the lowlifes have better sound effects."

Leo laughed as well, shaking his head in dismay. "There's just no pleasing you, is there?"

"'Course there is. You just went an' ruined my fun." Raph sighed. "It's the story of my life, bro."

A muffled snort came from the blue-banded turtle before he pasted a look of mock seriousness on his face. "What's that, Raph?"

Raph grinned widely at his brother. "All dressed up an' no place ta go."

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Mikey narrowed his eyes in concern and silently backed down the tunnel. He'd set out to look for Raph, and, when they discovered his empty bed, Leo as well. Don had remained in the Lair in case the two of them returned before Mikey. For his part, Mikey had gone down a side way, since he remembered that Raph had a personal route that branched off of the main junction pipe. After about five minutes, he'd heard voices from down the tunnel and sighed in relief. He'd been about to call out and greet his brothers when Raph's voice had caught his attention.

"—s'posed to tell everybody?"

Hello, hello, what was that? Mikey grinned slightly as he processed his brother's words. I do believe that it sounds like I missed something.

"The truth," Leo's voice responded, echoing slightly. "You ran out, I went after you, I overworked myself, you felt bad about it, and we came back."

An eerily resounding chuckle followed. "Selective omission doesn't exactly count as the truth, bro."

Selective omission? Mikey grinned and edged a little farther down the tunnel. Oh yeah, if Leo is tryin' to hide some, it has got to be something good. Or worth knowing, at least. My secret-radar is picking up some strong waves. He heard Leo talking again. Here it comes—

"Well, what do you suggest, Raph? If we tell them tonight, they're all going to worry about it, and I really don't have the energy to go through all of it. We can tell them tomorrow."

—And there it goes. The orange-banded turtle sighed in disgust. 'It'. The foe of eavesdroppers everywhere. 'Worry about it', 'go through all of it'. What's it? In the movies, the people always carefully detail whatever they're talking about so that the eavesdropper knows exactly what happened; why can't my bros be that helpful? I don't care if they're gonna tell us later, that takes all the fun out of it. Oh well. Better to find out than not, I guess. He cocked his head as the rest of the conversation floated towards his ears.

"—okay?"

"Mmhmm. I'm just…tired. I haven't really moved this much…in a while."

"Don't worry, bro, we're only a couple minutes from the Lair."

And that's as good of an entrance cue as I'm gonna get, Mikey thought. His smile slowly returned. Goodbye, juicy secret; hello, going home to watch Don blow up at Raph and Leo! He moved back several feet, then began running noisily in his brothers' direction. "Raph! Leo! Hey, are you guys down here? Guys!"

A muffled curse ricocheted off the walls before Raph answered. "Yo, shell-fer-brains, why don't'cha be a little louder? I don't think they heard ya the next state over!"

Mikey grinned as he rounded the corner, finally catching sight of his brothers. "Guys! Where the shell have you been? And what the shell were ya thinking? Geez, Raph, nice job. And Leo—" Mikey felt his heart stop suddenly as he skidded to a halt in front of Leo and Raph. "You're bleeding! Again! Shell, Raph, what didja do to him?!"

Raph growled and smacked Mikey on the back of the head. "Shut yer mouth, Mikey, I didn't to anythin' to 'im."

Leo smiled slightly at his youngest brother. "It's fine, Mikey. I just pushed myself a little too far coming out here. I guess I overestimated how well I was doing."

Mikey frowned. "You're really okay?"

"I'm really okay. Just really tired."

The orange-banded turtle took one last look at his oldest brother before relaxing. A grin then crept onto his face. "You know what else you are?"

Leo raised an eye ridge. "What?"

"Really dead. Don's seriously pissed," Mikey laughed. "He's totally gonna kill you both."

"Yeah," Leo said, wincing. "Probably."

Mikey tried for a sympathetic look. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, he's prob'ly gonna kill Raph first, since he pissed him off so much. That way you'll have time to make a run for it."

Raph snorted. "Gimpy here ain't in any shape ta run anywhere, in case ya hadn't noticed. Besides, if Don can just drug 'im silly an' put 'im in traction, he oughta be happy."

"No more drugs," Leo grumbled. "I don't need them."

"Shoulda thought of that before you made a run for it," Mikey sang cheerfully.

"I wasn't 'making a run for it', Mikey," Leo protested. "I was coming after Mr. Forethought here."

Mikey nodded. "Yeah." Turning to his other brother, he glanced over Raph's added weapons. "And from the looks of things, Mr. Forethought thought he was going to a party without inviting us."

Raph averted his gaze, uncomfortable with the lack of laughter in his youngest brother's voice. "You know how I am, Mikey; I had ta do somethin'."

"Yeah, you always do," Mikey said softly, turning suddenly serious. "But how come it's never something with us?" He kept his eyes on the ground. "It's always you, by yourself. You never stop to think how we feel always being left behind."

"I wasn't leavin' you behind!" Raph protested, finally looking at his brother.

"Yeah, you were. Every time you leave, you leave us behind. And each time…each time I always gotta wonder if this is the time you'll leave us behind for good. You're not invincible, bro."

Raph fell silent. His eyes caught on the bloody bandages on Leo's side, and he tightened his grip on his brother's arm.

"…Yeah, I know," he replied softly. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at his brothers. "I—I'm gonna try an' do better 'bout that, guys. I will."

Mikey looked surprised, then grinned hopefully. "Promise?"

Raph nodded. "Yeah. Just as long as you guys keep comin' after me ta bring me back."

Leo coughed slightly. "Um, guys? I really hate to interrupt, but I'm kind of…dripping. Could we maybe head home?"

Mikey and Raph both whipped around to look at Leo, eyes widening at the drops of blood falling from the bandages on his side.

"Dammit, Leo!" Raph exploded. "I thought you said it wasn't that bad!"

"No, I said it only tore open a little bit," Leo replied defensively.

"It doesn't matter if it was only 'a little bit'!" Mikey said frantically. "Torn open is not a good thing for a side to be!! Man, Donnie's gonna kill you if you bleed out!"

"How can he kill me if I bleed out?" Leo demanded.

"He's a smart guy; I'm sure he'll figure out a way!"

"Screw this!" Raph grumbled. Shifting his grip, he slung Leo over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and headed down the sewers in the direction of the Lair.

"Ow! Dammit, Raph!" Leo yelped. "What the shell do you think you're doing?!"

"Carryin' ya, stupid. Sittin' around waitin' for you ta wake up for a week was bad enough the first time around. Besides, I don't wanna see how many kinds of dead Don would make me if I brought ya back in any worse shape than ya already are." He sighed, shifting his burden slightly. "At least ya aren't as fat as Mikey."

"Hey!"

"Truth hurts, lard butt."

Mikey glared at his brother as he walked beside him, then grinned. Cupping a hand to his ear, he pretended to be listening as someone spoke. "What was that, Donnie? Where'd I find them? Oh, just about a mile away from the Lair. What? Oh yeah, Leo too. What were they doing? I think they were fighting, actually; Leo's pretty bloody again."

Raph froze, turning to look at his youngest brother. So did Leo, despite his awkward position; he craned his head around the back of Raph's to stare at Mikey as well.

"You wouldn't dare," Raph growled.

"That's a lie and you know it, Mikey," Leo added.

The orange-banded turtle shrugged innocently. "Hey, no one filled me in on what happened; if I was asked, I'd just be offering a guess."

Raph grit his teeth. "Hey Leo, wouldja mind if I put ya down for a minute an' killed Mikey?"

Mikey clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Ooo, bad idea, Raphael. I'm not sure how Don would like it if you brought Leo back bloody and with an infected wound."

Leo glared at Mikey. "I won't be injured forever, Mikey. Even if Don kills Raph, we know he won't kill me; he'll want me well again so he can kill me fully himself. I can find a way to escape by then, and I can kill you in about twelve different ways. Don't think I can't."

"Oh, I would never think of underestimating you, brother dearest. But even if you got past Don—which is doubtful when he's in mother-hen mode, might I add—you'd have to catch me to kill me."

"Catch you?" Leo's eyes narrowed and he chuckled. "You say that like it would be a challenge. You might be the fastest, Mikey, but who has the most endurance? Who has the best focus? Who has the longer attention span?"

Mikey swallowed slightly, both at the look on Leo's face and his words. Note to self: trying to blackmail the 'nice' brother is a bad idea, because the 'nice' brother has unknown latent homicidal tendencies. He thought quickly, trying to figure out what to do. It's not too late to just laugh this off and pretend I was joking, he reasoned. He knew for a fact that Leo probably would come after him, and Raph definitely would; and with the hours of extra training that Leo did, he could usually run everyone else into the ground. Speed doesn't matter much if the guy never gives up.

Plus they both know where I live. That settles it. Self-preservation wins again!

Waving his hands defensively, he grinned at his brothers. "I kid, I kid. You guys really are way too easy to freak out."

"Besides," Mikey said carelessly, dialing Don's Shell Cell to announce that he'd found their brothers, "I don't even have to say anything for this to be fun."

"Don's gonna kill you both anyways."

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"Thanks for letting me know, Mikey."

Don hung up his Shell Cell with a sharp snap, grimacing when the plastic creaked under his grip. He then set the phone down on his desk only to end up slamming it down harder than he'd intended. Biting back several vehement curses, he forced himself into a seat, resigning himself to waiting for his brothers and struggling to push back the anger that was filling him at the moment.

They're coming back. Nothing happened, no one got hurt, and Leo stopped Raph before he did anything stupid.

Unfortunately, the thought didn't have the calming effect that it should have; on the contrary, it sent his temper flaring again.

Leo stopped Raph. Leo, who is still injured. Leo, who should still be in bed, who still has open wounds, was running through the sewers after Raph.

Raph, who went running out into the sewers deciding that he was going to become a one-turtle assassination squad. Raph, who thought that I'd be perfectly fine with getting knocked down and told to "relax".

The thoughts just kept running through his head, focusing largely on his red-banded brother.

"Donatello."

"What?" the purple-banded turtle snapped. A split-second later, he cringed, realizing exactly whose head he had just bitten off. "Sorry, Master Splinter. What is it?"

Splinter regarded his son with an understanding smile. "Is there anything you wish to talk about?"

"Other than the fact that Raph is a stubborn, arrogant, aggravating hothead? No."

The only response Don got was silence, but it was that familiar listening patience that always made it so easy to express his problems.

He sighed as he stood and began to pace the floor. "It's just…Raph. It's him being—being him, and just—just aggravating the shell out of me! We've never been the closest, not like him and Leo, but still…he ought to understand that just because I don't like confrontations doesn't mean I'm going to let people walk all over me. And I understand his desire to be on his own and do what he wants; I mean, that's what I want too, and I have my lab for that. But endangering himself for it…endangering all of us just to do what he wants…I just can't understand it. I don't understand how he can never stop and think about the consequences; never think about the results of what he does. He just acts."

Splinter waited for his son to finish before he spoke up calmly. "And is envy of that fact a part of your anger?"

Don blinked in surprise. "Envy?"

"Indeed. You and your brother Raphael are nearly polar opposites, Donatello. You are intellectual, he is physical. You are more cautious by nature, he is more reckless. And as we see time and time again in cases such as this, you think ahead and weigh the effects your actions will have, while he merely lives in the present. It is not strange that you have difficulty understanding him, nor that you might wish for some of his…free-spiritedness."

"I…I guess…" Don sat down slowly, thinking over his father's words. As the silence stretched on, he sighed. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I do envy Raph's tendency to just act and to hell with the consequences. Sometimes it's aggravating and tiring to always be looking ahead and trying to figure out what will occur due to a certain course of action. That's something I understand really well about Leo, his insistence on plans, and why he's so stressed so often. It's a similarity we share. So maybe…yeah, maybe part of me is a little envious that Raph is uninhibited…and careless and reckless and irresponsible—"

Splinter cleared his throat slightly as his son's voice regained its vehemence. "I believe you are getting off topic, my son," he pointed out gently.

Don flushed a bit. "—and unrestrained enough to just act. I mean, shell knows that all of us wanted to go after the Foot after seeing what happened to Leo. But we didn't. And yet Raph did; as usual, he didn't see any problem with going off on his own and doing whatever the shell he wanted." He gave another heavy sigh. "So basically, I'm just upset over Raph being a hothead. But since I'm not likely to change, and neither is he, I guess I'll just keep dealing with it."

"Your patience is admirable, Donatello," Splinter said with a smile. "But do not feel that you must always give way to your brother's…forcefulness. Tell him how you feel."

A rather dark smile crept onto Don's face. "Or, since Raph tends to do better with actions rather than words, maybe I could show him."

Splinter's ears went back slightly. "Donatello, this is, perhaps, not the best scenario with which to fight fire with fire—"

The creak of the Lair's door cut off the rest of his words, and the three missing members of the family traipsed in through the door.

Don frowned immediately. Not only did Mikey look slightly panicked, but Raph was carrying Leo. That was cause for concern, because it meant that Raph was concerned enough to show it, and that Leo was in bad enough shape to allow it.

"—serious, Raph, you didn't need to carry me!" Leo's words were slightly hard to make out, given that he was flung over Raph's shoulder, but the exasperation was impossible to miss. "I'm not an invalid; I can walk perfectly fine."

Raph ignored his brother's complaints, his expression disgruntled. "Right, 'cause since Don is gonna be so happy ta see me as it is, I might as well make it better by lettin' yer bloody ass walk inta the Lair all—" The rest of the sentence died in his throat as he took in the sight of Splinter and a visibly angry Don. "…Dammit," he finished tiredly, resignation swamping his features. He fell silent, leading Leo over to one of the kitchen chairs.

Don walked up to his brothers and stared at them. His eyes immediately focused on Leo and the bloody bandages on his side. "What happened?" he asked with a disturbing amount of calm.

Leo winced. "I overexerted myself and reopened my side wound a little bit."

"A little bit. I see," Don responded impassively. Without any warning, his arm snapped out and he slid a needle into Leo's arm, quickly pushing its contents into his bloodstream.

"Dammit, Don! I don't…" Leo slumped into the chair behind him suddenly, a confused and angry look taking over his face. "Frickin'…drugs…" Less than half a minute after he'd been given the shot, Leo passed out, deeply unconscious.

Raph swallowed hard and gaped at his younger brother. Don ignored him for the moment, continuing to glare at Leo's limp body. His gaze then moved to focus on Raph, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Without saying a word, he stalked over to his computer terminal and typed in a series of characters, his movements rapid and harsh.

As soon as he entered the last key, a sequence of beeps was heard around the Lair. Raph and Mikey watched in surprise, Splinter in slight amusement, as the doors to the Lair slammed shut and locked themselves. The whirring of mechanical gears was heard, and then a final beep sounded throughout the Lair. A digital voice rang out.

"Lock down complete. Defensive and offensive security systems activated."

Don glanced at the computers. "Understood." Sweeping a look over his family, he explained briskly, "The Lair is now under lock down. No one is coming in, and no one is going out. It will be deactivated in the morning." He then walked over to Raph and fixed an icy glare on him.

"I am going to go stitch Leo up. Again. You are going to go to your room. You are going to be in your room by the time I'm finished working on Leo. You are not going to leave your room. If you leave it, I will know. And if you leave it, I will break one or both of your legs and install a digital combination lock on your door."

"Donnie, I—"

Raph got no farther before Don whirled around and swept Raph's legs out from under him. He then helped Raph the rest of the way to the floor with a violent punch to the face.

The red-banded turtle went down with a flurry of pained swearing and a distinct lack of grace, landing on his rear with a loud thud.

Don stared at his brother for a long time before shaking his head. "You're an idiot, Raphael."

Raph worked his jaw carefully, wincing at his sore jaw and a split lip. He pushed the sensations aside, though, and met his brother's gaze. "Don—"

"Don't ever do that again. Don't you ever disregard me or this family like that again. The next time you try something like that, I will break your legs."

"I won't." Raph gained his feet with a wince. "Not anymore. I swear, bro."

Don stared at him silently. "You swear."

"I do. I swear to you, I ain't gonna do somethin' like that again." He held his brother's eyes. "I'm sorry, bro."

"You're an ass, that's what you are," Don responded with a tired sigh. "Room. Now." Not waiting for an answer, Don turned back to Leo, wrapping his brother's arm around his shoulder and standing carefully. "We can all talk in the morning."

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Morning came early in the Lair, driven by a sense of curiosity on the parts of Splinter, Don and Mikey as to what transpired the previous night. Raph took Don aside and offered another apology, which caused Don to relent enough to give his brother one of the ice packs that he'd hidden the night before. Mikey spent his time hovering around Leo, who was remaining extremely quiet and still in an attempt to placate Don.

Once the five of them had gathered in Leo's room, Master Splinter nodded at Leo. "Leonardo, I believe we would all appreciate it if you and Raphael would tell us what occurred last night."

"Can I check on something first, Sensei?" Leo asked. When Splinter nodded, Leo turned to Don. "Could you look up someone for me in the recent flight schedules?"

Don frowned slightly in confusion. "Sure. Who is it?"

"Nakamura Tetsuo."

Another frown followed, but Don nodded and made his way out of the room. A few minutes later he returned with his laptop, sitting down and reading aloud from the screen to his family. "Alright. Mr. Nakamura Tetsuo arrived on a 1:40 a.m. flight last night from Tokyo…" Don tapped on a few keys and continued. "…And he then departed New York on a 2:50 a.m. flight last night back to Tokyo."

Leo and Raph both gave a relieved sigh. "Great," Leo breathed. "Thanks, Don."

"Who is he?"

"He's the man we met last night." Leo and Raph took turns detailing the previous night's events, then waited quietly.

Splinter stared at his sons once they fell silent, then sighed heavily. "This is exactly what happened?"

"Yes, Sensei."

Don groaned. "They're like cockroaches; we finally get rid of the Foot only to find out that there's another branch for us to deal with."

Mikey frowned. "But Leo said that Testy guy—"

"Tetsuo," Don corrected.

"Testy said he'd bug out and stay gone."

"How gullible can ya be, Mikey?" Raph asked with a sigh. "We're talkin' the Foot here, remember? They lie like they breathe."

"And sometimes even more often," Don added darkly. He then cringed and shot a quick glance at Leo. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Leo tried for a weak smile and shook his head, waving aside the apology.

Splinter tapped his cane on the floor quietly, then looked at Leo again. "What is your opinion on this man, Leonardo? Is he a threat?"

The three younger turtles turned their eyes towards Leo as well. Even after what had happened with Karai, they all trusted Leo's judgment when it came to reading people.

Leo dropped his gaze to the floor. "You won't want to hear it."

"Life very rarely gives us what we want, Leonardo. Please."

The eldest turtle sighed, trying to brace himself in order to deliver the bad news.

"He'll be back."

"You are certain?"

Leo nodded. "Yes. He's cut from the same cloth as Saki. He's ambitious, power-hungry, and he hates to lose. When I told him the deal I wanted to make, he seemed furious; Saki's company would probably be an extremely profitable business for him. And yet, Tetsuo also seems…different somehow. I think he's a good deal more cautious than Saki."

Splinter cocked his head to the side. "How so?"

"He went to considerable lengths in order to try and convince us that he was not a threat, or at least one that shouldn't be dealt with immediately. He vowed to leave New York, using the same method that I did, even though I could tell he was mocking me. He even pulled back from attacking me, though he probably could have overcome me easily. He did all of this in an attempt to convince me that he is a man of honor." Leo's eyes drifted to the side, a look of concentration coming over his face as he sought to get inside his enemy's head. "He said that he's the head of the branch of the Foot in Japan. That means that he probably had access to all the information from this branch; reports, data, all of it. He knows about us, including, apparently, how I feel about honor. He's trying to convince us that he also holds honor to be important. Tetsuo is being very cautious. He knows that he doesn't have any chance of winning us over, so he's trying to inoculate us in another way."

Mikey's brow furrowed. "He's trying to what?"

"Inoculate," Don repeated. "Render us harmless. Remove us as an obstacle in whatever path it is that he's on."

Leo nodded, his eyes narrowing. "He's trying to lure us into complacency, into a false sense of security. Tetsuo thinks that since the Foot are gone from the city, we'll get cocky and relax our guard. However, he has learned from Saki's mistakes; he knows not to underestimate us. Tetsuo probably knows that we don't believe him, but he's going to play that game anyway. As such, he probably plans to stay gone for a few years, but return eventually, once he's gathered enough forces and thinks that we've become careless."

Splinter fell silent as he processed Leo's words, then closed his eyes. "I believe you have the right of it, my son. How long do you think we have?"

"How long?" Leo's eyes lost their focus again as he ran through suspicions and hypotheses. "Long enough," he replied finally. "He won't underestimate us, but men like him have a limit to their patience, no matter how cautious they try to be. I'd guess…two years, maybe three at the most. By then, Tetsuo most likely thinks we'll have written him off as a threat."

"Are you sure?"

Leo turned to look at Don, who had a troubled look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Are you sure he'll wait? What if he's only returning to Japan long enough to gather the rest of his forces and then come back?"

"That's a possibility," Leo agreed quietly. "But if I had to give you a number, I'd say that I'm eighty percent sure he won't be back for a few years."

"How, though?" Don insisted. "The worst thing we could do now would be to overestimate him and actually have him come back in a week."

"Actually, I think I'm gonna hafta go with Leo on this one," Raph spoke up suddenly. "Tetsuo is gonna take his time gettin' back here."

"How d'you know that?" Mikey asked.

"The guy's a lot like Saki," Raph said with a dark look. "He's cocky an' he's got a major power complex. When we were talkin' to 'im, one'a the things that pissed 'im off the most was the fact that the Foot branch here didn't acknowledge him as their leader. That was why he came lookin' fer Leo, so he could kill him an' have no problems gettin' this new pack of dogs ta lick his shoes. That's how we know he'll be gone for a few years; he's the kind of guy that wants complete obedience, so he'll be busy breakin' in the newbies."

"So all we can do is wait," Don murmured.

Leo nodded. "Yeah. But we've at least got the advantage of knowing that he will be back and roughly when." Nodding to Don's computer, he looked at his brother. "Have you still got Tetsuo's information on there?"

Don gave a small grin. "Do you really have to ask?" Turning the laptop around to face his brothers, he showed them a screen full of data. "I've got his full name—it turns out that he actually did give you his real name—and his flight information. Give me some time and I can get a whole lot more."

"Good. Find out as much about him as you can, whatever you can. History, family, business contacts, anything you can find."

"No problem."

Leo smiled. "Thanks." Glancing around, he shrugged. "And that's as much as we can do, I suppose. We know he'll be back, so we'll be prepared for that. We'll find out as much as we can about him, about how he operates, and hopefully that will allow us to predict his moves and understand him better."

Raph scowled. "So now what?"

"Now we wait," Don said with a sigh. "And now, we are going to leave and let Leo get some rest so he can heal. Again."

Leo grinned sheepishly at his brother's glare. "Sounds good."

Mikey, Don and Raph all bid their brother goodbye and made their way out of the room. As Don reached the door, something clicked in his mind and he turned back into the room. "Sensei, are you coming?"

The rat turned to look at the purple-banded turtle. "In a while, my son; I wish to speak to your brother."

Don's eyes shot towards Leo. He didn't miss the split-second look of apprehension on his oldest brother's face, and hesitated a moment. Flicking his eyes between Leo and Splinter, he tried to communicate silently with his brother. 'Are you going to be alright?'

Leo's expression softened at his brother's concern, and he gave a nearly imperceptible nod. 'I'll be fine.'

The purple-banded turtle nodded as well, then bowed to his sensei. "We'll get breakfast started, Master Splinter. I'll bring something in for you, Leo." He shut the door gently, then sighed. Regardless of the fact that he knew Leo and Splinter needed to talk, regardless of the fact that he definitely was still pissed as shell at Leo for running off after Raph and reopening his wound, he knew this was probably going to be difficult for Leo.

"Hey, Don."

Don jumped slightly and turned to see Raph and Mikey waiting for him a little ways away. He couldn't help a wry smile; they were all way too curious for their own good. "Yeah?"

"What's goin' on?" Raph pressed, motioning towards Leo's room with a slight nod.

"I think they're going to…talk," Don said lamely. "About Karai." He knew the words hardly did justice to the talk they all knew was coming, but he couldn't think of any other way to explain it.

Mikey winced. "Poor Leo. That on top of this whole new thing with Testy?"

Raph scowled slightly. "I just don't see why they gotta make some big thing about this."

"Actually, I don't think they are," Don said softly. "And that's actually pretty sad."

"What're you talking about?"

Don glanced back at Leo's room, then at his brothers. "I think Master Splinter is just checking on how Leo's doing and is making sure he's aright. I don't think Sensei knows."

Raph raised an eye ridge. "Knows about wh—" His eyes widened slightly. "Wait, seriously? Ya don't think he knows that Leo an' Karai…"

"No," Don replied, shaking his head.

"Seriously? How d'ya know?"

"Well, I don't for sure, it's just a guess. But…you know how we've all been running interference for Leo with Master Splinter?" At his brothers' nods, he continued. "Well, why have we been doing that?"

"'Cause he asked us to," Mikey answered easily.

"That's true. But it's been a while since everything happened, and we've been pretty serious about it. Can you guys think of any other reason for that?"

Raph frowned. "I dunno…but now that you mention it, it almost feels like we've been…"

"Protecting him by keeping them apart?" Don supplied softly.

Mikey and Raph nodded hesitantly.

"But…but why?" Mikey asked, his face a study of confusion. "I kinda feel like that now that you mention it, but how come? I mean, it's Master Splinter; what's there to protect him from?"

"Leo's been beating himself up about this, feeling like he's make a mistake, like he's done something wrong by falling in love with Karai. We've picked up on that, both because of what he told us and just 'cause we know him so well. But falling in love isn't something you can help or prevent; it just happens. So why would Leo feel guilty about something like that?"

Raph's frown softened and turned slightly sad as Don's words settled into his brain. "'Cause it was Karai that he fell in love with…the daughter of Sensei's enemy."

"Exactly. I think we all, even Leo, subconsciously expect Sensei to be upset or disappointed with Leo because of his feelings for Karai; that's why he's been so reluctant to talk to Master Splinter, and why we've been trying to act as a buffer. But Sensei doesn't seem upset at all. I know he's realized we're getting in the way, and I think he's been confused as to why. We all expect Master Splinter to be disappointed or upset with Leo, just because of his feelings. That's not right or fair. But Sensei isn't upset, which is worse, because that means he hasn't even noticed. It's like…like Master Splinter considers that such a ridiculous thing—Leo falling in love with Karai, the Shredder—that it never really occurred to him."

Mikey spoke up suddenly. "Do you think Leo will tell him?"

Raph opened his mouth to rebuke his brother for his question, but fell silent. "I…I dunno, Mikey. Ya gotta admit, he doesn't have much reason to."

"But…but it's Sensei he's talking to."

"And it's Karai he loved," Don countered gently. "Leo had a hard enough time reconciling himself to that fact. I don't know how willing he's going to be to tell Sensei, because as guilty as he feels for…well, for loving the enemy…he also doesn't want to be scolded for falling in love. And thankfully, he's realized that he shouldn't be."

"Damn right he shouldn't be," Raph said hotly, crossing his arms. "I never liked or trusted Karai any farther than I could throw 'er, but this ain't somethin' fer Leo ta get any crap about."

Don nodded. "Well, either way, it's not up to us. All we can do is wait and see what he does."

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Leo tried to quell the nervous tightening of his stomach as Don closed the door behind himself. Despite the face that the figure before him was one of the people he trusted the most, he couldn't help feeling slightly trapped.

I knew we'd have to talk about this eventually, and I've already put it off longer than I should have. And—and I'm making too big of a deal out of this anyways. Sensei understood when I was taken in by Saki's lies; he'll understand how I feel about Karai, won't he? He bit his lip suddenly, chiding himself. That's not right; I'm treating Karai like a lapse in judgment. Maybe trusting her wasn't right, but loving her—that wasn't something I could help. And Sensei—he might know already. Leo took a deep breath, trying to halt his racing mind. Once he'd calmed himself, he raised his eyes to meet those of his father and mentor.

Splinter looked at his son for several moments before he spoke. "How are you, my son?"

"A little sore, to be honest," Leo said, relieved at the easy question. He knew that probably wasn't what Splinter was getting at, but he just couldn't bring himself to jump right into this.

"And what is the state of your spirit?"

Leo winced internally. I should have known that Sensei would see through that. He paused for a moment, trying to find a way to put his feelings into words. "I feel—strained, sort of. Like a balloon that's about to burst. I feel like there's too much that I need to process and try to deal with right now. This new threat we've found in Tetsuo and the inherent implications that go along with him, and the preparations that we need to make in response…it's a lot to have on my mind. In a way, it's harder to know that we've got this much time; I know I'm going to spend much of my time from now on thinking about him and what's going to happen. There's just so much to think about."

Splinter nodded. "This man is indeed a new threat that needs to be dealt with, and I feel that you are approaching it very well; taking advantage of the time we have been given is a wise decision. Your analysis of the situation is also very precise and well-thought out."

Some of the tension in Leo's muscles drained away. This was Master Splinter as a sensei; this was a talk about threats and preparation and tactics. This was comfortable, familiar ground. He nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Sensei."

"And Karai…is she one of the things currently on your mind?"

Leo froze, all the tension returning to his body in an instant. Here it comes. Swallowing carefully, he responded. "I…not as much. I…I feel that I've dealt with what happened with her; at least, as much as I can."

Splinter nodded slowly. "I know that this was difficult for you, my son. You were close to her, which was understandable, given how similar you were."

"Yeah…" 'Close to her'…is that all you think we were? And—should I correct you? Leo's mind raced as he once again weighed telling his father the truth.

And like every other time, he came to the same answer.

No.

"Yes. She was…a kindred spirit."

Another accepting nod. "It was why you clashed so often and so fiercely; you both carried the same sense of honor and the same strength, yet on opposite sides of the battlefield. I understand that you saw some good in her, and that that is the reason you sought to bring her from the Shredder's side."

Leo felt a pang in his chest at his mentor's misunderstanding, but nodded anyways.

A light paw rested on top of his hand gently, a small sign of comfort before Splinter stood to leave.

"I am glad that this does not weigh on your heart, my son. And I wish for you to know, I am not angry with you in any sense."

Despite everything, despite convincing himself that there was nothing for him to be blamed for, that still surprised him. "But Master Splinter, I—"

"Yours is a trusting nature, Leonardo; yet you are intelligent and have learned to temper that trust with caution. Karai was a difficult individual to place. She changed from ally to enemy several times; it is no fault of yours how this ended. Mistakes are made; I know this, and your brothers know it as well. We trust you, my son, and your judgment. I know that this has been a difficult and trying time for you, but thanks to your efforts, we have peace at last. Take this time as a respite from leading your brothers; there are no battles that need fought, and you have shouldered more than your share of responsibility lately."

Dozens of emotions swarmed through him, but Leo pushed them back fiercely, choosing instead to merely say quietly, "Thank you, Sensei."

Splinter gave Leo's hand a gentle squeeze, then calmly made his way out of the room. "Get some more rest, my son."

"Hai, Father."

The door closed once again.

Father…Sensei…Leo stared at the ceiling impassively. Why are you the second more often than the first? Shouldn't a parent know when their child is…was in love?

And yet how can I expect him to recognize that when I couldn't even realize it until the very end?

The conversation ran through his mind again. His apprehension had faded, but in its place was a strange sort of disappointment.

Sensei…I've always thought that you understood me the best, but…but now you don't. Raph, Don and Mikey seem to understand what I'm going through better than you do; they saw it, so why couldn't you?

"I know that this was difficult for you, my son."

Do you? Do you have any idea how hard this was, how much pain all of this has caused?

"She was a kindred spirit."

Yes, father, that's why. That's why I put this family in danger. That's why I tried so hard, so many times. That's why I lost so much and felt so much pain. Just because of companionship…nothing else. The pain in his heart deepened in disappointment. You know so much, Sensei; you see and sense so much. How did you miss this? Looking back, I almost expected you to know before I did. But even though the others saw it, you didn't. Why? Did you think that I would never fall in love with someone who matched me so well? No…you probably didn't, because I think—I think you would have been angry with me. If not angry, then…disappointed. If you knew, it would be another "mistake", another lapse of judgment. No, I am the obedient son…I would never "disobey" or "betray" you in such a way.

Leo smiled sadly, blinking away the pricking sensation in his eyes.

I don't know why, or when, but at some point, for some reason…I think you started being more my sensei than my father. I even think I understand why you did so…but it still hurts, Father.

The idea stung and pulled at his heart painfully, so he pushed it aside, sending his mind flicking through the rest of the conversation.

"Take a break", huh? A break, but not a release. This leadership is still my burden to bear.

But…but would I want it any other way? I don't think I could bear handing it over to one of the others, not after what happened. I would never wish what happened to me on one of my brothers. A broken heart…one more thing to try and protect them from. So that means…

Nothing changes. It will all stay the same.

No, not completely the same. Don understands about Karai, I know he does…and I think Mikey does too. And Raph…he's trying. He understands about the burden of leading, at least. But Sensei…

Can I expect him to understand? Is it right for me to want him to change?

I guess it's not possible to always be a father and a sensei. I guess sometimes it has to be one or the other. I just…

I just wish he would choose 'father' more often.

Leo shook himself and took a deep breath, pushing back his regret. I need to be thankful for what we do have. We're all still alive, and we achieved what we thought was impossible: the destruction of the Shredder and the Foot, for good. Never mind that we have to deal with Tetsuo; that will come later. We have our lives, our friends' lives, and peace. We can stop fighting for now, and everything will go back to normal. That's a great victory in and of itself, and we paid a much smaller price than I ever would have expected. I don't even mind that I'm the one that paid that price; I was able to protect my family, and that's worth anything...even a chance at love. Everything has a price; this was the price that had to be paid for peace, and...and if I had to, I would pay it again.

A sad smile crossed his lips as he began to drift back off to sleep.

Sacrificing love for love...happiness for family...

Everything's back to normal.

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A/N: Hoo-hah! Another one bites the dust! And another long one, too; 26 pages, which might hopefully make up for another way-too-long hiatus between updates. The epilogue will be pretty short, though; just sort of a wrap-up of the last remaining bits and pieces. Basically just…epilogue-y. XD

I hope this chapter met to everyone's satisfaction. The Splinter/Leo scene was an interesting one to write; their relationship holds so many possibilities in situations like this. And I really do think that Leo gets a lot less of a father than a sensei, and fairly often too. That was one thing that was a little hard to convey; Splinter is really understanding and sharp, but I still feel like he…I don't know…can miss things sometimes. (I hope that made some kind of sense to someone, 'cause it didn't make much to me.) XD Anyway, I just hope that that part of the chapter came out well. I hope the entire chapter came out well, but that part especially.

Anywho, that's all I can think of. I'm pretty happy with this chapter too, though I'm decidedly not happy that I made you guys wait a month for an update, AGAIN. Sigh. Gomen. I do apologize for that. If you still love me, review? Even if you don't and you just want to rail at me for a bit, that's fine too; goodness knows I've been asking for it. :D Either way, please R I really appreciate your support, it really does mean a lot to me. Thanks a ton, and take care!