BLANKET DISCLAIMER: This is a blanket disclaimer for the rest of the story. I don't want to type out a disclaimer anymore, haha. Anyway, I don't own the turtles, Splinter, etc. All credit goes to Viacom and Nickelodeon.

Chapter 11

Pain. That's all Alex can feel. Sharp, cutting, blazing through her and tearing her apart. Then, suddenly, inexplicably, she's being bathed in light and warmth. A peaceful feeling fills her, and she starts to sink towards the brightness below.

No.

The brunette stops, confusion written across her face.

Don't go that way. You need to go back.

But it hurts, she thinks. I just want to let go...I don't want to fight anymore.

Your friends need you. Leo needs you.

"Alex...please come back. Don't leave us..." Mikey.

That seals the deal. Alex glances longingly at the warm, buttery light. Then she turns away, clawing her way up out of the darkness. Voices start screaming at her, bolts of pain through her mind.

"-she's not waking up-"

"-ly shell. Mikey, get Master Splinter!"

"Lexi, hang on-"

"Give me some space!"

A small moan, barely louder than a whisper, is all it takes to get Mikey's attention. The youngest turtle is at Alex's side in an instant, his hand gripping hers as if he's trying to wake her up by willpower alone.

"Alex?" he asks hopefully. But moments pass with no response from the brunette. Mikey's shoulders sag and his lower lip quivers. Then, just as he starts to pull his hand away, Alex's fingers tighten around his own.

Slowly, so slowly, gentle blue eyes flutter open. "M-Mikey?" she murmurs.

He inhales sharply, his mouth already turning up in a grin. "Donnie!" the freckled ninja cries. "Donnie!"

The turtle in question appears at the lab door with a half-full cup of coffee in his hand, looking exhausted and very, very annoyed. "What, M-" When Donnie sees that Alex is awake, the mug slips from his fingers, glass and hot liquid going everywhere. But he doesn't care about that. His focus is solely on the girl in front of him.

Donnie rushes over, immediately checking the brunette's vitals. "Alex...holy shell, we thought..."

"What happened, dudette?" Mikey asks curiously.

Alex's head is aching as she tries to remember. Her gaze lands on the still form not twenty feet away, and it all comes rushing back. She swallows, blinking away tears. "I don't want to talk about it."

Something in her expression must give it away, because they don't press her any further. Donnie gestures at Mikey. "Go get some water for her," he orders. "And tell Sensei that she's up."

The youngest terrapin nods, looking unsure, but he disappears from the room anyway. As soon as he's gone, Donnie touches Alex's arm.

"If you need anything-"

"I'll let you know," she finishes, giving him a small smile. Mikey comes back with the water and presses it to her lips – a mercy, since her own hands are too shaky to hold the glass. Alex takes a few sips of the cool liquid, letting it soothe her dry throat. Then she pulls away, her eyes flashing with guilt as she sees Leo again.

Without another word, the brunette turns over and faces the wall, trying to push the memory of her failed attempt from her thoughts - not an easy task when the image of an enraged Leo keeps playing through her mind in an endless loop.

Several hours later, all is quiet in the Lair. Master Splinter is in his room meditating, and the others are out on a sewer run.

At this point, Alex has given up hope of forgetting her unsuccessful mission. She stares at the comatose leader across from her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Leo. I'm so sorry." His voice flashes through her head, accusing her.

Explain why I should still trust you with my family's lives.

"You shouldn't," she whispers. "You shouldn't...I don't deserve that trust."

The brunette reaches out towards him again. But just before her fingers make contact with his skin, she hesitates and pulls her hand back. Sorrow shoots through her veins, coupling with the bitter regret of her failure.

"Alex?"

The voice jolts her from her thoughts, and she looks up, startled. A moment too late, she realizes how she must look. Mikey is silent as he takes in her appearance. He sees her red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes; the paleness of her face; her quivering lower lip.

His response to this is not at all what Alex is expecting. Instead of a frown, she receives a sad smile. Not a lecture, but a warm embrace. No harsh judgment, but murmured words of comfort.

Sitting there on the cot with the orange-clad turtle's arms around her, Alex finally gives in. She lets the tears flow freely in front of him; she shows him her weakness, the pain that she hides.

And Mikey accepts it. He takes the sting out of her despair, dulls the anguish in her heart. "It'll be okay," he tells her quietly. "Did you...do you want to talk about it? I mean, I know that earlier you said-"

"No," Alex interrupts. Her voice is watery but growing stronger. "I need to tell someone what happened." She reveals every part of her journey, leaving nothing out. While Mikey remains silent throughout the narrative, emotions openly play across his face: disbelief, sympathy, confusion.

He shakes his head when Alex is done. "That's not like Leo at all," the youngest turtle murmurs. "I don't understand...he's not usually mean like that."

Alex draws her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "You should've seen his rage, Mikey...there was so much of it. I never knew that he could be so...so angry."

"There's something going on," Mikey decides, standing. "I need to talk to Donnie."

"Do you think he'll be mad at me?"

The orange-banded ninja stops in his tracks, staring at her. "Why would D be mad at you?"

"Because...I failed," she whispers, tears welling up again. As soon as the first one falls, Mikey wipes it away.

"Lexi, listen to me. You did the best you could, and that's all that anyone can ask for. Okay?" Alex nods, avoiding his eyes. "C'mon, Alex... Give me a smile. Please? For old times' sake."

Despite herself, the brunette feels the corners of her mouth twitch upwards. It's hardly a smile, but Mikey beams.

"There. Don't you feel better?" He doesn't wait for a reply, but makes her lay down again – this time facing away from Leo – and pulls the covers up to her chin. "Snug as a Kraang worm in a rug," Mikey says playfully. "Get some rest. I'll go see what D thinks about everything."

His expression turns gentle for a moment and he presses a quick kiss to her temple. "Don't worry, Lexi. It'll be okay."

As he disappears into the main room, Alex closes her eyes. And for the first time in a long time, she lets herself believe that.

TMNT/TMNT/TMNT/TMNT

Author's Note:

Hey, guys! I know that this update was a long time in coming. The good news is, I'm already working on chapter 12! Yay!

I know that there are some people who are going to be thinking that I'm pairing Alex and Mikey. Well, I'm not. Their relationship is purely a sibling one - the kiss was a brotherly kiss. I have plans for Alex that don't necessarily involve Mikey. Not like that, anyway.

So like I said, the next chapter should be posted soon - within the next week, I'm hoping.

COMING UP NEXT: Mikey talks to Donnie and Master Splinter about what's happening with Leo; our favorite freckle-faced turtle gets a dangerous idea in his mind; and Raph might just have an inkling about the events occurring within the Lair.

Please review.