A/N: That wasn't too long. Hehehe

The ringing in Shinta's ears was nearly deafening as he came back to awareness. He pushed himself slowly into a sitting position, staring at his hands. They felt sticky. He turned them over to inspect them to find them coated in blood. The demon! Father! His head shot up to find his father laying barely a foot away. It hurt to think, to breath. He shook as reached for him. "Father…"

The skin beneath his fingers was still warm but there was no outward sign of life. His chest didn't appear to rise and fall with breath, and there was no flutter of a pulse when Shinta tried to find it. "No… No. No!" The arrow had struck true, its shaft holding the omamori where it had slipped through one of the star's points. Blood spilled from the wound and down his neck and shoulder to pool beneath him.

There was movement beside Shinta and he looked up to find Jamie weeping hysterically into Leo's chest. There were voices and movement encircling them now.

"Leo! Oh, shell!" Mikey choked on a suppressed sob.

Donnie knelt beside Jamie, taking his brother's vital. "Oh, Leo, what did you do?"

Raph fell to his knees beside Shinta and reached out a trembling hand to rest it on Leo's chest. "Leo…" His voice cracked. "Come on, bro. You can't do this to us. We need you."

Shinta grabbed Don's arm in an iron grip. "Do something!"

Donnie shook his head in dismay, pain in his eyes. "Shinta, he's not breathing and he has no pulse. If it were a simple matter of stopping the bleeding and repairing the damage, I could do that. But that mixed with the mental trauma…"

Jamie's head came up. "You have to save him! You've saved Raph, Kaz, and Cat! You can save Leo! Please, Donnie!"

Tears trickled down his cheeks as he stared at her, his mouth hanging open. When he spoke the brokenness of his voice tore at their hearts. "Don't you think I want to! I can't! He's gone!" He dropped his head. "Leo's gone…"

"No!" Shinta took Leo's face in his hands. "Father, please! Wake up!"

As weeping filled the night, Yoshi stirred. He opened his eyes, rubbing at his head. He blinked a few times to regain his focus. "Star?" She smiled sadly at him from her place knelt beside him, her own tears escaping. "What….What's going on?"

"Leo…he…" She couldn't say it, but she didn't have to.

Yoshi was already on his feet, sprinting across the roof. As he approached the group, he felt his heart sink. "No…Uncle Leo…."

Raph's head shot up. "Yoshi!" He stood, wrapping his son in his arms. He couldn't stop his own tears as they broke free, a mixture of relief and sorrow. Cat was soon beside them, holding them as best she could. Yoshi continued to stare at his fallen uncle and younger cousin. But he couldn't look long, instead he buried his face into his father's shoulder, clutching at him and trembling with grief.

Shinta sobbed, feeling as though his very spirit was broken. I'm alone now.

Do not despair, my child. I am with you.

He sat back, scanning his surroundings desperately for the source of the soft feminine voice. "Mother?" Irrational hope burned is his chest as the others stared at him. "Mother! Help him!"

I cannot. My strength is gone.

"No! You have to! Please, Mother!" Shinta was frantic as he looked around again.

Across from him, Jamie looked up. Her eyes puffy and red. "Oh, Shinta, sweetie…"

I cannot. But you can.

Shinta shook his head, his eyes falling back to his father's lifeless face. "How? He's gone."

He is not. His spirit remains. Use your sight. See his spark.

Donnie frowned at his nephew, wondering if he was losing his mind. "Shinta…"

The young turtle closed his eyes, steadied his heartbeat, and evened his breath – focusing as she had taught him. When he opened them again, he gasped in surprise. She was right! His soul remained, but his light was far diminished – nearly gone in fact. "Father!" He grabbed Leo's head in both hands. "Wake up!"

Donnie reached for him. "Shinta, he's gone. I'm sorry."

"No!" Shinta nearly shouted. "He's alive. I can see it!"

Mikey knelt beside him. "Let him go, Shinta." He started to pull the teen's hands from Leo's face.

But Shinta shoved him away. "No! Mother, tell me what to do!"

Energy sharing… Came the voice soft and distant, nearly inaudible even in the deafening silence of the rooftop.

"Energy sharing?" But if he attempted using his own energy, it would likely kill him. His father's spirit was so dim. "I don't understand!" No response came and the panic rose in him again. "Mother, don't leave!"

An image flickered in his mind like a slideshow. A ring of light – many hands clasped together – the blazing on a candle – a speck of light bursting into a sun. That was it! He understood. He took hold of the arrow and before anyone could stop him, he yanked it out.

The other gasped, but Don caught Shinta's hand, his eyes noticing something even in the darkness. Only the arrowhead held blood. The shaft was clean. That meant it hadn't gone deep enough to penetrate his heart. But then why was Leo dead?

Shinta dropped the arrow, the omamori still dangling from it. He stood, turning to the others. "You have to listen to me. He's still alive. His soul is injured, but it's still there. I need everyone's help. We can heal him. We can save him."

Jamie reached up, grabbing his hand and pulling him down to her. "Shinta, please. I know how much you love him. I love him too. But…"

He gripped her shoulders. "You have to trust me. There isn't much time. The longer we wait the farther away he slips."

Raph looked over at Mira. "Can you sense him?"

She pulled away from K-three, stepping closer to Leo. "No." She said sadly after a moment. "I can't. There's nothing."

Shinta stood again, grabbing her wrist. "We're running out of time! Please, let me try! If I can't save him at least I'll know I did everything I could!"

Sarah, who'd been sitting beside Donnie, rose and stepped around to Shinta. "Okay, what do you want us to do?"

Shinta's eyes shined with gratitude. "Everyone hold hands, make a circle around us."

As the others did as he asked. Jamie looked up at him worriedly. "What do you plan to do?"

"It's called energy sharing." He knelt down across from her again.

"Like you did at the farmhouse with Amaya?"

He nodded. "Yes, but this will take a lot more energy. I'll have to use some from everyone and I'll have to act as a conduit." He frowned. "I've never done this before. I don't know if it'll work or not."

Her hand wrapped around his. "We have faith in you."

He took a deep breath. "Everyone think about my father, focus your mind and soul on him. I'll do the rest." He told the group.

The younger team of turtles barreled through the lair and up the stairs. But when they reached the roof, young Leo stopped in the doorway. The energy pulsing on the roof was like nothing he'd ever felt before. They couldn't see much past the ring of clan members holding each other's hands. The circle was tight and the mood solemn. He backed away. This was not something they should intrude on.

"What are you doing?" Young Mikey asked behind him.

"We shouldn't disturb them. There's something going on." Leo felt his skin prickle. "We'll wait."

Shinta could see the flow of energy with his spiritual eyes and pulled it into himself, sending it into his father in shockwaves. Even with everyone else's help, he could feel the drain on his own reserves. Jamie let out a sharp gasp as Leo's chest rose beneath her hand. Shinta was able to send out one last burst of energy, before his own body gave out on him and he slumped across his father.

"Shinta!" Jamie cried and the circle was broken as Donnie rushed to his side.

After a moment he let out a heavy breath. "He's okay. He's just passed out."

"Whatever he did must've took a lot out of him." Raph commented, leaning close with concern.

Then the rest gasped as Leo's eyes fluttered open. Jamie gave a cry of joy, her tears beginning all over again. His gaze sought hers out and held it for a long moment as the gentle pink and orange rays of dawn caressed his cheek. Then slowly he closed his eyes again with a soft shuddering breath.

"Leo!" Don grabbed his brother's wrist, searching franticly for a pulse. But his worries were soon abated. He sighed. "He's stable." Then his gaze went back to the wound in chest, that was now bleeding again. "I need the first aid kit."

"It's in the stairwell." Sarah said from nearby.

"I'll get it." Ona released Kaz to run back to the open doorway, only to find it full of more turtles with petrified looks on their faces.

Young Don had heard the call for the kit and presented it to her. "Is everyone alright?"

She frowned. "They are now." As she turned and ran back to the others, the younger set of brothers followed a bit tentatively.

Young Leo stared in horror at his older self laying on the ground with blood pooling beneath him. Don looked over his shoulder at his brother. "Raph, could you take Shinta?"

Raph moved forward to lift his nephew. He grunted, the youth's weight a little too much. The injury sustained to his shoulder a few years earlier still hurt from time to time. Yoshi's hand landed on his arm. "I've got 'im, Dad." The younger turtle bent and lifted his unconscious cousin with ease that Raph now envied. The younger set of brothers stared as Yoshi carried Shinta away.

On the ground, Leo moaned softly. "I'm sorry, bro, but I've got to see how deep it is." Don muttered as he probed the wound. Sarah knelt across from him, holding a flashlight. Young Leo's hand rose to the place on his own body. He could feel the thump of his heart just beneath his hand. What had happened here? He wondered just how close he'd come to seeing his own death.

Mikey knelt beside Don and took one of Leo's hands in his. "It'll be okay now. We've got you, bro." Tears still trailed down Mikey's cheeks as he squeezed his brother's hand. Jamie sat clutching his other hand, her knuckles white and her palms clammy.

When Don was at last done examining and repairing the wound, he turned to Mira. "Sweetheart, would you get a sheet to carry him down on?" Mira nodded and disappeared down the stairs. Don wiped his hands on a towel from the first aid kit. "Man, Leo, could you have cut it any closer?" If the arrow had penetrated even a hair further it would have pierced his heart.

"Damn it!" Raph growled. "I'm so sick of this self-sacrificing shit!" But his tough bravado broke and he dropped his face into his hands, a sob ripping its way out of his throat. Cat rubbed his arm warmly, knowing his pain.

"Raph…" Young Leo took a step towards the older turtle.

Raph's head shot up, piercing him with a cold glare. He pointed a shaky finger at him. "You're a self-righteous little shit, you know that! We nearly lost you tonight!" Young Leo took a step back, shock in his eyes.

"Raph." Don warned with a shake of his head. "He doesn't understand. He hasn't lived our lives yet. He doesn't know the grief and loss we've suffered."

"He may not. But he sure as hell has!" Raph jabbed a finger at his brother laying prone on the ground. He spun on his heel and stomped off, slamming his fist into the outer wall of the stairwell.

Don groaned and Cat sighed. "I'll go talk to him."

He gave her a grateful look. "Thanks." Don rubbed his face, feeling suddenly very tired and very old.

"Could you, dudes, tell us what happened?" Young Mikey asked.

"Later." K-three took the sheet from Mira and moved towards Leo. "Right now we need to get him downstairs."

"I'll help." Yoshi said as he reappeared. They spread out the sheet and eased Leo onto it. Yoshi took one end, while Kaz and K-three took the other. As gently as they could they lifted him.

Jamie caught Donnie's arm. "Could you put him in our room?"

He gave a slow nod. "Okay, but you'll need to watch him."

"I've nearly lost him twice in less than thirty-six hours. I don't plan on leaving his side for the rest of my life."

Her response made his lips twitch in a small smile. "You sound like Sarah."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Jamie said cheekily and hurried after the boys carrying her spouse.

Cat had managed to calm Raph down and so as the others left the roof, he and Mikey made their way to the lifeless form laying on the far side. Raph squatted down beside it. "Man, Leo did a real number on 'im." Kyoudai was covered in deep slashes that no doubt would have killed a normal man after just a few.

Mikey nudged him with his foot. "Yeah, that demon must have been the only thing keeping him on his feet."

"Well, we're gonna have to do somethin' with 'im."

"Does it really matter? He doesn't really exist here?"

"Yeah, but we don't want to draw any attention to us, Mike. Better to bury him down by the underground river like we did Shinju, so nobody knows any difference."

Mikey sighed. "I'll get some garbage bags."

Katsu giggled as he chased the ball down the hall. He could see the portal through the open lab door, but knew not to go in there. It was against the rules unless he was with someone. And everyone was mostly sleeping right now. Something had happened last night, not that anyone was talking about it. All he knew was his uncle and cousin were sleeping and he had to be quiet.

He turned and bounced the ball back up the hall, chasing after it. He did this several times, making a game at seeing how fast he could catch it. But after chasing it down, he paused to stare at the figure inside the lab. Something was vaguely familiar about the person, but he wasn't sure. He backed away with a touch of fear.

"Do not be afraid, little one."

Katsu bit his lip, glancing towards his parents' room. "Who are you? Did you come through the portal?"

"I did." The person didn't move, perhaps sensing the child's uncertainty.

"Katsu?" Mira appeared down the hall. She'd sensed his slight fear. A moment later Sarah stepped from her and Don's room as well. Mira reached the two-year-old first. She scooped him up. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" Katsu pointed and Mira followed his gaze. Her eyes grew round and she nearly dropped the tot.

Sarah had reached them now and she turned to look into the lab, where they were staring. She felt her heart skip a beat. "Master Splinter…"

The old rat gave her a critical look. "Sarah?"

She moved forward in a daze. Slowly she reached out to touch him. Was this what Leo had felt when he'd seen Amaya's dimensional counterpart appear in their home all those years ago? Like seeing a ghost made flesh. When her fingers touched the rough texture of his kimono, she wrapped her arms around him so fast he was taken off guard. "It's so amazing to see you. It's been so long."

Splinter leaned back to look at her with her graying hair, then his gaze shifted to Mira. "Who…?"

Sarah smiled as she released him. "This is Mira, our daughter, and Katsu, our grandson." She rubbed affectionately on the little turtle's head.

Mira smiled weakly, her heart still trying to catch up with her. "Sofu."

Katsu frowned. "He's not Sofu. He's not a turtle."

Mira chuckled. "But he is my sofu, sweetie. He would be your sōsofu."

"Sarah? Is everything alright?" Donnie's voice carried down the hall, a moment before he appeared in the doorway. His mouth hung open at the sight that met him. "F…Father…" He swayed and Sarah rushed to support him. He wrapped an arm around her, but his eyes never left Splinter. "What…" Don found he was suddenly at a loss for words.

"See Sofu is a turtle." Katsu told his mother with a little giggle.

His little voice seemed to snap Donnie from his trance. He straightened. "Father, what are you doing here?"

"It has been well over a full day. I grew worried." Splinter explained simply.

Donnie gave a small nod. "Mira, call the others and have them come up here. It's time for them to go home."

A/N: I hope I didn't make you sweat for too long. Don't forget my poll on my profile. There is just one or two chapters to go now. Make sure you vote. And don't forget to leave a review if you liked it!