Chapter 20: Sasayaku (Whisper)

"Bitter words in near silence create pain, Secrets in near silence cause deeper pain, for who truly wants a secret to be known? For when it is, it often causes pain," -Unknown

Leo was leaned back against he wall, his disguise gone, again in his normal form. He had his arms crossed firmly over his chest, his eyes were dark and deadly. Karai was leaning back against her desk, shoulders slumped, her head down.

"Every time you asked me about him….it hurt…to remember him," she whispered.

Leo remained still.

"I…I don't know how to tell you about him…I still don't. Leonardo, I just don't know how you'll react…what you'll think," she sighed, "We had worked so hard to accept each other…to…find affection but I…miss him…"

Leo blinked and then looked at her slightly startled.

"Miss him?" Leo said carefully.

Karai looked up at Leo, her dark eyes meeting his. For an instant she felt the anger, the pain, the need for revenge both for her father and her lover but the love she had developed for Leo won out.

She simply couldn't hate him anymore.

"He…died," she said simply.

Leo seemed to falter then slowly he stood and touched her shoulder gently.

He made no other move toward her. Her words from their fights still too raw. She didn't want him, at least as far as he could tell.

"I'm…sorry," Leo said softly.

There was a knock at the door and Karai looked up, wiping the few tears away she sniffed and turned to glance in the mirror behind her to check her makeup.

"Come in," Karai called, giving Leo a quick look, wanting him out of sight if it wasn't someone she could trust.

Leo took it wrong instantly. All he saw was the dismissive gesture, the annoyed flick of her head to leave her. He scowled, jerked away, turned heel, and moved toward his wing of the flat.

"You fool," Leo muttered to himself, "she doesn't want you. Stop trying. Live with your choice."

He cast a pained glance toward the hall before closing the door to his flat and walking to his bedroom and flopping onto his bed.

Pain hit him instantly.

More grief than pain though.

He missed his father, he ached to be with his brothers, taking care of them, but he knew, he just knew he wouldn't be going back tomorrow night. Somehow he knew he would lose contact with them for quite a while.

And he hated it, he hated this.

Before he could stop, tears started streaming, finally, finally he grieved for his father, for his own heart, and for the freedom he had sacrificed.

While he was alone.

~O~

Raph was sitting on the porch when Don came out.

"Raph?" Don asked softly, "Come on…its nearly six in the morning."

"Leo said he'd be back," Raph mumbled, "He promised."

"He must have gotten dragged into something with Karai. Come on bro he'll probably be here when you wake up," Don whispered gently, applying pressure to his shoulder.

Raph shrugged Don's hand off and firmly shook his head.

"No…I want ta' wait for 'im," Raph stated.

"Raph," Don said gently, "being tired for practice won't help you know."

Raph flinched.

"Won't help what?" he hissed dangerously, "me fight?"

"Raph that's not-" Don started.

"Leave me alone," Raph growled, "Leo wants to help. Go somewhere else."

Don sighed and squeezed Raph's shoulder affectionately before he turned and went inside. It would be useless to argue with him right now.

It wouldn't be until four hours later when April came out and pulled Raph inside that they would realize that he wasn't going to be home for a while.

"He promised," Raph whispered as he fumbled with the glass, "he promised."

"I know," April said gently, "I know."

~O~

Leo started to walk out of his wing of the flat and stopped cold when he heard whispering in the living room.

A man's voice and Karai's voice.

Good to…yeah….long…time….are you sure?

I'm sure….yeah…he left…awhile ago…

Leo swallowed thickly and glanced down at his bag, he turned and walked as silently as he could back to his rooms, closed the door and sank into the chair, head in hands.

"I'm sorry Raph…I'm sorry," Leo mumbled.

~O~

"Good to see you," a man greeted Karai as he walked in.

"How are you Hato?" Karai greeted the man, "It has been many years since I've seen you."

"Yeah a very long time," Hato greeted, "I heard that you're pregnant? Seriously are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Karai chuckled, "I haven't had time to tell my husband yet. We thought he was incapable of having children naturally and so we had a child artificially inseminated. When they started to place the zygote…they figured out I was pregnant already and didn't want to risk losing the infant."

" Well congrats to you both I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know. Is he here? I've yet to meet this mysterious stranger who impressed my old friend."

Karai rolled her eyes before handing Hato the tea she had been pouring.

"Yeah he will be very pleased I'm sure. But no he isn't here he left to go take care of his family awhile ago. His father died recently, I barely knew his father so…I sort stepped back and let him comfort the family."

"That's sad. I'm sorry to hear that. Well I was actually dropping the roster off for the Banquet tomorrow night for you to look over. I will see you then. Give your husband my condolences please," Hato replied.

"I will thank you Hato," Karai replied.

Karai sighed and shook her head as she left, pressing her hand gently to her stomach.

"Perhaps you will help repair the damage to the relationship between myself and your father. I hope you will…ugh look at me…you've made me soft. You and your father," Karai teased gently before turning away.

A/N: Ok I know its probably too early to tell but I figured if an Artificial Insemination procedure were to be done a pregnancy check would be done first and more than likely if a pregnancy was currently underway the doctors would be able to tell.

Anyway sorry! My schedule was insane and still is lately. The next chapter will probably be up late next week.

Reviews Please everyone!