I woke up in very familiar surroundings. I knew right away I was in my room, and that I wasn't alone. There was a weight at the foot of my bed and I looked there to see my twin sitting there, propped up against the wall, passed out. Was he snoring? I didn't know he snored. He must of picked that up recently, or it might have something to do with the way his head was all cocked back...mouth gaping wide open.

I grinned as I carefully moved a leg, a leg that was very stiff from lack of movement, and gave him a good push with my foot. With a startled yelp he tumbled to the floor, cursing, before his head popped back up and he saw my mischievous grin. "Lavi! You're awake!"

"Hard to sleep with all that racket." I told him.

"What racket?"

"You were snoring."

"I was not! Ninjas don't snore." He grinned back at me.

"Tell that to Uncle Raph."

"No thank you, I'll pass on that. Don't feel like getting my backside handed to me in the dojo."

We both shared a laugh at that one.

The door quietly opened then and Father peeked his head in. "What on earth is going on in here?"

"Oh, nothing." Ty grinned at him. "Just the usual turtle twin mischief."

He just smiled at his son before he stepped fully into the room and walked over to the bed and sat next to me. "It's good to see you up Lavi. How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Ok, I guess Father. Just stiff and sore."

"That's to be expected after an adventure like that. Ty, go see if you can get your Uncle Mikey to fix her something to eat."

"You sure that's safe?" He grinned. "Sending him into the kitchen is awfully risky now that he has a cooking buddy."

"I'll risk it." Father grinned back at him and my brother laughed as he went out the door and left it open behind him.

The mood went from humorous to a bit uncomfortable as I found myself alone with my Father, his eyes unreadable. I found myself looking into those blue orbs and tried to hold their intense stare, but couldn't. It seemed those eyes bored right into my soul and I broke down crying. "Daddy...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

"I know." He calmly said as he pulled me up to him and held me against his chest. "I know you regret what you did and think that you have already been punished enough for it. I'm more concerned about why you did it."

I couldn't answer him. Not that I didn't know why I did it, but because what I had tried to do went against everything they have ever tried to teach us. I struggled with the words, struggled to justify my intentions. Struggled to say this in a way where he wouldn't see me as some kind of monster. Finally I just blurted it out and started crying even harder. "I wanted to kill Hun." I sobbed. "And as many of his men as I could...they hurt you and Uncle Donnie, forced us back into hiding, have done so many other terrible things...and I just wanted them dead..."

If I had thought he would push me away from him in horror, I was mistaken. He just held me tighter against him. "Oh, Lavi..." I could tell his own voice was breaking at what I just told him. "I...never wanted...wanted for you to do those things..."

"And yet sometimes you can't control those feelings." Came a new voice from the door. We both turned to see his counterpart standing there, an empty tray in his hands." His eyes looked thoughtful as he watched us. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just returning to the kitchen to get something for Lotus...when I noticed your daughter was awake. I wanted to see if she was alright. And she obviously isn't."

I didn't say anything as Father still held me in his arms. The other turtle walked in the room before he set the tray down on my desk, then turned to us with a sigh and looked at Father. "I wish to talk to her, if you will allow it."

Something seemed to pass between them as their eyes met and Father just nodded before he stood up. "Is she awake now?"

"No, but she was earlier. She might be hungry if she does wake again soon."

"It seems you found your appetite as well." Father smiled at him as he picked up the empty tray. "I'm thinking you resolved a very important issue of your own finally, considering you've been cooped up in there all day."

"I have." His look a like said quietly.

"I'll go pester the Mikey twins for something. I've got them destroying the kitchen right now anyway to make something for Lavi." Father walked out of the room, but not before he shot me a worried glance. Not about the fact that I was going to be alone with this strange turtle, but by apparently what I just told him.

I still didn't know what to say as he watched me, his eyes thoughtful and to my surprise...understanding. "I know what you are feeling." He began hesitantly. "I've lived with those feelings longer that I care to remember. The unbridled rage, the hate, the urge to just destroy anyone who crossed my path. How easy it was to just kill anyone who...didn't agree with what I was to doing. I understand very well."

I looked at him in shock. He was describing a creature that didn't at all resemble the kind, caring individual who helped me earlier. I didn't see that in him at all. Which brought me back to the question...Who was he? He caught my confused look, and the obvious question. His face took on a somber tone then. "Child, I wasn't always the turtle you see standing before you." He started quietly. "Your Father and I have met before, and we were on opposite sides of morality. That was the reason behind his hostility when you saw the fight between us earlier. He was lashing out at who I used to be, not who I am now."

"But he accepts you now..."

"Because I've changed. There is always the potential for change. To do the right thing...or the wrong one." His penetrating gaze hit me just as hard as Father's did earlier and I had to look away from him. I had come close to crossing that line earlier. "Your family tries to follow the first path, they always have. I can personally tell you that they let my brothers and I live, when they had every right to kill us. But I am still alive. This is what they try to teach you. It is easy to kill, especially in anger, but in doing so you kill a part of yourself. Do it long enough and it will numb you to it, then you will take enjoyment from it..." Now it was his turn to look away...in shame. "It is a harder path to follow to let others live, when you know they don't deserve the right. But it is the path that saves your soul. Take that from someone who almost lost his..." He looked back at me then, and I saw the tears in his eyes. "That is a path neither your Father or I wish to see you go down. Don't let hate guide you, because it is a very fickle one."

I looked down, my own eyes tearing up as he clearly saw through what I was dealing with. I wanted nothing more than to go out there and smash Hun's head in with a hammer, but it wasn't right. Not the way I was wanting to go about it. Fighting in self defense was one thing, contemplating murder was something else entirely, and that's where I tried to go. I wasn't even going to give the man a chance to fight back. I felt a hand on my shoulder then and I looked back up to see him standing there next to me. "Don't become the monster I used to be."

"I won't...I promise." I told him as I wiped my eyes and he gave me a gentle smile in return. "Your words aren't wasted. I see now how stupid that was, and not because I got caught either."

"He is so blessed to have you. I can only imagine the joy you bring to him."

"Only when they listen." Came Mother's voice from the doorway where she was leaning, the white bandage around her head bright in the dim room. "There have been a lot of hair pulling moments."

"It's the nature of children to test their limits." He smiled at her.

"And it's the nature of parents to groan every time they do." Mother chuckled as Uncle Donnie crutched his way into the room.

"Heard you were awake." He said as he came closer. "How are you feeling?"

"Stiff and sore honestly."

"If that's all you are complaining about, then that's a good thing." He sat down on the bed and began to check over my wrists. "If you feel up to it, I'd like for you to get up and move around a bit. Want to make sure you healed alright from those shocks." He told me when he was done and I nodded.

After swinging my legs around him, I stood up. My legs were a little shaky and I almost tripped when I took that first step, until an arm shot out to catch me. "Easy. You've been immobile for awhile now. It might take you a little while to be back to full strength." Father's double told me as he held onto me.

"Just take it slow." Uncle Donnie added.

I nodded and again I started to walk across the room, each step coming easier, with Leonardo walking next to me the whole time in case if I fell again. I didn't. I made it all the way to the door, then I gave my mother the biggest hug I could and she returned it. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have too. I could feel her worry wash out of her to see me up and about.

"Well, jeez. I leave for a few minutes to go get you some grub and I miss all the fun." Ty grumbled as he came down the hallway, with Father at his side.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I didn't give you a chance to laugh at me as I fall face on the floor." I flatly told my brother, and he grinned in reply.

"You feel like walking to the kitchen?" Father asked me then. "Your uncle is making you some pancakes."

My eyes lit up. I love his pancakes! "Oh yeah!" I scurried down the hall as quick as I could, but not before I caught the questioning look Father shot Leonardo, who just gave him a quick nod and slight smile in return.

"Mikeeeeey!" Roared across the lair. I had to stop my scurry to the kitchen, because Uncle Mikey came scrambling out of it, with his counter part right behind him, both laughing so hard they could barely run. "It's bad enough with just one of you in here!" Uncle Raph roared and a frying pan came flying out the same doorway. "Now I'm stuck with two of your dumbasses!" He came charging out of the doorway himself then...covered in raw eggs. "You wait until I get my hands on you fucknuts!"

Leonardo looked more than slightly alarmed as he watched that, the rest of us just sighed. Father facepalmed. "Is this something I should be worried about?" The dark clad turtle asked.

"Nope." Father answered him. "Everything is perfectly normal."

"Normal for this bunch of babies anyways." Mother added.

"I see." Leonardo then said...then he laughed his ass off.