"Ahhh!" Rose Mary screamed in horror, the ground breaking apart under her feet. She felt the wind whip her hair up as she fell, and it looked like it was going to be a long long fall.
"Rosie!" She heard Splinter scream, and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her impending doom.
Doom didn't come.
A quick, vice like grip grabbed her wrist, jerking her body to a halt. Opening one eye slowly, Rose Mary looked up fearfully, following the outline of a furry, rat-like arm. She gasped as she Splinter, holding onto her wrist for all he was worth. He grunted in effort, trying to drag her back up.
Rose Mary felt herself slip down.
"Rosie," He grunted. "hang on." He strained. Rose Mary looked up at him in amazement. After everything, he was actually trying to save her...but she knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. He was a rat after all, a very large, freakishly mutated human rat, but still, he could take hits, but he was older, and didn't have his sons' strength.
"Just let me go, Splinter." She whispered, looking up at him sorrowfully. "Just let go." She whispered. Rose Mary actually wasn't sure which 'letting go' she truly wanted, if she really meant wanting to free fall or not.
"I will...never...let...go..." He hissed, trying to pull her back up. Rose Mary absently wondered if she should've had that cupcake last night, those calories may or may not be the reason she lived or died now.
"You have more to live for than me, and besides, why should you hang on?" She asked him calmly, almost like they were sitting in the lair having tea. "I've brought nothing but trouble, I always have."
"I..will...not...drop..you." Splinter hissed, his dark eyes narrowing in horror. He knew she was going to let herself drop, and he was not going to let that happen! "Your daughters...Rosie they won't...they wouldn't let...you go. Why...should...I?" He grunted, straining to pull her up again. "You have...to live! You can't...take the...easy way out...you have to...help...the girls...defeat...your brother." Splinter looked down into her glittering green eyes, knowing she just wanted to fall and end everything, but honor was preventing her from leaving and the tears were coming on fast.
"Hun." She hissed angrily, and gripped Splinter's hand as tightly as she could. She couldn't just free fall, not today. She had her daughters, and those daughters didn't know how to totally destroy her Purple Dragon addicted brother. With one final grunt, the two came flying backward from the hole, a tangle of arms and limbs. Letting out a shaky breath, Rose Mary leaned against Splinter. He saved me...he saved me! "Thank you, Splinter." She whispered, closing her eyes.
"Any time." Splinter replied, trying to calm his breathing. His body trembled from the strain, but took courage from the fact he had done it: He had save Rosie. Silence descended upon the duo, each trying to calm their racing hearts.
"Splint," She spoke up a few minutes later.
"Hm?"
"You know I care about you, right?"
"I know." Splinter nodded sadly.
"And since I care, I don't want to even come close to leading you on."
"What are you talking-"
"And, that's why I have to let you go." She said quietly. "And that's why you have to let me go. It never would have worked, and especially not now. I have eight kids, you have your four...and I have a loving husband." She said, sitting up straight to look him in the eyes. "And I'll always care about you; you'll always be in my heart, Splinter. And I have a feeling we'll end up as parent-in-laws three times over, but Splint..." She trailed off.
"You will always be my first love." Splinter murmured with a sad nod, looking into her determined, glittering green eyes as she tried to hold back tears. "You will always be my friend."
"Friends forever." Rosie said, trying to choke back a sniffle. She took a steadying breath and stood up, Splinter following her actions. "And you never know, there could be a lady rat right around the corner." She sniffed, rubbing her nose.
"Maybe." Splinter allowed, trying to stop the raging flow of emotions coursing through him. He stomped everything down, not wanting to deal with anything, at least not now. He needed to get back to the lair, he needed to meditate, but the lair was compromised, the Purple Dragons knew where their home was.
Their home...it was gone.
Wait, no it wasn't.
"I know where my sons will go." He realized.