"That was too risky," Leonardo says. He crosses his arms. "What if you had gotten hurt?"

"I didn't." Spike crosses her arms too. "See?"

Leonardo shakes his head. "Why do you feel the need to throw yourself in the middle of danger?"

"You do too," she shoots back.

"I have more training, and….I'm just harder to kill."

"Look, Captain, I don't like arguing with you-"

"Sarah," Splinter calls. "Come here, would you?"

Spike turns and walks to the doorway to the dojo section. "Yes?"

Splinter turns to her from inside the dojo. "Closer, my dear."

Spike steps into the dojo and walks closer.

Splinter sighs. "Something troubles you, child."

Spike scrubs at her eyes. "Yes."

Splinter looks up at her. "What is it?"

Spike blinks hard. "I…..tried to stop a mugging." She stops and swallows. Splinter waits patiently. "I wasn't fast enough. I didn't make a decision soon enough. A woman died because I didn't size up the situation in time."

Splinter sighs again. "Oh, Sarah. So you think you weren't fast enough?"

"I wasn't," she chokes out.

Splinter grasps her hand and pulls her gently to her knees so they are at eye level. "You did your best. That is the point of your training, so you will grow better yet. The death was not your fault. You did not kill her. Am I correct?"

Spike nods. Splinter squeezes her hand. "You are not to blame."

She nods again. "Thank you, Sensei."

Splinter smiles slightly. "You're welcome."

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm ready to train, now."

~Trouble Strikes Again~

"I wasn't ready," Spike groans. She presses a hand to her abdomen. "I cannot feel my midsection."

"That'll change tomorrow," Donatello teases from his computer. "Did he run you through his one thousand, one hundred and eleven crunch routine?"

"No, only one hundred."

"Huh, he went easy on you," Donatello muses.

"Funny. You've been at boot camp longer, soldier."

Donatello smiles slightly.

"We got anything?" Spike wanders over and leans over his shoulder.

"Maybe." Donatello frowns and taps his keys. "Getting a signal from…..outside the city." He glances up at a monitor. "The woods."

"Huh."

Leonardo joins them. "The woods?"

"That's what it says," Donatello gestures. He glances at Leonardo. "What should we do?"

Leonardo hums thoughtfully. "Let's go check it out."

"It's a couple hours away," Donatello reminds him.

"So we take the Assault Van."

Donatello nods. "Alright. You're the boss." He stands and picks his staff up, sliding it into it's strap. "Let's go to the woods!"

~Trouble Strikes Again~

"You know, I'm really glad you put more seats in this," April remarks. "It coulda got cramped."

Michelangelo shoots her a winning smile. "I could sit on the floor for ya," he offers.

"That's okay." April smiles back.

Spike gives Michelangelo an irritated look. "You wanna stop flirtin'?"

"I'm not!" he protests. "I'm just naturally nice."

"You're naturally somethin'," Raphael mutters.

Donatello turns around from the passenger seat. "Can you guys pipe down a little?" He holds the map up. "It's hard enough navigating like this, much less with noise."

"Sorry," April says in a stage whisper.

Michelangelo leans back and grins at her. "Guess what?"

"What?" April asks, keeping her voice down.

"We got a birthday comin' up," he announces.

"Oh?" April leans forward. "You guys?"

"Yep." Michelangelo leans over. "Gonna be eighteen."

"Already?" Spike twists in her seat. "Thought y'all were younger than that."

"At least, that's what Splinter says." Michelangelo shrugs. "So we just go with that."

"Y'all almost full-fledged adults," Spike remarks.

"Ugh, don't talk like that," Michelangelo groans. "Not that old yet."

Donatello turns around and glares.

"Shhhh," he hisses.

"Shhhh," Michelangelo whispers back.

Donatello rolls his eyes.

"You know what this trip could use?" Michelangelo continues. "Music."

"First one to start singing gets thrown out of the van," Raphael warns.

Leonardo sighs. "This is going to be a long couple hours."

Boom! I am on fire when it comes to churning out chapters if I do say so myself. This is my longest fic to date, actually, and thank you all for reading and making me happy! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought!