A/N: Merry Christmas, shellheads! I hope you all have a good holiday season, stay safe out there, and enjoy spending time with your family. :)

Chapter Nine: Nee

I wake just in time to see three screaming figures drop out of the sky and into the lake with a splash. The noise wakes Ronin up and he scrambles to his feet, one hand on the nunchucks he borrowed from his orange-clad counterpart. "What the-"

"Not what," I whisper, my eyes filling with tears as the three figures surface and start to swim towards us. "Who."

Ronin pockets his weapon and joins me on the shoreline with his arms crossed. "I guess the cavalry's arrived."

As soon as the guys get to shore, Donnie and Raph hurry past us to their baby brother, but Leo stops to talk. "I didn't know you were coming," he says to Ronin - his words are awkward and hesitant, and Ronin sighs.

"I came for answers, and I found Michelangelo in trouble. That's why I'm here," Ronin replies stiffly.

I glance between the two of them, frowning. I'm not sure where this tension cropped up, but it needs to stop. It's not going to help anyone.

Before I can say anything, Donnie calls over to get his leader's attention. "Leo, he's not looking good."

As the blue-clad ninja heads over to the others, I step closer to Ronin and nudge his arm. "Hey. You okay?"

His clouded blue gaze meets mine and he huffs a laugh. "They don't want me here."

"I don't think they really have much of a choice."

"Maybe not, but... I'm pretty useless here, Nee. Even you have to admit that. I can't even conjure a weapon up, and if I hadn't tossed mine over a freaking waterfall, then-"

"Do you want me to teach you?"

Ronin falls silent and I hold my breath as his icy blue eyes search my face. He must be okay with what he sees because he nods and some of the tension ebbs from his shoulders. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?"

The words pop out of my mouth before I can even think about them - force of habit from my days spent side-by-side with Mikey and his brothers - but to my surprise, Ronin just smiles.

"What indeed," he says quietly.

If there's one thing this beach is good for, it's quietly soaking up the sun - even if the sun is part of the Astral Plane. I've been lying on the sand for the better part of an hour, relaxing after my long training session with Ronin, which went admittedly better than expected.

Even with his memories wiped, Ronin does remember some of the things from his time with Master Splinter, so we're off to a pretty decent start. The thought makes me smile. We're going to be okay.

"So. You're training him."

Leonardo's voice is as flat as the dark shadow he casts over me. I open my eyes and glance up at him, unperturbed. He's standing directly over top of me, arms crossed - ah, the "classically displeased Leonardo."

"Well, he's young and brash and has a massive hero complex - not unlike another turtle I know - and if he doesn't get at least some training, he's going to get himself killed. Is that what you want for your brother?"

The blue-clad leader curls his lip at the word. "He's not my brother."

"Leo, you were raised together. You played together, ate together, fought together. You're telling me that you're not brothers?"

"We're not!" he snaps. "Mikey is gone, Nee. Ronin doesn't remember any of that."

"He might if you would give him the chance."

Leo stares out towards the water and his jaw sets. "It isn't worth it," he says softly, every inch the proud leader he claims to be.

My blood boils in my veins and I wonder distantly if this is how Raphael feels when he gets angry. "If that's what you truly believe, then I have nothing more to say to you."

There's a flash of something in the turtle's eyes - regret, maybe? - but I'm walking away before he has a chance to respond. A few yards down the shoreline, I find Ronin sitting at the water's edge with his knees pulled to his chest. He looks up at me and I'm startled to see the glint of tears in his eyes.

"Ro?"

The nickname pops out of my mouth and I try to pinpoint exactly when I grew so attached to the person in front of me, but Ronin is too dejected to notice my inner turmoil. "Maybe he's right," the freckled ninja mumbles. "Maybe I'm not worth it."

"Don't you dare say that. You are worth it, Ro. Even at your lowest, you're worth it. And I'll fight any or all of them just to stand by your side."

"Why?"

"You'd do it for me."

And as the first tear slips down his cheek, I sit next to him on the sand and pull him close.

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