Shen stayed in the hospital for a few days so the doctors could be sure her injuries would heal on their own. Once it was sure she could move without reopening her wounds, the Hamatos were released. A few days afterward, Yoshi's father and master had died. Yoshi and Shen couldn't even attend his funeral, having appeared dead to the public. The police, for their safety, allowed the rumors to spread that the couple had perished with their baby, permitting them to go into hiding only long enough to leave the country and this petty rivalry to no longer be their problem.

In their tiny hotel room, they quickly worked. While Yoshi found a temporary job at a warehouse to help buy food, Shen rested while doing research and preparing a place for them. There were hundreds of job opportunities in New York City. She was even surprised to find a dojo that taught children after school how to fight. Yoshi considered the idea, a job being a job, and Shen was excited to find that her love for math and numbers could be supplied with a secretary job.

The moment Shen was deemed fully recovered, about a month after the attack, they took a plane to America, having earned enough money from insurance and inheritance to be stable for a few weeks, or at least have enough to eat.

The whole time the mourning couple kept themselves busy. That was how they coped. They had very little, not even their baby girl anymore, but they had each other and their determination to get through, and that was enough.

Yoshi had never seen Shen smile as big as she did when New York City came into view on that plane. Except for maybe Yoshi's proposal, their wedding day, and the day she told him that they were going to be parents. Yoshi did not realize how much fun, how energetic, how radiant his wife was, until she was at a place she was free to be so without judgement. It was no secret that Shen, and other women, were taught to be more reserved. But Yoshi loved it when Shen gasped and grasped his hand excitedly at seeing Lady Liberty, or when she grinned so big Yoshi could see all of her teeth, or when Shen was walking quicker than Yoshi and almost dragging him along the sidewalk.

After touring their new home, Shen led Yoshi to the apartment she had rented for them for the time being. It was small and rundown, not much different than their tiny home in Tokyo, which made it perfect. Yoshi was immediately hired by the dojo to teach classes and he rediscovered his love for teaching and ninjutsu. Though it pained him a bit to teach the girls, unable to teach his own, he swallowed his pain and did not let his feelings allow him to treat his female students differently than his male students.

Shen was fortunate enough to earn a job as a secretary, one she enjoyed and was quite good at. Bills could be paid and food could be bought without touching their small savings, a huge blessing. For a few short months, things were quiet and peaceful as old wounds began to heal.

After a time, however, the tiny apartment became a little too big and quiet. While certain subjects were still sensitive to discuss, Yoshi began to wonder what were some proper steps towards healing. They had given themselves time to recover, and always meditated together in the morning, before Yoshi went to the warehouse, but perhaps now was the time to act. Something small, something genuine, something that would make Shen smile. At least, that's what Yoshi told himself when walking home one evening and he saw a sign on a pet store for turtles that were on sale.

As Yoshi walked towards the turtles, he passed other pets, too, like hamsters, cats, and dogs, and wondered if another type of pet would best serve his purpose, but one glance at the display of baby turtles and Yoshi was sure these would make Shen smile, the way he was doing so right now. There were a number of glass cases holding the reptiles, but one caught his eye. A turtle was on its shell, rolling around. Yoshi smiled at it, put a hand in the glass box, and helped the baby turtle stand upright, but it immediately laid on its shell again. The man realized the baby turtle was having fun rocking itself and he chuckled.

An employee sweeping behind Yoshi chuckled and said, "Yeah, that guy's pretty funny. Bit of a troublemaker, but who isn't when they're that young?"

Yoshi chuckled and watched the young turtle play. "Yes, there is much truth to that. How much is this young turtle?"

"Only ten dollars, sir, but I should warn you not to separate that turtle from the other three."

Yoshi looked over at the other three turtles in the glass box, the only other turtles in the habitat, one sleeping, one watching the rocking turtle, and one watching the human. "Why is that?"

"Every time we've put those four in a different crate they chirp loudly, like birds." The employee laughed. "Can't separate family, but if you buy all four they're only five a piece."

Yoshi's smile dropped a little, but it quickly picked it back up. "You are right. I will take all four of them."

"Great, I'll ring you up! Four males, got it. You want a bowl for them?"

"Yes, please."

And so Yoshi emerged with four baby turtles in his hands. The one on its shell was still rolling around playfully. Yoshi smiled down at him, distracted and daydreaming about the smile his wife would have, which was probably why he bumped shoulders with a man in a suit. "Oh, my apologies."

But he did not reply, or acknowledge the small incident. Yoshi's instincts spiked. Something felt off about the stranger. He debated for a second, but his curiosity got the best of him. He decided to follow.

Tang Shen slipped off her shoes the second she stepped foot into the apartment and stepped into her house slippers. As she rested her purse on the hook and put her keys away, she called out, "Splinter, honey, did you have a good day?"

No response. That was okay. She simply beat her husband home. So she journeyed to the tiny kitchen to start on dinner. Surely by the time food was ready Yoshi would be home. But an hour ticked by and Shen was still home alone. Did she have her days mixed up? Was Yoshi at the dojo today? Was he held back, helping a student? She portioned her own ramen and sat to eat alone, deciding that when he came home he could fish his own portion out of the warm pot.

But he never did.

Hide.

Never be seen. Never be heard. No one could possibly understand. They were too different. Too monstrous.

Splinter slithered back into the broken water tower, avoided the droid he had to sacrifice a pigeon to, and turned on the little lantern, altering the tiny turtles of his presence, making them coo with excitement. "Yes, hello turtle creatures. I have brought you food." And like a farmer throwing feed at his chicken, he lightly tossed the scraps of food to the toddlers, who ate it happily.

Splinter had his plate full. Scurrying for food at night, sleeping during the day, and avoiding those strange beings that were responsible for the mutations. All the while, he thought of Shen. She would have no way of knowing what happened to him, and that was for the best. She had a job, a home, a new life in the place she had always wanted to see. She was happy. She didn't need to know the man she loved was a monster. It hurt, and Splinter wanted to see her again, to make sure she knew he didn't leave her, but there was no way he could see her without frightening her, or at the very least, there was no way he could see her without putting her life in danger.

Speaking of danger, Splinter's newfound hearing detected the deadly buzzing. He covered the lantern and grasped his katana, ready to attack if needed, but it was best to stay hidden. The droid scanned the water tower, and Splinter and the young cubs were still. The ninja master held his breath, but the droid seemed satisfied, and began to float away. Until one of the young turtles burped. Of course.

Before the droid with a dozen weapons could properly attack, Splinter kicked the makeshift door and sprang on it, stabbing his katana right into the eye and splattering his face with oil.

Rejoining the turtles, Splinter said, "We must leave this place, it is too dangerous. We must find another haven to hide. No, no food now! We must go."

Now Splinter was fully robed with his hood up and his head down, covering his snout and whiskers, pushing a shopping cart filled with his small items and the young turtles he kept in a box to keep them quiet. Some people passed him on the street, but paid him no mind. He was just another homeless person that was best ignored. Splinter passed a shop selling TVs and all of them were airing the same news channel, which caught his attention as he saw his human face on screen.

"... missing for five days. His wife begs that anyone who has any knowledge of his whereabouts, or where he was last seen, to please contact her."

"Married man suddenly disappears?" The other news anchor laughed. "Where have I heard that before…"

"The NYPD thinks the same thing, Charles," The first anchorman chuckled. "They've deemed this a pretty cut-and-dry case. There's been no sighting or trace of Mr. Hamato but any man who doesn't wanna be found by a woman won't be found." And the two men laughed.

Splinter's grip on the cart tightened, turning his pale knuckles white. No! No, he would never leave Shen, never! But he did. He had no choice, but he had abandoned her with no rhyme or reason, no explanation. He owed her that much. But what if the strange beings followed him, found him, decided to target Shen as well? But he had already taken so much from her. Perhaps if he was quick, perhaps if he was careful, he could at least say goodbye. Splinter hated the idea, but he hated the idea of breaking her heart like this even more, so he used the shadows to aid him and hid the cart filled with turtles in the alley by he and Shen's apartment.

The police were useless. Shen heard their sly comments and gathered their opinion on the matter, but she refused to believe it. She spent every evening after work looking for Yoshi. Shen was very careful not to mention anything about the Foot clan, or the possibility of having enemies, but if Shen had to make a guess, Saki had found Yoshi. She had to find him, and fast, no there was no trace. She did all she could, but it wasn't enough. Shen swore if she ever found… no, when she found her husband, she would have him start training her to be a kunoichi. She was useless like this.

Shen was exhausted and had work the next day, so she journeyed home to recharge her batteries so she could try again with more energy. Once again, she slipped off her shoes, stepped into her house slippers, and hung up her purse and pocketed her keys, but before she could turn on the lights, she jumped out of her skin at the sound of a voice.

"Sh-Shen."

She spun around, just now gathering how dark it was. All the curtains were drawn, causing only a little light from the city to leak out the top of the curtains. After a few seconds, Shen's eyes adjusted and she could detect a body standing by the window that led to the fire-escape, which was open judging by the movement of the curtains. "Yoshi? Yoshi!"

"It's me, my love, I'm sorry…"

"What happened to you?! Was is Saki?! Wh-..." Shen moved forward to hold her husband, but he backed away, further into the darkness. Her heart dropped and doubt crept into her skin. "Yoshi? What's the matter?"

"I… S… Something has happened to me." His voice was so low and sad, so full of shame. But Yoshi was an honorable man. There was nothing in Shen's mind that he could have done to be shameful of. "I… I cannot be seen with you."

"What?!" Shen hissed. "Why not? Is it the Foot Clan?"

"No, no. But others want me dead. They might hurt you. I have to leave. You can't be seen with me."

Shen scowled at the dark figure. "I don't care."

"I care."

"I know you do. Perhaps you care too much. We're a family! We stick together! I will always be by your side, always! You can't get rid of me that easily!" Shen sneered, hoping Yoshi would see reason or even smile, not that she could see it.

"If you saw me you would think differently." Yoshi muttered.

"Then let me see you." The figure backed further away. "Hamato Yoshi, let me see my husband!" Shen demanded.

She swore she could see the figure flinch, but he did not move forward, or make any action to let Shen see him. Losing her patience, she swiped at the curtain and yanked back to let the light seep in, landing perfectly on Yoshi's new face.

Shen gasped to find a rat the same height as her husband standing before her. With brown, black, and white fur, cloaked in a maroon Hamato robe, bearing a pink nose, whiskers, pointed ears, and claws and a naked tail to boot, the rat that had Yoshi's voice stood before her, slightly hunched in shame, pleading with his warm brown eyes that she not hate him.

It was his eyes. Shen could recognize those eyes anywhere. She let go of the curtain, letting it hang by the open window, Splinter's escape, and she bit her red lip. Splinter stood up straight as he saw that she did not yell or hit him or panic. Rather, she stepped into the light and stood before him, looking up at him and soaking in his appearance. He let her, and dared not to get his hopes up, but the way she looked at him…

Shen lifted a hand, but hesitated, closing her hand and rubbing her fingers with her thumb. Splinter noticed, and closed his eyes to let her do what she wanted. He deserved a good smack across the face, but instead she cupped his cheek, making Splinter's eyes fly open with shock. Shen smiled, finding his fur surprisingly soft. She petted his cheek and Splinter moved a hand to her hand on reflex, forgetting his new hand until she jumped a tiny bit, but she soon smiled.

Splinter raised an eyebrow, speculating and a bit suspicious. "Aren't you scared?"

Shen chuckled and shook her head. "No. Why would I be? It's still you."

"But you're trembling."

"It's cold outside and you left the window open." Shen pointed out with a smile, shivering as a gust of wind came in.

Splinter broke away for a second to close the window. "I apologize. I needed an escape route in case this went badly."

Shen's smile took a small vacation as she asked, "What happened to make you change so drastically? Who did this?"

"I don't know. I hardly understand it myself, and I was there."

"When was the last time you ate?! Where have you been?! Oh Yoshi, you must be hungry!" Shen turned on a lamp and said, "You need tea and dinner. We'll eat and you can tell me everything."

Splinter closed the curtain, sighing, and said, "Shen, I can't stay…"

"Yes you can." Shen interrupted. "You can and you will."

"There are these… hunters of some sort. They want to…"

"They won't find you here." Shen said firmly. "The best place for you to be is here at home, not out in the open."

"I'm a ninja. I'm never out in the open."

Shen rolled her eyes as she placed the kettle filled with water on the burning and turned the stove on. "Don't talk back to your wife, and just tell me what happened."

Splinter sighed tiredly and sat on the couch. It was a bit easier to relax in the comfort of his own home and with Shen, so he complied. "I was thinking of getting you something special, and on the way home from the warehouse I saw that a pet store was having a sale on turtles, so I entered and left with four…"

"Splinter!" Shen gasped happily.

Splinter smiled. "I know, but let me finish. As I was leaving the pet store, I bumped into a strange man. Something felt off about him. I decided to follow. In an alley, a man was giving this man a strange glowing canister, but that was when I accidentally stepped on a rat. I, of course, was caught, and more men circled me. In the fight, the canister broke and I dropped the four turtles when some ooze splashed on me and burned. It was then that I transformed…"

"And the turtles?" Shen asked, following the story as she reheated leftovers on the stove, stirring a pot. "They were transformed, too?"

"Yes."

"Where are they now?"

"The turtles? They are down in the alley…"

"You left them in the cold!?" Shen scolded, stomping into the living room.

"They are warm in their box… ouch!" Splinter rubbed the top of his head, being smacked like a naughty child.

"You bring those babies in here right now, Hamato Yoshi! They must be hungry!"

"I've been feeding them…"

"Go!" Shen was smiling as she pointed at the window. "Go get them!"

That smile was all the reassurance he needed. Splinter actually had the strength to return the smile, and he swiftly left on the fire-escape and opened the box in the shopping cart to find four sleepy turtles smiling up at him. "Come, there is someone who would like to meet you very much."

Shen was grinning from ear-to-ear as her husband climbed back inside through the window with a cardboard box in his arms. With a hot cup of tea and a bowl of noodles waiting for him on the coffee table, Splinter sat on the couch and opened the box for his wife to see the contents. At once the turtles cooed and smiled up at her, and Shen gasped and put a hand up to her radiant smile. "Oh, Yoshi! They're beautiful!"

The ninja master smiled; he shouldn't have expected a different reaction from Shen. He swore he would never underestimate her again. While Splinter sipped his tea, Shen lowered the box onto the floor and let them crawl out to her as she sat beside them, watching them crawl like toddlers and explore. "Hello! Hi, yes! I'm your new mommy, hello! Oh, you're so beautiful! Now, Splinter, what are they?"

"They're all male."

"How wonderful!" The one with freckles was by Shen's leg, smiling up at her, and she picked up the young cub gently and hugged him, rubbing circles into his shell and making him coo and hug her back. "Have you named them?"

"Not yet." Splinter lowered his bowl of noodles as his eyes rested on the bookshelf across from him. He stood and went to a special book as he conjured an idea. "I did want to be an artist when I was a boy… Perhaps it would be appropriate to name them after some of my favorite artists…"

"I think that's a great idea, dear." Shen encouraged as Splinter sat next to her on the floor with the book in hand. The ninja master rested the book on the floor so he and his wife could read in harmony, but the young turtles crawled to a desired artist. Shen laughed and said, "They're so bright, look at them! They've picked their own names!"

Splinter chuckled and patted the head of the young turtle on top of Leonardo. "Very well. We shall call them Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo."

"Only when they're in trouble." Shen chuckled.

"Which I'm sure will be often." Splinter slipped in slyly. Boys will be boys.

"Oh, you are one to talk." Shen teased, ruffling the top of Splinter's head, between his ears. "I nicknamed you Splinter for a reason, and it wasn't because of ninjutsu." That reminded Shen of something. She looked away to give it more thought.

Splinter noticed this. "What is it?"

"Will you teach me? Will you train me to be a kunoichi?"

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "What brought this on? I had always received the impression that you had no interest in ninjutsu."

Shen sighed. "I can see why you would think that. I didn't. I simply didn't understand how you could let it absorb your life, let it become the only thing in your life. Ninjutsu is amazing and I'm glad you practice it and have become a master, but I don't want it to be the only thing that concerns you."

"You were right. You are right. It nearly did, but you remind me…"

"I'm tired of feeling useless!" Shen snapped. "I'm tired of letting you always fight for us and sending me away, or being unable to assist you in a battle! We're a family! If you are faced with an enemy then they are my enemy also and I wish to fight them! I want to better understand you, Yoshi! I want to train and exercise and be capable of more than I thought I ever could be! I want to be a real member of the Hamato Clan! I want to be a ninja."

Splinter grinned. "Tang Shen, my love, all you need is ask! I will be happy to teach you! I think it will be good for you to learn, it will certainly put me at ease knowing you will be safe, even if I am not there. We will start immediately!"

She smiled and stood. "Tomorrow. Eat, you've hardly touched your dinner. Should the young-ones have milk?"

"I suppose. I've been feeding them scrapes, so far they've eaten anything I put in front of them." Splinter said, reaching for his bowl and fishing out some noodles with his chopsticks.

"Poor little darlings. There's plenty of warm ramen for them!" Shen fixed a large bowl of dinner and rejoined the turtles, whom Splinter scooped back into the box so they were in one place for Shen.

Splinter watched as Shen smiled happily and gave them noodles and spoonfuls of warm broth. They had large appetites, especially Michelangelo, but by the time the bowl was empty, the cubs were full and sleepy. Splinter observed as he finished his tea; Shen brought out a large blanket and laid the turtles on the couch, side by side, tucking them into the blanket and seeing to it that they were cozy. Shen sat on the carpet by her husband, resting her arms and head on the couch, rubbing Raphael's back and humming under her breath. Splinter could feel peace spreading throughout his soul, and he could not help but admit that he had been wrong, and that there was a possibility that they could make this work.