Hey guys! Hope you're doing okay and staying safe! Once again I have another chapter up! I'm hoping to keep this up, even if it means posted a chapter a week since I'm so busy at work, no rest for the wicked! lol!

Hope you enjoy this update!

Chapter Three

Kemeko looked down for a few seconds not sure of what to say.

"Please child." Splinter urged "Talk to me, I only wish to know what it is you fear, then I can help you overcome it."

Kemeko blinked and chewed her lip, yet hearing her grandfather's kind soft voice made her feel relaxed.

"Well….the thing is….um…." she hesitated "I'm afraid…"

"Afraid of what child?" Splinter asked.

"I'm afraid of the dark." Kemeko mumbled yet Splinter heard every word.

"The dark huh?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

Kemeko sighed.

"I know Grandfather." She said "It's embarrassing, I am to be a ninja, yet I am a ninja who is afraid of the dark, I asked daddy if I could sleep with him because I was scared…"

Her cheeks reddened and the little Japanese girl could feel tears prickling her eyes.

Splinter upon seeing her embarrassment and shame just smiled in a comforting way before stroking her cheek.

"My dear, there is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to our fears." He said "We all have them, Your Uncle Raphael is afraid of spiders and most insects, your father, when he was young used to have a crippling fear of heights, and your Uncle Michelangelo used to be terrified of the dark."

Kemeko looked up, both in surprised and confusion as she believed along with Pandora that grown-ups never feared anything.

"Really?" she asked.

"Indeed Kemeko." Splinter smiled "In fact, I had to do many meditation sessions with your Uncles and Father to help them overcome their fears, and now they are strong enough to cope as well as face their fears, even if it still haunts them."

Kemeko looked thoughtful for a while then looked up at Splinter.

"Was father really scared of heights?" she asked "But he's so….so brave as he leaps across the buildings in the city, especially when we go topside together and I sit on his shoulders as he flies."

Splinter chuckled.

"Oh little Lotus." He smiled "if you had seen him as a child, you never would have thought he would be doing what he does now with such confidence."

Kemeko started to feel slightly hopeful.

"Do you think you can help me?" she asked, her eyes shining "Stop my fear of the dark?"

"I cannot make you stop being afraid of the dark." Splinter said "But I can help you, and teach you to embrace the dark as a friend, not an enemy, and soon you will walk through the darkness as you do in the daylight."

"You really can do that?" Kemeko asked.

Splinter nodded.

"Your father and I will speak together, and together we will help you," he then patted Kemeko's back "Now my dear, you must enjoy your free time before lunch and then you have more school."

"Okay grandfather," Kemeko smiled back, feeling more confident inside, yet still a little concerned as she wasn't sure what Splinter was planning.

She stood up from Splinter's lap and hugged him before turning to go to the playroom to find Pandora.

The old rat watched the child run to the playroom then turned to see Leonardo coming out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, his ninja equipment and mask in one hand as he walked.

Following his eldest son to his room, Splinter caught his attention as he was about to enter his room.

"My son." Splinter said "May I speak with you?"

"yes sensei." Leonardo answered as he turned to Splinter hearing his voice and letting him enter as he started to dry himself.

Splinter walked over to a chair near Leonardo's bed as the turtle stood before the full-length mirror and after drying himself began to spray under his arms and over his chest with deodorant before putting on some fresh Ninja equipment and a clean blue mask.

"What did you wish to speak about Master?" Leonardo asked as he placed his katana on the chest of drawers planning to inspect them and sharpen them before himself and his brothers and adopted sister were to go patrolling later on.

Splinter rested his paws on his cane as he watched Splinter sit on the floor before him and cross his legs in the lotus position.

"I wish to speak to you about Kemeko." The old rat began.

Leonardo raised an eyebrow.

"She has shown concerns about the tests I will be running for her and Pandora, especially when it comes to their training in darkness, to get used to the shadows." Splinter explained "I was aware of Kemeko's discomfort at the subject."

Leonardo chewed his lip.

He knew nothing slipped past his wise sensei, even the best actor in the world could not hide their true feelings or thoughts from him.

Leonardo sighed.

"Kemeko has shown she is afraid of the dark." Leonardo said, "For the past few nights she has come into my room and asked to sleep with me as she feels scared of the dark, or if she's had a nightmare."

Splinter nodded as he listened.

"Don't get me wrong master." Leonardo continued "In fact I love it when she comes into my room, since she trusts me to care for her, and protect her, especially after her mother trusted me, and on her deathbed I promised her…." Leonardo swallowed the lump forming in his throat.

Splinter nodded, his own eyes shining as he remembered the promise Leonardo made to Karai as she died, despite is happening nearly six years ago, that event still hurt them both, especially Leonardo as he held her in his arms as she succumbed to her wounds.

"I understand my son." Splinter smiled softly and reached out a paw to Leonardo's chin and stroking under it, "But to be a true ninja, she must overcome her fears, and embrace the darkness."

"And how can we help her master?" Leonardo asked "I remember how you helped me overcome my fear of heights, I used to be so frightened, but now, I embrace heights and enjoy the freedom as I leap over the rooftops with no fear of falling."

Splinter again gave his eldest son a soft look.

"Leonardo, as Kemeko's adopted father, I know you can find a way, she trusts you more than anyone to help her, and I know you can help her, as I helped you all those years ago."

Leonardo blinked.

"Me?" he asked.

Splinter nodded.

"I know you can aid her," he said "She trusts you with her life, you have been there for her since the day she was born, she imprinted on you, she looks up to you, she feels safe with you, in her eyes, you are God, Father, teacher, sensei…"

"Like I looked to you." Leonardo said "and I still do."

Splinter smiled again.

"Go and speak with her my son." He said softly "She needs you, she needs you to look after her, and help her, like I helped you."

Leonardo stood up and bowed to his sensei.

"Thank you Master." He said "I shall."

Splinter bowed back then left the room so Leonardo could change into his clean mask and ninja equipment.

Meanwhile in the playroom, Kemeko sat on the floor playing with two geisha dolls and a tea set whilst Pandora practised handstands against the wall.

"Would you like some Tea Kiki?" Kemeko asked one of her dolls as she pretended to pour some tea and made the doll nod in respond "There you go, and for you too Mika, it's Jasmine," to which she made the doll chuckle and say thank you.

Pandora stood on her hands against the wall and grinned.

"Check me out Kemeko!" she called over.

Kemeko looked up to see Pandora leaning against the wall upside down on her hands.

"You look good!" she called over to which the lizard/turtle hybrid grinned more and straightened her back.

"I should be able to walk on my hands before long!" she called over.

Kemeko smiled and looked back at her dolls, but as she did, she heard footsteps and turned to see Leonardo come through the door.

"Hey girls!" he smiled.

"Uncle Leo!" Pandora called before losing her balance and falling back on her feet, yet she jumped back up "I'm okay!"

Leonardo chuckled.

"Daddy!" Kemeko abandoned her dolls and turned to Leonardo.

"Hey Lotus!" Leonardo knelt down and let Kemeko walk into his embrace.

Kemeko snuggled against her father's plastron and Leonardo hugged her close.

"You doing okay baby?" he asked.

Kemeko nodded.

"Just playing." She said with a smile.

"Great!" Leonardo smiled flicking Kemeko's chin "Sweetheart, how do you fancy a trip topside before lunch hmm?"

Kemeko grinned and Pandora walked over as soon as she heard the word 'topside'.

"A trip upstairs?!" she asked excitedly "Can I come!?"

Leonardo looked over to Pandora and a sense of awkwardness swept over him.

"Aww sorry Little Geisha." He said "It's just myself and Kemeko at the moment."

Pandora's grin faded quickly and she frowned and stuck out her bottom lip which she often did when disappointed.

"Awww!" she pouted "Why can't I come?!"

"I just want to talk to Kemeko alone for a bit that's all." Leonardo explained then flicked his finger over Pandora's bottom lip "But don't worry, you can join us next time!"

"I can?" Pandora asked, her sulk disappearing quickly.

"Uh huh!" Leonardo winked "Why don't you keep practising those handstands and I'll come and grade you later?"

"Okay!" Pandora grinned "Will you grade me high?" she asked.

"We'll see!" Leonardo winked as he beckoned Kemeko to follow him out of the playroom "See you later Little Geisha!"

Leaving the playroom, Leonardo walked to the exit of the lair, picking up Kemeko's blue coat on the way and handing it to the child to which she took it and pulled it over her shoulders.

"It'll be a bit cold up there Lotus." He said "so you'll need to stay warm okay?"

Kemeko nodded.

"Okay daddy." She said "Where are we going anyway?" she asked.

"You'll see!" Leonardo winked before turning to Splinter who was walking past to inform him where he was going to which the rat nodded giving permission and Leonardo took Kemeko's hand and walked into the sewers with her.

So Splinter has listened to Kemeko's fears and has spoken to Leonardo, now what will transpire between father and daughter, well keep checking in to find out!