Koda's hand burns as she runs through another set of punches to Raph's open palms. He keeps pushing her and she keeps giving. Relentlessly.

Leo slept in and Raph, oddly, was awake early enough for a little training session. They have been at it for just under an hour.

The said turtle in blue eventually makes his appearance though and puts a quick stop to the incessant punching and blocking by the duo, seeing the fatigue in Koda's form that a revved up Raph fails to notice.

"I think that's good, Raph." Leo chuckles.

"Come on, she's got a few more in her." Raph replies, setting up to take another couple of hits. An out of breath Koda doesn't follow suit, thankful for the save by Leo. Raph drops his hands. "Alright I'll give her a break."

"Thank God." She answers happily and turns towards a cabinet to unwind the hand wrappings from her knuckles. Her left hand visibly agitated, the skin red and new bruises covering old bruises.

Raph takes no notice as he stretches his arms behind his head and walks off. "Let me know when it's lunchtime." He says as he disappears into the main room.

He knows Leo has been talking to Koda more than any of them, so he does his best to leave the two be now. One of the many good outcomes of having the turtle brothers talk out some of their problems is that Raph mellowed the hell out as of late.

Leo sits by the tree and Koda joins him after returning the protective wraps to their place.

"You slept in a little bit huh? I take it you didn't sleep too well."

Leo shakes his head. "No... Started getting anxiety again. Then I couldn't sleep. Tried meditating." He huffs, rubbing his face, "I don't know I'm just sick and tired of being... sick and tired."

"Being put on your ass by your own mind is a bit frustratin'."

"Yeah." He sighs, his gaze dashing from his lap to Koda's bruising hand. His eyes turn concerned. "Koda, you have to go easier on your hand."

Koda glances down at her swollen hand, giving it a couple of stretching flexes. "It's fine."

Leo gives her a raised brow.

"Okay, it hurts like a bastard, but it's fine."

Leo sighs, "You're as stubborn as I am."

"Born and raised that way."

Leo chuckles. "Just take it easy."

"I will."

They sit for a minute, Leo's gaze at his lap again. Koda can tell he wants to talk but he never seems to have the gumption to start. She waits as always.

"...My anxiety is really bad again today."

"Anythin' in particular that you keep thinkin' about?"

"No... Just everything is making me nervous. Like I'm over thinking... over feeling?"

"Everything feels overstimulating?"

"Yeah... That... I don't know how to handle it other than to keep doing something. I don't want to go back to constantly running from it... but I don't want to have another panic attack from sitting and trying to deal with this."

Koda nods. "Well, try and go about your day normally. Try and keep yourself busy but maybe stay close to us rather than by yourself."

"Yeah... This is getting bad." He says grabbing his head.

"No Leo, you're just facing it. This will pass, I promise."

He nods.

"So why don't we meditate for a bit and then you go find yourself somethin' to do, yeah? You know I'll be around to keep you from panickin'." She gives him a friendly shoulder punch.

Leo replies with a smile and a nod.

They both drift into meditation.


Koda keeps an eye on Leo as promised while everyone goes about their day. She doesn't tell anyone Leo is on edge today as she doesn't want anybody to act differently and trigger a panic attack. He hasn't had one since that first time a few nights ago. But Leo is very nervous of having another and that's not helping his case.

Currently Koda and Mikey are playing an intense game of pong.

"I'm telling you, my ninja skills apply to games as well. You can't score on me!"

"Mike, I already scored on you six times." Koda bellows a laugh as the two continue the stalemate.

"Leo, if you don't chill out I'm going to start telling you to hit the the bowl!" Raph's almost sarcastic voice travels down the hallway as Leo leaves it rather hastily, he spots Koda and makes his way to the gaming duo.

Koda glances up briefly from the game to acknowledge the nervous turtle.

"You know I'm not a big proponent of smokin'. But Raph may be onto to somethin'." She chuckles, barely deflecting Mikey's shot at her goal.

"That's not for me."

"I know which is why I don't push it." Koda finally lands a goal against Mikey. "Ha!"

Mikey jokingly glares her down then looks to Leo.

"I will. Weed is one of the most relaxing things I've ever tried." Mikey states.

"You've smoked?!" Koda and Leo both exclaim at the same time.

"Duh."

Koda giggles while Leo just sighs holding the bridge of his nose.

"We all have." Donnie says as he walks by with a fresh cup of coffee and smug grin.

"Have I lost control of this family?"

"A long time ago, bro. Long time ago." Mikey replies sarcastically as he sets up to start another round with Koda.

Leo shakes his head but Koda can see the small smile he tries to hide as he strolls off. She had hoped that Leo would join in on the game. At least he seems relaxed and not on edge as earlier.


Koda breads some chicken at the stove while Leo sits with a cup of tea in his hands at the kitchen island. April sits in the main room reading a book for one of her courses.The others had gone off to fulfill a quick job offer: assisting in the protection of a product delivery of some sorts. Leo declined the offer and Casey took his place.

Koda knows Leo doesn't particularly enjoy the question, but she asks anyway: "You been holdin' up okay?"

He takes a second to answer as he soaks up the warmth coming off his mug. "Yeah."

He sounds unsure, not really all there in the moment.

"Were you afraid of panicking while on the job with the guys?"

Leo's eyes flicker upwards before coming back down to his mug. "Yeah." His voice is dejected, hollow.

"Upset you didn't join?"

"Yeah."

"Is 'yeah' all you got to say?" Koda lightly mocks.

A slight smile finds its way on Leo's face, "yeah."

Koda laughs, flicking some water at the downtrodden turtle as she washes her hands.

"Hey don't get chicken juice on me!" Leo chuckles putting his hands up in defense.

"It's just water." Koda retorts, playfully smacking him on the head with the hand towel.

"Alright. Alright. I'm dry!" Leo bellows, haphazardly deflecting the small swinging towel from his now happy face.

Koda relents and hangs the towel back on its hook. Her job is done. If growing up with four brothers taught her anything, it's how to make boy laugh. It makes April smile too as she watches on from the couch pit. She hasn't seen Leo smile often in the past year so. To have someone come in and bring out that signature bright smile from the Hamato leader: it gives her hope that things will be alright.

Soon enough the others return and everyone sits down to eat. The room is filled with laughter and happy conversation.

Mikey and Raph cackle over some mess ups on the job. Casey compliments Donnie on some technological feat. April and Leo delve into the topic of the healing hands. Koda is happy to hear it all as exchanges switch and new stories are brought up.

She starts to wish this moment is with her family. She wonders how they are fairing. She prays they are out eating their dinner in the woods around a hidden campfire- chatting up a storm like these guys. Rather than held hostage by Kraang.

"So Koda, you said you rode dirtbikes? You ever rode a motorcycle?"

Casey's question snaps her out of her thoughts.

"I own one." She replies without skipping a beat, not letting on where her mind just was.

That brings up a whole new slew of questions from Casey and of course Raph as Koda is dragged into a discussion much happier than her thoughts.

Dinner starts to wind down but the chatter continues on as a few of the Hamato clan delve into some beers. Which Koda, with no real authority, permitted them to drink.

She watches on as the family seems to be healing. She really could sit around this for hours, it felt like home.

A light tap on her thigh under the table whisks her attention to none other than the blue banded turtle at her side. She looks up curiously.

The poor thing looks as though he's seen a ghost. Leo's fighting off a panic as he stares nervously at Koda.

"Hey it's s alright. Just breathe."

Leo nods and tries his best to breathe normally, looking back to his plate, he shakily picks at the wrappings around his hands under the table. Koda puts a hand on his leg under the table as a sort of distraction. And it seems to work for the moment as Leo keeps his composure.

The usually un-concerned hot head of the family catches Leo's uneasy expression.

"Leo, man, are you good?" Raph asks worriedly from across the island.

Koda internally cringes, knowing that question probably just sucked Leo right back in to a panic. This silences the table conversation. Everyone looks to Leo in curiosity and the situation just gets worse.

The un-nerved turtle gets sent into a spiral of anxiety the moment the attention is on him. He hyper ventilates. He starts shaking.

"Leo its okay."

"Relax."

"Breathe, man."

"Dude, we're right here."

Everyone's voices are too much: Leo jumps out of his seat, ripping out of Koda's touch. His chair clatters to the floor as he sprints off to the dojo.

Before even Donnie can say anything, a scared Raph tells Koda to go after him. She swiftly jogs across the lair to chase Leo down.

"What just happened?" Casey confusedly asks the silent group.

"A really bad panic attack." Raph answers.

"He's the last dude I'd expect to get those."

April slaps Casey upside the head.


"Leo." Koda states entering his room not fair behind him.

Hands over his head he ambles around the room attempting to breathe He barely makes eyes contact.

"Slow down. Come 'ere." Koda tries to grab him but his stride is quick.

"Leo stop." Koda finally snatches a hold of his Katana belt admist his frantic pacing around his room.

His breathing erratic, he manages a nod and Koda pulls him to his bed. She sits him down and keeps hold of his hands as she stands in front of his shaking form. "Breathe with me okay?"

Leo nods nervously as he tries to match her breathing with much difficulty.

"I- I don't know why that just happened" Leo's voice trembles.

"You don't have to. Its okay." Koda squeezes his hands trying to remind him to breathe.

It takes several minutes but Leo finally settles. Koda lets his hands down gently and sits beside him. He's slouched, staring off to the floor. He's drained, embarrassed, still anxious.

She gives him a good couple of minutes to cool down.

"Do you want to go back out or just sit for a while?" She asks softly.

"I don't know." He starts nervously picking at the wrappings around his hand again as he stares off.

She has half a mind to just smack his hands make him stop that nervous habit. It's aggravating to helplessly watch but she knows it won't do a damn thing to intervene.

Koda's face drops as she watches Leo struggle. He can't seem to catch a break and now the poor thing is embarrassed he just had freak out like a child in front of the whole family. Definitely not helping his situation.

Koda scoots closer to the head of the bed, "Lay down for a little bit, kiddo." She pats her lap and Leo doesn't pass the offer up to lay his head there.

She lets her fingers play along his shoulder. The instant relaxation in Leo's form brings her relief. His eyes soften but he still blankly stares out across the room in a nervous manner. They stay like that for a while in the silence.

Leo lets the girl's caring touch sooth him. Normally he'd detest this sort of attention. But he's never felt more comfortable, this safe with anybody. And he doesn't hate the fact that for once, there is somebody to bring him back down to earth. Since Splinter has been gone, he's felt... alone. Like no one really understands him.

"I thought my anxiety would start to go away... I feel like it's getting worse since I started talking about it." Leo finally says, tears silently trickling down his face.

"I don't think it's gotten worse. I think you're just finally lettin' yourself process it. Like I said earlier." Koda says, her fingertips still gently stroking his shoulder.

"Yeah."

Leo finds himself leaning into her hand. How such a simple action can calm him so much, he has no idea.

"It'll get better." Koda assures.

Leo nods. "Thank you... you know... For taking care of me."

"You're welcome, Leo. Always."

Leo smiles before letting his eyes rest. A few more moments of this and he'll be ready to go back out with her to the others.

He ends up drifting off and Koda slips away as he does. She throws his blanket over him before exiting the room.

She finds herself back in the kitchen with the others. They worriedly prod her with questions before she can even sit down, she can't even keep track.

"He's sleeping now. I wouldn't bother him, Donnie." She replies to resident doctor.

"I didn't cause it did I?" Raph asks.

"No I don't think so."

"What do we do now?" Mikey asks.

"Let him rest. I'm sure he'll bounce back by mornin'."

The turtles are quiet before Raph finally speaks up. "We don't have to wake him. But he shouldn't be alone." He gets up from the table and heads for the main room.

"Where are you going?" Mikey asks.

"Staying in Leo's room until this stops." Raph slings a bean bag chair over his shoulder, grabs a blanket and heads for the dojo.

Mikey and Donnie watch silently.

"You guys should go join him." Koda says standing, going to start the dishes.

"C'mon Mikey." Donnie quietly says. The two leave the kitchen and grab whatever blankets they can find on their way.


"I can't believe they all slept in my room." Leo sighs.

"Well, they're worried 'bout you." Koda replies.

"I know."

"It was Raph's idea."

Leo nods and surprisingly lets out a chuckle. "Raph always has the embarrassing ideas."

"It's embarrassing to have your family care about you?" Koda pokes.

"Well no... I just... we haven't been close like that in a few years now." Leo sighs rubbing the back of his neck rather than picking at his hands. "So it's just different I guess."

"Different can be good."

"Thats true." Leo says taking a stance. "Now how about I teach you a different way to flip Raph over on his shell." Leo says with a smirk.

"Now that sounds like a good plan." Koda cracks her knuckles preparing for a fun training session.