Disclaimer: Again. Don't own TMNT or anything associated. All I have own
are my originals. Thank you. (
Epilogue: Turning Tides
A/N: Okay, here it is. The final chapter of a story that has taken me nearly a year to write is now finished and ready for everyone to read. But first, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed this story and let them know that I really appreciated their interest in Rivalries as a whole.
Dancingfae- Sorry that you got a little confused about Maggie's being there. I just didn't add her in first because she was the youngest and I was going in what's considered the 'legal' order of age for the Turtles. But I'm glad that you liked what was written and I hope that you enjoyed reading the story. And to answer your question about Maggie, just read "New Additions" and you'll get part of what you want to know.
Hexadecimal- Glad you liked it. And for an answer to your question as to where Maggie came from, just read my other fic "New Additions" if you haven't already. It'll explain part of what you want to know.
Mikomi- Nope, sorry. Donnie boy isn't the oldest. That title falls to everyone's favorite blue-bandana wearing annoyance, Leonardo. Thanks for reading though. I appreciate the review.
LenniluvsBrian- I've really enjoyed your reviews. They're funny and given me the smile I needed some days when I'm feeling like total slag. I'm glad that you enjoyed the story and I hope that all goes well with your new story 'Understanding Brother.' Which I've only read a couple of chapters to, but really like so far. Those guys seriously need to stop picking on Lenore. If they don't, you can ask Maggie to claw them for her if you want. :P
Machias Banshee- Thanks a lot for your reviews and all the help that you've given me for Rivalries. It was great being able to bounce ideas off of you and to get the feedback you gave as one of my beta readers. It was a big help and I hope I can return the favor sometime, mush girl. ;)
Daydream- I'm glad that you liked the story and my writing style. Believe me, it isn't easy to get things down just right. But anyone can do if they just follow their own instincts about the emotions needed. Do that and you got it. ;)
Red Turtle- Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like Maggie. I'm sorry that you found the story a little confusing at times and I'll take your advice about tangents into consideration. But please remember that I can't go into detail about everything and so I can only go over what I feel is necessary to the story.
Arista Naria- Glad that you enjoyed the exchanges between little Magnolia and Raphael. Just goes to show you that even the tough guy has to beware the younger sister's wrath from time to time. I'm glad that you reviewed and I hope that your work with 'Truth of a Leader' works out for Leo in the end.
Reiji Neko Mitsukai- Thanks for the offer, but I think I got it covered. If Raphael doesn't behave, I can always sic Eternity, my Naga, on him when she's in a bad mood. Which happens to be just about every day of the week. She would definitely teach Raph to be quiet, after he finished screaming for help from the top of a very tall tree. :P
Lexy- Sorry to give you such a scare like that. I just wanted to choose someone that doesn't usually get a lot of attention at being hurt. Since Don's usually the one patching everyone up, I thought maybe it was his turn to get a little attention in that department. But don't worry, you're gonna see how he fares when you read what's below. ;)
Karasuko- I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. Sorry that there's only one last chapter for you to read. But I can promise that it's gonna be a good chapter and I'm hoping it won't disappoint you. Thanks for reviewing.
Terran aka Splinter- You didn't review the story, but you were a great help to me as one of my beta readers. It really made a major difference to have a true expert to bounce ideas for childcare off of. That really helped me to make important decisions for this story. Thanks T. :)
Nearly two weeks had passed since that fateful day and Donatello had finally awakened from his coma-like slumber. It had been gradual at first, with bursts of consciousness beginning about four days after the accident. These would last from less than a moment to a few at the most before he fell asleep again.
As the days went by, these bursts would increase in number and in length as Don's body repaired itself from the ordeal of cold. Still, these happenings were sporadic and it was hard to tell at what times Donatello would enter the conscious world again. But when he did, there was often one sight that he was greeted with as he opened his eyes.
That was the face of his Sensei, Splinter. Since he had brought the boy home, Splinter had constantly been at the boy's side. He would be there for hours on end, day or night, just waiting for any sign of change, be it good or bad, in his son's progress.
He had kept such a constant vigil over the boy that often he was awake through most of the night and sometimes straight into the daylight hours as well. This often left the ninja master feeling extremely weary and somewhat grouchy with others. It was during this that he found it harder and harder to keep his temper and frustrations in check when around the children during the morning and evening practice sessions.
His temper was increased with having to deal with his other duties when it came to caring for his family. Not only did he have to care for Donatello, but he also needed to keep an eye on his other children, to find supplies that the family needed, and other similar things. Having to keep up with all of this put strain on the rat and his weariness with it all reached new levels.
These levels were apparent enough when everything would finally overcome the rat and he would need to stop what he was doing and take a few hours to catch up on his sleep. On these days, Splinter would excuse his other students from practice and send them to work on their schoolwork instead. Then, after leaving stern instruction that they were to keep to their studies and to behave, he would either go to the couch or his study to rest.
After that, he generally fell into a slumber of two to three hours. Once that amount of time had passed, his internal clock would alert him to the fact that it was time to wake. It wasn't always easy to get up, even when he knew that he had to. Splinter was just so tired that for just a little while, he wanted to forget about everything else and sleep himself out.
But he knew that he couldn't and eventually, he would give into what his internal clock was telling him and get up. He would return to what he needed to do and put off sleeping a bit longer. Still, what little he did manage to get during these naps did help to ease what he was feeling and to put him into better spirits for the remainder of his waking hours.
This was a mood that was easily sensed by his four remaining children and one that they were glad for. They knew how much Splinter was going through when it came to worrying about and caring for their injured brother. It was similar to how they were feeling themselves, worried and unsure of what to do. It was something none of them were used to and didn't enjoy feeling, also a reaction they shared with their mentor.
When Splinter decided to give them a break and take a nap, the children did welcome the respite. The rigors that came from ninja training were hard for anyone, especially children that were in the process of learning the ways of their heritage. The stress could take a good toll on the student after a time and so made it harder to concentrate when things mattered. This made any break that was given a welcome respite from training. Yet in this case, the uncertainty remained.
It was the reason why they were given a break that had the children feeling unsure about things. They knew that Splinter had been watching over their brother while he continued to sleep and hopefully recover. They knew that it was stressful for him to watch his son just lie there and not be able to do anything more than make him comfortable.
In fact, it hurt them all that they weren't able to do more for Donatello. All of them wanted to be able to do something that could help him feel better or let him know how much they were worried for him. But they were unable to think of anything that seemed good enough to do such things. All that ever came to mind were ideas that would either make things worse or just get someone into trouble.
Still, in the end, they always did as they were told and went to work on their schoolwork while Splinter took some time to rest. None of them wanted to put any unnecessary stress on their father and knew that any argument would bring about such an event. So they went along with what they were told and finally left things at that.
Now however, with Donatello's condition improving, things weren't as extreme as they had been. With his son feeling better and there wasn't as much need for him to be watched over, Splinter could divert his attention towards something other than Donatello. He was able to get a bit more sleep before going out and restocking supplies or giving the other children a proper afternoon practice session.
During the times he was left alone by Splinter, Don would spend his time either sleeping or trying to find something to occupy his time. And that turned out to be quite the chore for someone in his condition, as he usually stayed awake more hours than he spent sleeping. Though he was weak, Donatello was now able to stay awake without feeling extreme exhaustion like he had in the beginning. But he still spent many hours in deep slumber thanks to the teas and medicines that Splinter gave to him. It was to help him to further recover, as rest meant that his body could concentrate more energy on repairing itself than wasting it on constant motion.
This proved to be very true. For with each passing day, Donatello's strength was slowly returning. In fact, he had even tried to get out of bed a couple of times when no one else was around. This activity always ended in the same way however, with Donatello tripping over his own feet and falling to the floor. When that happened, the noise from his attempts usually caught Splinter's attention and brought the rat's presence to the study in no time at all.
Splinter would gently but sternly lecture his son as he helped the boy off the floor and back into bed. He told Donatello that even though he was getting better, he shouldn't try to rush his recovery. It could easily do more harm than good if he kept it up for too long. So if he wanted to get better, he would have to stay in bed and not try anything foolish until Splinter felt that the time was right.
It was hard for Don to accept this, because even in his weakened state, he really didn't want to stay in bed after so many days. He was a ten-year- old boy after all and boys at that age wanted action in their days, not continual rest. But in the end, thanks to how tired he always became after struggling to stand and Splinter's constant lectures on the subject, he agreed. He would stay in bed and rest there until his Sensei told him otherwise. It wasn't a decision that he liked, but one that he could live with.
It was just so hard for him to fill his days by just staying in bed. Unless they had been given previous permission for a visit, he was quarantined by Splinter from his siblings for the time being. In this way, Donnie would be able to get more of the rest he needed to recover. It was boring during the hours that he managed to stay awake, since there was no one to talk to and nothing really to do but read the few books in the study that Splinter allowed him to read.
This small collection of books was mostly about poetry and different kinds of Japanese histories. These were things that Donatello might find interesting for awhile, since there were a few poems that he was fond of and he usually liked learning about different things, even something as boring as history. But after awhile, these things simply became tiresome to Don's active mind and he would rather have anything else to do but read.
Splinter was aware of this fact and though he felt for Don's situation, he was adamant about his decision. For Donatello's own good, the quarantine would stand and the boy would just have to live with that. But that didn't mean that the rule was going to be completely followed.
There had been at least one occasion that he caught someone sneaking in to see Don since Splinter had laid down the quarantine rule. That had been during the initial first few days that he had still been asleep. Splinter had been out of the room at the time, having gone to the kitchen to check on the progress of the special broth he had prepared for Donatello during his illness.
The broth was mostly just water with special medicinal herbs and certain spices mixed together. It possessed an enticing aroma that easily belied the true nature of the broth. For though the broth had a warm and comforting odor that could set even the most finicky of stomachs growling, its taste left something to greatly be desired.
The taste was one of the vilest things that a person could ever come across. It was hard to describe, as the reaction to it varied with the individual, but it was enough that the one taking the broth would try to spit it out as soon as the liquid entered their mouth. Which was why even when the children were sick, the only time when the broth was ever really administered, they tried to avoid it as best they could. After all, when one is sick, the last thing that's wanted is something else that makes it worse than it already is.
Despite all this, Splinter still served the broth to those that needed it. Vile tasting or not, it still offered the nutrients needed to speed a recovery in a form that was quickly and easily digested. After all, if the body didn't have to divide its energies on several tasks, it could focus more on fighting on infection and finally ridding itself of the problem entirely.
And since being brought home, this was all the food that Donatello had been receiving. Only a little had been prepared in the beginning, as the boy had yet to wake up enough where he could take more than the few spoonfuls that Splinter managed to get him to drink each day. When Donatello regained consciousness and his strength renewed itself, this amount would be slowly increased until he was able to handle at least a bowl each day.
At this time however, it remained the small amount that it had been. No more than a cupful was prepared and administered. Perhaps it would have made more sense to make a pot and then reheat the contents instead of making such a small batch freshly everyday, but Splinter knew that it helped to keep the broth's potency. So that was why he did it in this way.
The broth hadn't been quite done when he stirred it, so Splinter decided to leave it for another few moments while he went to check on Don again. Upon returning to his quarters, he was greeted by what seemed to be a very startling sight at the time. In his absence, Maggie had snuck into the room. She was standing by the bed when Splinter came upon her. She was reaching toward the covers with one hand and looking like she was about to pull them off of Donatello. In an instant, Splinter was in the room and pulling the child away from her slumbering brother. Maggie was too startled by his sudden appearance to really protest much as she was drawn away.
He had led her out into the hallway so that his voice wouldn't wake Donatello. At the time, the boy's condition hadn't really improved much and the only thing that seemed to be helping him was sleep. That was something Splinter intended to give him, even when he needed to lecture someone else.
Splinter was stern when he demanded why Magnolia had been near her brother when she knew very well that he was to be left alone. In response to this question, Maggie had suddenly held up Raggy in one hand and then pointed at Donatello with the other. In doing so, she had explained her intentions to Splinter without even saying a word. He saw that she wasn't going to bother her brother as he had first believed. She had only come in so that she could leave him her favorite doll to help him feel better.
It was a gesture that both touched Splinter and made him extremely proud of his young daughter. He knew that it was difficult for her to share her most valued treasure with anyone. Usually, she would refuse to hand Raggy over if someone else asked and would tell them to not touch her doll on pain of being bitten or scratched. Both of which were her main and most feared weapons against her brothers, who knew enough to be wary of such threats when they were given out. So to have her voluntarily give it up, even for a short time, was what he considered to be a step toward maturity.
So in the end, he chose to allow her to leave Raggy with Donatello. He helped Maggie to tuck her doll in beside Donnie and then escorted the child out of the room. Splinter really didn't scold the child for disobeying him after that. He had seen that her intentions had sprouted from concern and that she had meant no harm to her brother's recovery. But he had given her a warning that in the future, she was to come to him first before entering his study uninvited.
Maggie had agreed and then left to go about her own business. Splinter had watched her run off down the hallway on all fours and make a dash for her room. She was there within a moment and when she entered, she was out of sight completely.
Maggie was no longer sharing her room with Michaelangelo as she had been the first day after the accident. Splinter had quickly caught onto their sudden arrangement and had more or less convinced his youngest son that it was better to be in his own room than in his sister's. Their rooms had been arranged for that reason and there was no purpose to go against that arrangement. It hadn't been easy though, as Mikey was still a bit wary of what his brothers might do next.
He had been very insistent that he didn't want to be to left in the same room with them until Donatello was better. He said that after all the trouble they had been causing lately, that he really didn't trust them not to cause more of it for someone else. So he wanted to be as far away from them as he could get inside the lair.
Finally though, Splinter had convinced Mikey to move back into his own room even if his brothers were there. But that didn't stop the distance that the boy was now putting between himself and the other two. That just kept growing as the days went by and so far, there were no signs that the damage would heal.
This reaction actually surprised Splinter as he watched his youngest son as the days went by. It was truly uncharacteristic for Michaelangelo to act in such a way toward his brothers. Normally, he would have been the first one to try and make them feel better about anything bad that had happened. He was never the one that turned his back on them and acted on anger alone.
That role normally fell to Raphael. He was the one with the bad temper and who acted with that as a reason for something. Though lately, Raph had been greatly subdued in his temper fueled outbursts. He was the one that would flinch under the glare of others instead of the other way around. And these days, the majority was not coming from Splinter's stern gaze, but Mikey's.
If one looked close enough, the reasoning for the boy's angry glares was quite easy to discern. The harm that Donatello had endured because of the pair was now reflected in Mikey's trust in his two oldest brothers. He no longer looked up to them with the adoration that a younger brother often has for oldest siblings. Instead, he often looked upon his brothers with suspicion and anger. And that now showed in his daily interactions with them.
But Mikey wasn't the only one that had been greatly affected by the accident. There was the rest of the family as well and their reactions were similar to Mikey's, yet still unique in many ways. And these greatly effected their interactions with Leo and Raph as well.
One of the more confused members of the family was little Magnolia. She knew just as much about what had happened as anyone else in her family. Despite being the youngest and one of the more sensitive of the children, Splinter had felt that she needed to know all the details like the rest and had explained matters to her himself.
When she heard everything, Maggie became very upset with her older brothers, but not to the same extent that Michaelangelo was showing. Instead, she was more hurt that they had been so mean to each other and Don. She always counted on her brothers to be there not just for her, but for each other as well. They were supposed to work together instead of treating each other so badly.
Yet they had gone against this innocent ideal and broken part of what the child who held it believed in. So Maggie was left confused and uncertain of what she should expect from her two brothers anymore. And this in turn put her on edge when she was around Leo and Raph or heard them coming from somewhere else.
But she didn't attempt to openly avoid them as Michaelangelo was doing. If Leo or Raph approached her for something, she would wait and see what they wanted. She wouldn't always do as they asked, which would have happened under any circumstances, but still she listened.
That was an attitude easily shared by another member of the family and it came from the most unlikely person. The one that should have held the most anger towards Leonardo and Raphael was easily Donatello. As the 'victim' of their troubles, he had more right than anyone else. He had the right to hate them both, to wish that they weren't his brothers, or to want anything to do with them.
The strange thing was, none of this was true. Despite what had happened, Donatello really wasn't angry with his brothers for what they had to him. If anything, he was more than willing to forgive them for everything. That was what brothers were for. They were supposed to stick together and to forgive one another when things went wrong, no matter how badly.
It just hurt Donnie that Raph and Leo hadn't listened to him when he tried to stop them at the Junction. He had thought that his opinion and advice meant more to his brothers than they had shown. After all, they had listened to him at other times and many of those had been nearly as intense as the argument at the Junction had been. Why should this time have been any different? It was just so confusing and hurting at the same time.
Don told his brothers all of this on a day when Splinter had allowed the other two boys to visit the patient. His brothers had been brought in so that they could apologize to their brother and hear what he had to say to them about the matter. That had turned out to be a very delicate operation at the start, as both Raphael and Leonardo weren't even sure how to say anything to their brother.
They had both been certain that he would hate them and say that he never wanted anything else to do with them. And to be honest, neither one could blame Donatello if that was the case. What they had done to him and the pain they had caused was certainly a justifiable reason for such animosity.
So it was a great relief to both brothers that Donatello was not only willing to forgive them, but to give them another chance. Such a chance gave them the opportunity to be able to make things right with their brother again, to make everything up to him. And in doing that, they would also begin to feel better about themselves and start to make things right within their own hearts as well. Which was exactly what their father had been hoping for when he brought Leo and Raph to see Don in the first place. He knew that they needed to see him just as much as Donatello needed to see them.
During this entire episode, Splinter had remained the only party that felt both disappointment and understanding for his erring children. He knew that as their father, he could not simply choose one emotion and leave it at that. That was unfair to them, no matter what they had done, and would only harm them later on. So he tried to keep his heart open even when it was necessary to be firm with them and he had to punish Leo and Raph.
Splinter had not been totally heartless with the final punishment he handed down to his sons, but he had not been close to lenient either. Along with their punishment for breaking the statuette, Raphael and Leonardo were now grounded for an additional two months. In that time, they were restricted solely to the lair, would be given extra chores and practice sessions, and when not doing any of these things or helping Splinter with something, to stay in their room.
As of yet, the boys were taking everything in stride. Except for an occasional moan about being sore from all the extra activities they were now doing, Leo and Raph really hadn't complained about their punishment. They just did as they were told and left it at that.
The fact that they were accepting responsibility for what they had done secretly pleased Splinter. He had always strived to teach his children that there were no easy roads in life and that one must pay the price for any obstacles that are faced along the way. It was really one of the major life lessons that he taught them. But sometimes, he just wasn't always certain that this lesson made any sense to the young ones.
These times were when any of his children acted irresponsible and didn't consider the consequences of what they were doing. Like with what had happened to Donatello or the time that an eight-year old Michaelangelo had gone off into the sewers alone for two days to prove that he could take care of himself. In both cases, the results of what seemed to be a good idea in the beginning turned out to be nothing but a disaster in the end.
To remedy the disasters, Splinter had taken the parties responsible aside and spoken at length with them. In both cases, he had spoken of responsibilities and obeying the rules and that one should consider what might happen before doing anything. Then he had told them that if such problems arose again, that it was better to stop and go find someone to help sort things out before doing anything else. Talking a problem out was much better than doing something that made it worse.
That was something that Splinter himself took to heart and used to a different extent when dealing with his sons. Shortly after Donatello's accident and the beginning of the punishment, Splinter had had a second talk with his eldest sons about what had happened. This time, it was not to chastise or berate them for the mistakes that they had made. Instead, it was to give them the comfort and forgiveness that they needed in order to move on from this.
What he had done was to take one at a time and then speak to them alone. In this way, the discussion between parent and child would be private and the boys would feel at ease. They would know that whatever they had to say was in complete confidence and that no one was going to say anything about it once it was done.
This turned out to be a good plan on Splinter's part. The boys had immediately opened up to Splinter when he had taken them aside for these one-on-one talks and allowed them to express their own anguish about the accident. Though for each one, the results were varied.
The first to be taken aside was Leonardo. This action was not out of the favoritism that the others often accused their eldest brother of receiving. It simply came from knowing the moods of each child. Leo, though not as open about his emotions as Mikey or Maggie, would be more ready to admit how he was feeling than Raph would for a bit.
Splinter knew that it would only take a short time and the right words to get Leonardo to release whatever was brewing inside of him. This was because he knew that the boy held his greatest trust in his teacher and had all his life. He knew that even when Splinter was disappointed in him, that he could tell him anything.
Though he didn't tell his Master everything that went through his mind, this time, the assumption that Leo would talk to Splinter would prove true. When they were safely out of earshot of the others and the young turtle felt at ease, he started to respond to his Sensei's questions about what was in his heart. Splinter went about that gently, to further alleviate any tension that his eldest son was feeling.
At first, Leo didn't really say anything to his Master's questioning. He just sat there, either shrugging or keeping his gaze towards the floor in shame. He knew that whatever he said, it wouldn't make a difference. It wouldn't change what had happened or his hand in the matter and that only added to the distress that was already growing in his heart.
For Leonardo, the levels of distress that he felt went in more than one way. For him, it wasn't just that he had hurt his younger brother. That was a factor in how he felt of course. Another was the shame and dishonor that he had brought upon himself for his share in the 'crime' and how it had caused him to go against one of the lessons he had been taught about respect.
Respect was a major foundation in ninja society and Splinter had taught his students such since they were all very small. He made them aware of the types of respect that existed in the world. These different kinds of respect were not only restricted to family, but to friends and enemies as well. With this respect, there came different levels that were applied to each situation.
For family, the respect was divided between what one has for parents and for siblings. A parent, being an elder and a teacher, commanded a great deal of respect. They were the ones who provided and protected the younger generations until the time they were ready to take care of themselves.
Siblings, whether they were older or younger than another, were given the same respect that one gives themselves. They were equals that were there to be friends, providing the foundations for bonds that allowed for someone to gain trust in someone beyond themselves. A trust that could continue from childhood, well into adulthood, and which could provide for later relationships as well.
These later relationships were the friendships that one developed with people outside of the family. People with whom one could share common interests and goals in life that might allow alliances to be formed for the benefit of all. For with friends, one could find viewpoints and understanding that might not be found inside of the family unit. Friends could also allow more allies to be present when it came to facing down opponents in a fight.
Enemies were always given a wary esteem both in and out of battle, whether the opponent was weak or strong. For either one could bring about one's defeat if wariness and caution weren't applied. Yet even the most wary of warriors could be caught off guard at some point and that was where having trusted friends and family came in. They made it possible for one to be alert to more than just one objective at a time.
Leonardo knew all of this and he valued it as one of the highest teachings of his Master. Yet at the same time, he had broken this lesson of respect by not thinking of his brother's safety and putting him into danger. A brother that, along with all of his younger siblings including Raphael, he had tried to protect for years when their Master wasn't there. And because he had done that, he felt as if he would never be worthy of anyone's trust again.
These details were not told to Splinter at first, though the rat had a good idea since he knew his son so well. He knew that he just had to pace himself and the boy, asking just enough that it wouldn't put too much pressure on Leo before he was ready to speak. In the end, this turned out to be the best formula.
Leo finally gave into his Master's questioning and began to tell how he really felt. He told Splinter how hard it was for him to accept what he had done and that he felt that no one would ever trust him again. This in turn brought words of comfort and wisdom from his father.
Splinter told his son that though it would take time for him to regain the trust of others, it was not a hopeless cause. He would just need to believe in himself again and have faith that when the others were ready, they would trust him again. It was a hard truth, but one that Leonardo would accept. He knew that his Sensei was right about this and so it helped to better come to grips with everything that he was going through.
Raphael's turn came a day after Splinter's talk with Leonardo. Like his brother before him, he was taken away while his brother was doing chores and brought into his Master's study. He was instructed to sit on the same mat that his brother had been seated on and to remain there for the time being. These were done without question and in near silence on Raphael's part.
As with the boy before him, he didn't really answer his Master's questions right away. He just sat there, shrugging his shoulders or shaking his head, keeping his eyes to the floor. No amount of gentle pushing or coaxing could get anything but that out of him. But that was to be expected and Splinter understood that fact.
He knew that it would be hard to get Raph talking. It always was whenever someone was trying to have a heart to heart with the boy. Even when he was feeling at his worst, he held stubbornly to keeping his emotions hidden from the world. But this time, that was a belief that would only hold for so long.
After only a few moments of questioning, Splinter got a reaction that not even he had expected. In a sudden instance, Raphael had gone from holding to his tongue to breaking down completely and letting his grief flow in a way that he had never done before. Words, broken into a jumble because of his sobs, came out in a great flood. Through these, he confessed his grief and shame for having hurt his brother. He felt that he had broken something precious, felt that it was something irreplaceable, felt that it was something beyond repair and that it would be that way forever.
Finally, no more words came from Raphael. He just sat there, sobbing his heart out in such a way that he was briefly ignorant to the rest of the world. He was no longer aware that Splinter sat across from him, watching his every move, or that the others might very well hear him even in this secluded area of the Lair if he allowed his sobs to increase much more in volume. There was nothing but the grief that he had held inside of him for days now and the pain of feeling as if no one else in the world even cared that he felt this way.
He was so caught up in these feelings of self-pity, that he never even noticed when a pair of arms wrapped around him and embraced him. Nor did he resist when he was pulled in closer by his father. He just continued to cry and let out the grief that had been building inside of him.
Splinter and Raph had sat like that for several moments, with the father comforting his son while the latter cried out his pain. Eventually, Raphael had calmed down enough that his tears dried and he gained control of himself again. He had done so with a deep blush that came involuntarily but remained nonetheless.
Even though it had been in front of Splinter, Raphael was still embarrassed that he had lost control of himself as he had. He hated it that he had looked so weak in front of someone he respected so much and to whom he had brought such great disappointment. He thought it would only make him look more like a failure in his father's eyes. A possibility that Raph didn't even want to consider, not after all that had happened.
Once his student had regained his composure, Splinter had been quick to assure him that he was glad that the boy had been able to make such a release. It meant that he truly did feel remorse for what he had done and that he was willing to make up for it. He also told him that there was nothing wrong with letting go the way he had. Anyone could do that, even Splinter, when they were facing such inner turmoil. Hearing that made Raphael feel somewhat better, but he still had his unvoiced doubts.
In the end, these talks helped the boys a great deal and quickened their emotional recovery. They realized that though they had done a great wrong, that they couldn't continue to blame themselves forever. They had to accept what had happened and then move on from there. And that was what their Sensei had been hoping for.
He was still upset for what they had done, but Splinter understood that if his sons were ever to forgive themselves for what they had done, then he would have to do the same. If he didn't, then Leonardo and Raphael would weigh themselves down with an unnecessary amount of guilt and this would seriously impede their lives.
No matter what they had done, Splinter's paternal side just couldn't allow that to happen. It insisted that he try to help his sons through this just like he was with their siblings. Only with his older sons, it was going to take a bit more work than the others.
For there was a major difference between one set and the other in the way of emotions. The others did not feel the same hurt and shame that Leo and Raph were trying to work through. Nor did they have the task of having to rebuild the trust and faith that their family had once held in them.
That fell to Leonardo and Raphael alone. If they were going to make things right again, they were going to have to deal with their emotional uncertainties and the broken relationships with their siblings. And though that would most certainly take a great deal of time, the pair were already showing signs of making progress by the time Donatello had been awake for a week.
They were slowly regaining the trust of those around them and steadily making improvements in their behavior toward one another. The competition between the two brothers wasn't completely gone however. It was still there, nearly as intense as ever. Only now, it was more controlled than what it had been before this entire mess had begun.
For each boy had come to realize a very important lesson from all of this. They came to understand that in life, there is a time and place for everything. Sometimes, that place isn't always realized by someone until it is too late and the consequences of one's actions turned out for the worst. When that is the case, then one is left at a crossroads.
Either they accept what had happened and take responsibility for their actions. This might allow for the chance to make amend for any mistake made, though not always. Or they could take the coward's road and try to escape what happened by ignoring everything. Doing such a thing would surely turn others away from them for a long time to come.
Thankfully, the boys had chosen the former and were trying their best to make everything right again. They were working hard to earn back what they had lost as best they could. And there was nothing that was going to stop them from doing just that.
Yet there was still one worry that no one really considered in the end. As hard as they were working to earn back trust and respect, there was still the question of how far the lesson they had learned would go. Would it only last for a short time after everything had blown over or would it last through the years beyond childhood? Which would prove certain was unknown for the time being and the only way an answer would come to light was to wait.
A/N: Well, I really don't know what to say. I'm glad that I finally finished this and at the same time, I'm not. On the one hand, I'm glad that now I'll have some time to move onto my other stories and leave this one as it is. And on the other, I'm going to miss all the fun that I had getting into the heads of Splinter, the Turtles, and Maggie. It really gave me some good practice for my other stories that I'm working on.
Raph: *grumbles* Great, that means more torture for us. Can't you ever write something relaxing for us to do for a change? Instead of all this mushy, brain-twisting gumbo you keep spouting out. I mean, geez, you made me sound like a total baby in this stupid chapter.
It was for effect, Raphael. Get over it. Now.
Don: Just make sure that whatever you write, that it's something that doesn't involve water.
Mike: Guess that means a vacation at the beach is out.
Don: *glares at brother* Don't even go there, Michaelangelo.
Mike: Uh, sorry Donnie. ^.^;
*rolls eyes* If you guys don't stop bothering me and let me finish, I'm calling out the big guns.
Leo: What? You'll tell Sensei? You know he'll be mad if you interrupt him while he's meditating just to tattle about us.
No, I'm not gonna get Splinter. I'm not stupid. I'm gonna get Maggie. If I tell her about you guys reading her diary again, she'll be here in a heartbeat.
Don, Leo, and Mikey: *gulp*
Raph: You wouldn't dare.
Try me. Either be quiet or I set the cat on ya.
Turtles: Fine. We'll be quiet.
*insert sarcasm* Thank you. As I was saying, I've got mixed feelings about finishing this story and I've enjoyed the practice it gave me. I hope to be able to put it all to good use and to get more stories out soon. Later and thanks again for reading. I hope everyone enjoyed it.
Mikey: That's all? That's all that you wanted to say and we had to be quiet for? What a gyp.
Maggie! The guys have been reading your diary again! 0;)
Raph: MIKEY!
Mikey: Oops.
Turtles: *run out chasing Mikey as a loud, angry screech echoes*
Epilogue: Turning Tides
A/N: Okay, here it is. The final chapter of a story that has taken me nearly a year to write is now finished and ready for everyone to read. But first, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed this story and let them know that I really appreciated their interest in Rivalries as a whole.
Dancingfae- Sorry that you got a little confused about Maggie's being there. I just didn't add her in first because she was the youngest and I was going in what's considered the 'legal' order of age for the Turtles. But I'm glad that you liked what was written and I hope that you enjoyed reading the story. And to answer your question about Maggie, just read "New Additions" and you'll get part of what you want to know.
Hexadecimal- Glad you liked it. And for an answer to your question as to where Maggie came from, just read my other fic "New Additions" if you haven't already. It'll explain part of what you want to know.
Mikomi- Nope, sorry. Donnie boy isn't the oldest. That title falls to everyone's favorite blue-bandana wearing annoyance, Leonardo. Thanks for reading though. I appreciate the review.
LenniluvsBrian- I've really enjoyed your reviews. They're funny and given me the smile I needed some days when I'm feeling like total slag. I'm glad that you enjoyed the story and I hope that all goes well with your new story 'Understanding Brother.' Which I've only read a couple of chapters to, but really like so far. Those guys seriously need to stop picking on Lenore. If they don't, you can ask Maggie to claw them for her if you want. :P
Machias Banshee- Thanks a lot for your reviews and all the help that you've given me for Rivalries. It was great being able to bounce ideas off of you and to get the feedback you gave as one of my beta readers. It was a big help and I hope I can return the favor sometime, mush girl. ;)
Daydream- I'm glad that you liked the story and my writing style. Believe me, it isn't easy to get things down just right. But anyone can do if they just follow their own instincts about the emotions needed. Do that and you got it. ;)
Red Turtle- Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like Maggie. I'm sorry that you found the story a little confusing at times and I'll take your advice about tangents into consideration. But please remember that I can't go into detail about everything and so I can only go over what I feel is necessary to the story.
Arista Naria- Glad that you enjoyed the exchanges between little Magnolia and Raphael. Just goes to show you that even the tough guy has to beware the younger sister's wrath from time to time. I'm glad that you reviewed and I hope that your work with 'Truth of a Leader' works out for Leo in the end.
Reiji Neko Mitsukai- Thanks for the offer, but I think I got it covered. If Raphael doesn't behave, I can always sic Eternity, my Naga, on him when she's in a bad mood. Which happens to be just about every day of the week. She would definitely teach Raph to be quiet, after he finished screaming for help from the top of a very tall tree. :P
Lexy- Sorry to give you such a scare like that. I just wanted to choose someone that doesn't usually get a lot of attention at being hurt. Since Don's usually the one patching everyone up, I thought maybe it was his turn to get a little attention in that department. But don't worry, you're gonna see how he fares when you read what's below. ;)
Karasuko- I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. Sorry that there's only one last chapter for you to read. But I can promise that it's gonna be a good chapter and I'm hoping it won't disappoint you. Thanks for reviewing.
Terran aka Splinter- You didn't review the story, but you were a great help to me as one of my beta readers. It really made a major difference to have a true expert to bounce ideas for childcare off of. That really helped me to make important decisions for this story. Thanks T. :)
Nearly two weeks had passed since that fateful day and Donatello had finally awakened from his coma-like slumber. It had been gradual at first, with bursts of consciousness beginning about four days after the accident. These would last from less than a moment to a few at the most before he fell asleep again.
As the days went by, these bursts would increase in number and in length as Don's body repaired itself from the ordeal of cold. Still, these happenings were sporadic and it was hard to tell at what times Donatello would enter the conscious world again. But when he did, there was often one sight that he was greeted with as he opened his eyes.
That was the face of his Sensei, Splinter. Since he had brought the boy home, Splinter had constantly been at the boy's side. He would be there for hours on end, day or night, just waiting for any sign of change, be it good or bad, in his son's progress.
He had kept such a constant vigil over the boy that often he was awake through most of the night and sometimes straight into the daylight hours as well. This often left the ninja master feeling extremely weary and somewhat grouchy with others. It was during this that he found it harder and harder to keep his temper and frustrations in check when around the children during the morning and evening practice sessions.
His temper was increased with having to deal with his other duties when it came to caring for his family. Not only did he have to care for Donatello, but he also needed to keep an eye on his other children, to find supplies that the family needed, and other similar things. Having to keep up with all of this put strain on the rat and his weariness with it all reached new levels.
These levels were apparent enough when everything would finally overcome the rat and he would need to stop what he was doing and take a few hours to catch up on his sleep. On these days, Splinter would excuse his other students from practice and send them to work on their schoolwork instead. Then, after leaving stern instruction that they were to keep to their studies and to behave, he would either go to the couch or his study to rest.
After that, he generally fell into a slumber of two to three hours. Once that amount of time had passed, his internal clock would alert him to the fact that it was time to wake. It wasn't always easy to get up, even when he knew that he had to. Splinter was just so tired that for just a little while, he wanted to forget about everything else and sleep himself out.
But he knew that he couldn't and eventually, he would give into what his internal clock was telling him and get up. He would return to what he needed to do and put off sleeping a bit longer. Still, what little he did manage to get during these naps did help to ease what he was feeling and to put him into better spirits for the remainder of his waking hours.
This was a mood that was easily sensed by his four remaining children and one that they were glad for. They knew how much Splinter was going through when it came to worrying about and caring for their injured brother. It was similar to how they were feeling themselves, worried and unsure of what to do. It was something none of them were used to and didn't enjoy feeling, also a reaction they shared with their mentor.
When Splinter decided to give them a break and take a nap, the children did welcome the respite. The rigors that came from ninja training were hard for anyone, especially children that were in the process of learning the ways of their heritage. The stress could take a good toll on the student after a time and so made it harder to concentrate when things mattered. This made any break that was given a welcome respite from training. Yet in this case, the uncertainty remained.
It was the reason why they were given a break that had the children feeling unsure about things. They knew that Splinter had been watching over their brother while he continued to sleep and hopefully recover. They knew that it was stressful for him to watch his son just lie there and not be able to do anything more than make him comfortable.
In fact, it hurt them all that they weren't able to do more for Donatello. All of them wanted to be able to do something that could help him feel better or let him know how much they were worried for him. But they were unable to think of anything that seemed good enough to do such things. All that ever came to mind were ideas that would either make things worse or just get someone into trouble.
Still, in the end, they always did as they were told and went to work on their schoolwork while Splinter took some time to rest. None of them wanted to put any unnecessary stress on their father and knew that any argument would bring about such an event. So they went along with what they were told and finally left things at that.
Now however, with Donatello's condition improving, things weren't as extreme as they had been. With his son feeling better and there wasn't as much need for him to be watched over, Splinter could divert his attention towards something other than Donatello. He was able to get a bit more sleep before going out and restocking supplies or giving the other children a proper afternoon practice session.
During the times he was left alone by Splinter, Don would spend his time either sleeping or trying to find something to occupy his time. And that turned out to be quite the chore for someone in his condition, as he usually stayed awake more hours than he spent sleeping. Though he was weak, Donatello was now able to stay awake without feeling extreme exhaustion like he had in the beginning. But he still spent many hours in deep slumber thanks to the teas and medicines that Splinter gave to him. It was to help him to further recover, as rest meant that his body could concentrate more energy on repairing itself than wasting it on constant motion.
This proved to be very true. For with each passing day, Donatello's strength was slowly returning. In fact, he had even tried to get out of bed a couple of times when no one else was around. This activity always ended in the same way however, with Donatello tripping over his own feet and falling to the floor. When that happened, the noise from his attempts usually caught Splinter's attention and brought the rat's presence to the study in no time at all.
Splinter would gently but sternly lecture his son as he helped the boy off the floor and back into bed. He told Donatello that even though he was getting better, he shouldn't try to rush his recovery. It could easily do more harm than good if he kept it up for too long. So if he wanted to get better, he would have to stay in bed and not try anything foolish until Splinter felt that the time was right.
It was hard for Don to accept this, because even in his weakened state, he really didn't want to stay in bed after so many days. He was a ten-year- old boy after all and boys at that age wanted action in their days, not continual rest. But in the end, thanks to how tired he always became after struggling to stand and Splinter's constant lectures on the subject, he agreed. He would stay in bed and rest there until his Sensei told him otherwise. It wasn't a decision that he liked, but one that he could live with.
It was just so hard for him to fill his days by just staying in bed. Unless they had been given previous permission for a visit, he was quarantined by Splinter from his siblings for the time being. In this way, Donnie would be able to get more of the rest he needed to recover. It was boring during the hours that he managed to stay awake, since there was no one to talk to and nothing really to do but read the few books in the study that Splinter allowed him to read.
This small collection of books was mostly about poetry and different kinds of Japanese histories. These were things that Donatello might find interesting for awhile, since there were a few poems that he was fond of and he usually liked learning about different things, even something as boring as history. But after awhile, these things simply became tiresome to Don's active mind and he would rather have anything else to do but read.
Splinter was aware of this fact and though he felt for Don's situation, he was adamant about his decision. For Donatello's own good, the quarantine would stand and the boy would just have to live with that. But that didn't mean that the rule was going to be completely followed.
There had been at least one occasion that he caught someone sneaking in to see Don since Splinter had laid down the quarantine rule. That had been during the initial first few days that he had still been asleep. Splinter had been out of the room at the time, having gone to the kitchen to check on the progress of the special broth he had prepared for Donatello during his illness.
The broth was mostly just water with special medicinal herbs and certain spices mixed together. It possessed an enticing aroma that easily belied the true nature of the broth. For though the broth had a warm and comforting odor that could set even the most finicky of stomachs growling, its taste left something to greatly be desired.
The taste was one of the vilest things that a person could ever come across. It was hard to describe, as the reaction to it varied with the individual, but it was enough that the one taking the broth would try to spit it out as soon as the liquid entered their mouth. Which was why even when the children were sick, the only time when the broth was ever really administered, they tried to avoid it as best they could. After all, when one is sick, the last thing that's wanted is something else that makes it worse than it already is.
Despite all this, Splinter still served the broth to those that needed it. Vile tasting or not, it still offered the nutrients needed to speed a recovery in a form that was quickly and easily digested. After all, if the body didn't have to divide its energies on several tasks, it could focus more on fighting on infection and finally ridding itself of the problem entirely.
And since being brought home, this was all the food that Donatello had been receiving. Only a little had been prepared in the beginning, as the boy had yet to wake up enough where he could take more than the few spoonfuls that Splinter managed to get him to drink each day. When Donatello regained consciousness and his strength renewed itself, this amount would be slowly increased until he was able to handle at least a bowl each day.
At this time however, it remained the small amount that it had been. No more than a cupful was prepared and administered. Perhaps it would have made more sense to make a pot and then reheat the contents instead of making such a small batch freshly everyday, but Splinter knew that it helped to keep the broth's potency. So that was why he did it in this way.
The broth hadn't been quite done when he stirred it, so Splinter decided to leave it for another few moments while he went to check on Don again. Upon returning to his quarters, he was greeted by what seemed to be a very startling sight at the time. In his absence, Maggie had snuck into the room. She was standing by the bed when Splinter came upon her. She was reaching toward the covers with one hand and looking like she was about to pull them off of Donatello. In an instant, Splinter was in the room and pulling the child away from her slumbering brother. Maggie was too startled by his sudden appearance to really protest much as she was drawn away.
He had led her out into the hallway so that his voice wouldn't wake Donatello. At the time, the boy's condition hadn't really improved much and the only thing that seemed to be helping him was sleep. That was something Splinter intended to give him, even when he needed to lecture someone else.
Splinter was stern when he demanded why Magnolia had been near her brother when she knew very well that he was to be left alone. In response to this question, Maggie had suddenly held up Raggy in one hand and then pointed at Donatello with the other. In doing so, she had explained her intentions to Splinter without even saying a word. He saw that she wasn't going to bother her brother as he had first believed. She had only come in so that she could leave him her favorite doll to help him feel better.
It was a gesture that both touched Splinter and made him extremely proud of his young daughter. He knew that it was difficult for her to share her most valued treasure with anyone. Usually, she would refuse to hand Raggy over if someone else asked and would tell them to not touch her doll on pain of being bitten or scratched. Both of which were her main and most feared weapons against her brothers, who knew enough to be wary of such threats when they were given out. So to have her voluntarily give it up, even for a short time, was what he considered to be a step toward maturity.
So in the end, he chose to allow her to leave Raggy with Donatello. He helped Maggie to tuck her doll in beside Donnie and then escorted the child out of the room. Splinter really didn't scold the child for disobeying him after that. He had seen that her intentions had sprouted from concern and that she had meant no harm to her brother's recovery. But he had given her a warning that in the future, she was to come to him first before entering his study uninvited.
Maggie had agreed and then left to go about her own business. Splinter had watched her run off down the hallway on all fours and make a dash for her room. She was there within a moment and when she entered, she was out of sight completely.
Maggie was no longer sharing her room with Michaelangelo as she had been the first day after the accident. Splinter had quickly caught onto their sudden arrangement and had more or less convinced his youngest son that it was better to be in his own room than in his sister's. Their rooms had been arranged for that reason and there was no purpose to go against that arrangement. It hadn't been easy though, as Mikey was still a bit wary of what his brothers might do next.
He had been very insistent that he didn't want to be to left in the same room with them until Donatello was better. He said that after all the trouble they had been causing lately, that he really didn't trust them not to cause more of it for someone else. So he wanted to be as far away from them as he could get inside the lair.
Finally though, Splinter had convinced Mikey to move back into his own room even if his brothers were there. But that didn't stop the distance that the boy was now putting between himself and the other two. That just kept growing as the days went by and so far, there were no signs that the damage would heal.
This reaction actually surprised Splinter as he watched his youngest son as the days went by. It was truly uncharacteristic for Michaelangelo to act in such a way toward his brothers. Normally, he would have been the first one to try and make them feel better about anything bad that had happened. He was never the one that turned his back on them and acted on anger alone.
That role normally fell to Raphael. He was the one with the bad temper and who acted with that as a reason for something. Though lately, Raph had been greatly subdued in his temper fueled outbursts. He was the one that would flinch under the glare of others instead of the other way around. And these days, the majority was not coming from Splinter's stern gaze, but Mikey's.
If one looked close enough, the reasoning for the boy's angry glares was quite easy to discern. The harm that Donatello had endured because of the pair was now reflected in Mikey's trust in his two oldest brothers. He no longer looked up to them with the adoration that a younger brother often has for oldest siblings. Instead, he often looked upon his brothers with suspicion and anger. And that now showed in his daily interactions with them.
But Mikey wasn't the only one that had been greatly affected by the accident. There was the rest of the family as well and their reactions were similar to Mikey's, yet still unique in many ways. And these greatly effected their interactions with Leo and Raph as well.
One of the more confused members of the family was little Magnolia. She knew just as much about what had happened as anyone else in her family. Despite being the youngest and one of the more sensitive of the children, Splinter had felt that she needed to know all the details like the rest and had explained matters to her himself.
When she heard everything, Maggie became very upset with her older brothers, but not to the same extent that Michaelangelo was showing. Instead, she was more hurt that they had been so mean to each other and Don. She always counted on her brothers to be there not just for her, but for each other as well. They were supposed to work together instead of treating each other so badly.
Yet they had gone against this innocent ideal and broken part of what the child who held it believed in. So Maggie was left confused and uncertain of what she should expect from her two brothers anymore. And this in turn put her on edge when she was around Leo and Raph or heard them coming from somewhere else.
But she didn't attempt to openly avoid them as Michaelangelo was doing. If Leo or Raph approached her for something, she would wait and see what they wanted. She wouldn't always do as they asked, which would have happened under any circumstances, but still she listened.
That was an attitude easily shared by another member of the family and it came from the most unlikely person. The one that should have held the most anger towards Leonardo and Raphael was easily Donatello. As the 'victim' of their troubles, he had more right than anyone else. He had the right to hate them both, to wish that they weren't his brothers, or to want anything to do with them.
The strange thing was, none of this was true. Despite what had happened, Donatello really wasn't angry with his brothers for what they had to him. If anything, he was more than willing to forgive them for everything. That was what brothers were for. They were supposed to stick together and to forgive one another when things went wrong, no matter how badly.
It just hurt Donnie that Raph and Leo hadn't listened to him when he tried to stop them at the Junction. He had thought that his opinion and advice meant more to his brothers than they had shown. After all, they had listened to him at other times and many of those had been nearly as intense as the argument at the Junction had been. Why should this time have been any different? It was just so confusing and hurting at the same time.
Don told his brothers all of this on a day when Splinter had allowed the other two boys to visit the patient. His brothers had been brought in so that they could apologize to their brother and hear what he had to say to them about the matter. That had turned out to be a very delicate operation at the start, as both Raphael and Leonardo weren't even sure how to say anything to their brother.
They had both been certain that he would hate them and say that he never wanted anything else to do with them. And to be honest, neither one could blame Donatello if that was the case. What they had done to him and the pain they had caused was certainly a justifiable reason for such animosity.
So it was a great relief to both brothers that Donatello was not only willing to forgive them, but to give them another chance. Such a chance gave them the opportunity to be able to make things right with their brother again, to make everything up to him. And in doing that, they would also begin to feel better about themselves and start to make things right within their own hearts as well. Which was exactly what their father had been hoping for when he brought Leo and Raph to see Don in the first place. He knew that they needed to see him just as much as Donatello needed to see them.
During this entire episode, Splinter had remained the only party that felt both disappointment and understanding for his erring children. He knew that as their father, he could not simply choose one emotion and leave it at that. That was unfair to them, no matter what they had done, and would only harm them later on. So he tried to keep his heart open even when it was necessary to be firm with them and he had to punish Leo and Raph.
Splinter had not been totally heartless with the final punishment he handed down to his sons, but he had not been close to lenient either. Along with their punishment for breaking the statuette, Raphael and Leonardo were now grounded for an additional two months. In that time, they were restricted solely to the lair, would be given extra chores and practice sessions, and when not doing any of these things or helping Splinter with something, to stay in their room.
As of yet, the boys were taking everything in stride. Except for an occasional moan about being sore from all the extra activities they were now doing, Leo and Raph really hadn't complained about their punishment. They just did as they were told and left it at that.
The fact that they were accepting responsibility for what they had done secretly pleased Splinter. He had always strived to teach his children that there were no easy roads in life and that one must pay the price for any obstacles that are faced along the way. It was really one of the major life lessons that he taught them. But sometimes, he just wasn't always certain that this lesson made any sense to the young ones.
These times were when any of his children acted irresponsible and didn't consider the consequences of what they were doing. Like with what had happened to Donatello or the time that an eight-year old Michaelangelo had gone off into the sewers alone for two days to prove that he could take care of himself. In both cases, the results of what seemed to be a good idea in the beginning turned out to be nothing but a disaster in the end.
To remedy the disasters, Splinter had taken the parties responsible aside and spoken at length with them. In both cases, he had spoken of responsibilities and obeying the rules and that one should consider what might happen before doing anything. Then he had told them that if such problems arose again, that it was better to stop and go find someone to help sort things out before doing anything else. Talking a problem out was much better than doing something that made it worse.
That was something that Splinter himself took to heart and used to a different extent when dealing with his sons. Shortly after Donatello's accident and the beginning of the punishment, Splinter had had a second talk with his eldest sons about what had happened. This time, it was not to chastise or berate them for the mistakes that they had made. Instead, it was to give them the comfort and forgiveness that they needed in order to move on from this.
What he had done was to take one at a time and then speak to them alone. In this way, the discussion between parent and child would be private and the boys would feel at ease. They would know that whatever they had to say was in complete confidence and that no one was going to say anything about it once it was done.
This turned out to be a good plan on Splinter's part. The boys had immediately opened up to Splinter when he had taken them aside for these one-on-one talks and allowed them to express their own anguish about the accident. Though for each one, the results were varied.
The first to be taken aside was Leonardo. This action was not out of the favoritism that the others often accused their eldest brother of receiving. It simply came from knowing the moods of each child. Leo, though not as open about his emotions as Mikey or Maggie, would be more ready to admit how he was feeling than Raph would for a bit.
Splinter knew that it would only take a short time and the right words to get Leonardo to release whatever was brewing inside of him. This was because he knew that the boy held his greatest trust in his teacher and had all his life. He knew that even when Splinter was disappointed in him, that he could tell him anything.
Though he didn't tell his Master everything that went through his mind, this time, the assumption that Leo would talk to Splinter would prove true. When they were safely out of earshot of the others and the young turtle felt at ease, he started to respond to his Sensei's questions about what was in his heart. Splinter went about that gently, to further alleviate any tension that his eldest son was feeling.
At first, Leo didn't really say anything to his Master's questioning. He just sat there, either shrugging or keeping his gaze towards the floor in shame. He knew that whatever he said, it wouldn't make a difference. It wouldn't change what had happened or his hand in the matter and that only added to the distress that was already growing in his heart.
For Leonardo, the levels of distress that he felt went in more than one way. For him, it wasn't just that he had hurt his younger brother. That was a factor in how he felt of course. Another was the shame and dishonor that he had brought upon himself for his share in the 'crime' and how it had caused him to go against one of the lessons he had been taught about respect.
Respect was a major foundation in ninja society and Splinter had taught his students such since they were all very small. He made them aware of the types of respect that existed in the world. These different kinds of respect were not only restricted to family, but to friends and enemies as well. With this respect, there came different levels that were applied to each situation.
For family, the respect was divided between what one has for parents and for siblings. A parent, being an elder and a teacher, commanded a great deal of respect. They were the ones who provided and protected the younger generations until the time they were ready to take care of themselves.
Siblings, whether they were older or younger than another, were given the same respect that one gives themselves. They were equals that were there to be friends, providing the foundations for bonds that allowed for someone to gain trust in someone beyond themselves. A trust that could continue from childhood, well into adulthood, and which could provide for later relationships as well.
These later relationships were the friendships that one developed with people outside of the family. People with whom one could share common interests and goals in life that might allow alliances to be formed for the benefit of all. For with friends, one could find viewpoints and understanding that might not be found inside of the family unit. Friends could also allow more allies to be present when it came to facing down opponents in a fight.
Enemies were always given a wary esteem both in and out of battle, whether the opponent was weak or strong. For either one could bring about one's defeat if wariness and caution weren't applied. Yet even the most wary of warriors could be caught off guard at some point and that was where having trusted friends and family came in. They made it possible for one to be alert to more than just one objective at a time.
Leonardo knew all of this and he valued it as one of the highest teachings of his Master. Yet at the same time, he had broken this lesson of respect by not thinking of his brother's safety and putting him into danger. A brother that, along with all of his younger siblings including Raphael, he had tried to protect for years when their Master wasn't there. And because he had done that, he felt as if he would never be worthy of anyone's trust again.
These details were not told to Splinter at first, though the rat had a good idea since he knew his son so well. He knew that he just had to pace himself and the boy, asking just enough that it wouldn't put too much pressure on Leo before he was ready to speak. In the end, this turned out to be the best formula.
Leo finally gave into his Master's questioning and began to tell how he really felt. He told Splinter how hard it was for him to accept what he had done and that he felt that no one would ever trust him again. This in turn brought words of comfort and wisdom from his father.
Splinter told his son that though it would take time for him to regain the trust of others, it was not a hopeless cause. He would just need to believe in himself again and have faith that when the others were ready, they would trust him again. It was a hard truth, but one that Leonardo would accept. He knew that his Sensei was right about this and so it helped to better come to grips with everything that he was going through.
Raphael's turn came a day after Splinter's talk with Leonardo. Like his brother before him, he was taken away while his brother was doing chores and brought into his Master's study. He was instructed to sit on the same mat that his brother had been seated on and to remain there for the time being. These were done without question and in near silence on Raphael's part.
As with the boy before him, he didn't really answer his Master's questions right away. He just sat there, shrugging his shoulders or shaking his head, keeping his eyes to the floor. No amount of gentle pushing or coaxing could get anything but that out of him. But that was to be expected and Splinter understood that fact.
He knew that it would be hard to get Raph talking. It always was whenever someone was trying to have a heart to heart with the boy. Even when he was feeling at his worst, he held stubbornly to keeping his emotions hidden from the world. But this time, that was a belief that would only hold for so long.
After only a few moments of questioning, Splinter got a reaction that not even he had expected. In a sudden instance, Raphael had gone from holding to his tongue to breaking down completely and letting his grief flow in a way that he had never done before. Words, broken into a jumble because of his sobs, came out in a great flood. Through these, he confessed his grief and shame for having hurt his brother. He felt that he had broken something precious, felt that it was something irreplaceable, felt that it was something beyond repair and that it would be that way forever.
Finally, no more words came from Raphael. He just sat there, sobbing his heart out in such a way that he was briefly ignorant to the rest of the world. He was no longer aware that Splinter sat across from him, watching his every move, or that the others might very well hear him even in this secluded area of the Lair if he allowed his sobs to increase much more in volume. There was nothing but the grief that he had held inside of him for days now and the pain of feeling as if no one else in the world even cared that he felt this way.
He was so caught up in these feelings of self-pity, that he never even noticed when a pair of arms wrapped around him and embraced him. Nor did he resist when he was pulled in closer by his father. He just continued to cry and let out the grief that had been building inside of him.
Splinter and Raph had sat like that for several moments, with the father comforting his son while the latter cried out his pain. Eventually, Raphael had calmed down enough that his tears dried and he gained control of himself again. He had done so with a deep blush that came involuntarily but remained nonetheless.
Even though it had been in front of Splinter, Raphael was still embarrassed that he had lost control of himself as he had. He hated it that he had looked so weak in front of someone he respected so much and to whom he had brought such great disappointment. He thought it would only make him look more like a failure in his father's eyes. A possibility that Raph didn't even want to consider, not after all that had happened.
Once his student had regained his composure, Splinter had been quick to assure him that he was glad that the boy had been able to make such a release. It meant that he truly did feel remorse for what he had done and that he was willing to make up for it. He also told him that there was nothing wrong with letting go the way he had. Anyone could do that, even Splinter, when they were facing such inner turmoil. Hearing that made Raphael feel somewhat better, but he still had his unvoiced doubts.
In the end, these talks helped the boys a great deal and quickened their emotional recovery. They realized that though they had done a great wrong, that they couldn't continue to blame themselves forever. They had to accept what had happened and then move on from there. And that was what their Sensei had been hoping for.
He was still upset for what they had done, but Splinter understood that if his sons were ever to forgive themselves for what they had done, then he would have to do the same. If he didn't, then Leonardo and Raphael would weigh themselves down with an unnecessary amount of guilt and this would seriously impede their lives.
No matter what they had done, Splinter's paternal side just couldn't allow that to happen. It insisted that he try to help his sons through this just like he was with their siblings. Only with his older sons, it was going to take a bit more work than the others.
For there was a major difference between one set and the other in the way of emotions. The others did not feel the same hurt and shame that Leo and Raph were trying to work through. Nor did they have the task of having to rebuild the trust and faith that their family had once held in them.
That fell to Leonardo and Raphael alone. If they were going to make things right again, they were going to have to deal with their emotional uncertainties and the broken relationships with their siblings. And though that would most certainly take a great deal of time, the pair were already showing signs of making progress by the time Donatello had been awake for a week.
They were slowly regaining the trust of those around them and steadily making improvements in their behavior toward one another. The competition between the two brothers wasn't completely gone however. It was still there, nearly as intense as ever. Only now, it was more controlled than what it had been before this entire mess had begun.
For each boy had come to realize a very important lesson from all of this. They came to understand that in life, there is a time and place for everything. Sometimes, that place isn't always realized by someone until it is too late and the consequences of one's actions turned out for the worst. When that is the case, then one is left at a crossroads.
Either they accept what had happened and take responsibility for their actions. This might allow for the chance to make amend for any mistake made, though not always. Or they could take the coward's road and try to escape what happened by ignoring everything. Doing such a thing would surely turn others away from them for a long time to come.
Thankfully, the boys had chosen the former and were trying their best to make everything right again. They were working hard to earn back what they had lost as best they could. And there was nothing that was going to stop them from doing just that.
Yet there was still one worry that no one really considered in the end. As hard as they were working to earn back trust and respect, there was still the question of how far the lesson they had learned would go. Would it only last for a short time after everything had blown over or would it last through the years beyond childhood? Which would prove certain was unknown for the time being and the only way an answer would come to light was to wait.
A/N: Well, I really don't know what to say. I'm glad that I finally finished this and at the same time, I'm not. On the one hand, I'm glad that now I'll have some time to move onto my other stories and leave this one as it is. And on the other, I'm going to miss all the fun that I had getting into the heads of Splinter, the Turtles, and Maggie. It really gave me some good practice for my other stories that I'm working on.
Raph: *grumbles* Great, that means more torture for us. Can't you ever write something relaxing for us to do for a change? Instead of all this mushy, brain-twisting gumbo you keep spouting out. I mean, geez, you made me sound like a total baby in this stupid chapter.
It was for effect, Raphael. Get over it. Now.
Don: Just make sure that whatever you write, that it's something that doesn't involve water.
Mike: Guess that means a vacation at the beach is out.
Don: *glares at brother* Don't even go there, Michaelangelo.
Mike: Uh, sorry Donnie. ^.^;
*rolls eyes* If you guys don't stop bothering me and let me finish, I'm calling out the big guns.
Leo: What? You'll tell Sensei? You know he'll be mad if you interrupt him while he's meditating just to tattle about us.
No, I'm not gonna get Splinter. I'm not stupid. I'm gonna get Maggie. If I tell her about you guys reading her diary again, she'll be here in a heartbeat.
Don, Leo, and Mikey: *gulp*
Raph: You wouldn't dare.
Try me. Either be quiet or I set the cat on ya.
Turtles: Fine. We'll be quiet.
*insert sarcasm* Thank you. As I was saying, I've got mixed feelings about finishing this story and I've enjoyed the practice it gave me. I hope to be able to put it all to good use and to get more stories out soon. Later and thanks again for reading. I hope everyone enjoyed it.
Mikey: That's all? That's all that you wanted to say and we had to be quiet for? What a gyp.
Maggie! The guys have been reading your diary again! 0;)
Raph: MIKEY!
Mikey: Oops.
Turtles: *run out chasing Mikey as a loud, angry screech echoes*
