Author's Note: I apologize for not having updated in a long while. Please enjoy this chapter!

"Second Chances"

-Chapter 3

As Leonardo entered the lair, clutching the child protectively against his chest so she wouldn't catch a chill or wake, he half expected to get away with sneaking out topside to walk off his frustration and pent up emotion. However, as was always whenever one of them misbehaved, their sensei was always there afterward to reprimand them.

"You have finally come home, my son." The soft, yet stern voice of Leonardo's sensei voiced through the darkness of the living room.

It needn't have been light for Leonardo to know his sensei was sitting in the old armchair they had found a long while back at the junkyard, he felt it. Guilt settled over his shoulders and forced him to lower his eyes to the ground and submissively, obediently, lower himself to the ground before his teacher's feet, the small fox child in his arms nearly forgotten as he clutched her in his embrace and opened his mouth to speak.

"I am sorry to disappoint you sensei…" he uttered at last, choosing his words carefully as she struggled to keep up with his raging waterfall of emotions that threatened to collapse at any moment. He was about to elaborate, but a furry hand on his head stopped him and he fell silent.

"There is no need for you to explain yourself, I know well what troubles you, my son. I understand the responsibility you struggle with, and how your back is breaking under it's stress." The old rat murmured to his son softly, letting his hand fall from Leonardo's head to rest back within the comfort of his armchair. He was more than ready to dismiss his son, if not for the bundle that caught his eye.

"My son, what is it you have brought with you?" Splintered murmured quietly, eyes watching his son with interest. Suddenly, Leonardo's half frightened eyes met his old, withered, wise, and most kind gaze as a sudden realization of his precious cargo dawned on him.

"Sensei, I-" once again a furry hand cut him off and then both appendages dipped down and removed the precious bundle from Leonardo's clutches. The turtle held his breath as his master turned on a small light in order to inspect what he saw.

What Splinter beheld shocked and amazed him. At the moment she was taken away from the warm body that had been holding her and giving her a sense of protection, her brown eyes had snapped open and filled with tears, and now a soft mewling sound that was more of a whimper made it's way from her larynx.

The old rat had expected nothing of the like. His eyes, widened in shock, softened when he saw the child was not exactly the most ordinary thing in the world. She stared at him, with eyes that were deeper than his own, full of tears, an hiccupped- a warning that she was ready to cry once more.

"I found her on a park bench with a bag full of things and this note." Leonardo murmured, eyes straying to the baby without really knowing it as he handed over the note he had handled with as much care, as he was able.

"I see." The old rat uttered gently as he scanned the note, still half shocked by the little baby he was now holding. She was so intriguing, so sad, and it spurred the same fatherly feeling he had gotten when he beheld his future sons for the first time.

A louder whimpering noise drew Master Splinter from his inspection, and then he smiled down at the kit who seemed utterly distressed. Gently, he pushed a strand of her hair from her face, eliciting a soft mewl of contentment and a flick of her ears, which were surprising soft even against his hands.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to bring her. I-" Leonardo fell silent when his sensei once again insisted on his silence.

"You did the right thing Leonardo, you followed your heart." Master Splinter murmured, a smile enticing his features upwards as the small child blinked sleep laden eyes. As she rest on his lap, nestled between the crook of his arm, he felt her tiny feet fidget and kick around before they fell restless and the small child once again fell into slumber, innocence passing over her face and settling a short while later as her body relaxed.

"Have you thought of a name, my son?" Splinter asked after a long moment is relaxed silence, turning his gaze from the babe resting peacefully in his arms, to his son who looked almost awestruck at the concept.

"A name?" he questioned aloud.

"Hai, we cannot go around calling her by 'girl', now can we, my son? Names are very important. Without names, the special balance between the spirit is broken, and soul is at unease." Splinter smiled, watching as confusion, and then a complete understanding flitted across Leonardo's face.

"But... how do I choose a name?" Leonardo questioned quietly, his brow furrowing in thought as he pondered over the situation at hand, letting his eyes travel to the sleeping face of the little kit, fast asleep from exhaustion in his sensei's arms.

"Think about what you know, what she is, and what you hope she will be." Splinter smiled, eyes flickering between amusement and pride at how serious his oldest son was. He would make a great father, Splinter mused, and he might just get that chance with the kit he, himself, now held tenderly in his arms. How strange, and here he'd given up hope of ever being a grandfather…

"Kistune…" Leonardo suddenly uttered, breaking the silence. Kistune, the Japanese word for fox. Leonardo looked up at his sensei, holding his breath, and praying his master wouldn't reject the name. Rejection from someone else, Leonardo could take, but from his master…well, that was a different story. It would most likely break his heart if his master rejected him now, on a matter like this. He couldn't explain the reason why it would do so….it just would.

"You have chosen well, my son." Master Splinter said at length, carefully turning the name over in his mind and fitting it in with the kit he held in his arms. It was fitting, beautiful, and in many ways, mysterious. It was a perfect name, for one such as she. Splinter watched as his son seemed to exhale, relaxing. It was as if he had been expecting a blow, and that concerned Splinter very much.

"My son?" Splinter questioned, waiting for Leonardo's eyes to meet his own.

"Yes, sensei?" Leonardo replied, sweeping his gaze from the floor to meet his sensei's.

"Know that no matter what you do, I will always love you." Leonardo was struck into a sense of awe and silence as his master gently laid the babe in his arms. She immediately curled into him, sighing softly as his familiar scent met her delicate nose.

"Go to sleep my son, I will wake you when you are needed. You have had a long night." Leonardo nodded silently, inclining his head forward in a bow, before he swiftly stood and tiredly, yet gracefully, moved to his room.

As the door closed behind him, a sense of exhaustion struck him full force, and nearly sent him reeling. He hadn't noticed he'd gotten this way, how tired he'd been, and how much sleep he had been loosing.

Quietly side-stepping around his laundry basket that he'd forgotten to pick up earlier, the blue clad ninja pulled back the covers of his bad with one hand, while cradling Kistune in the other. Tiredly, he slipped inside the warm cocoon of blankets, and then laid Kistune beside him. The little foxling was more than happy to curl up around him, and Leonardo was more than happy to except the affection.

TBC