Title: Rest in Peace (Book 4 from 'Cat and Mouse')

Author: Jayde

Rating: PG-13 for stuff

Summary: The final book in this series.

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles, Casey, April, or Splinter. I do own several pairs of knitting needles.

Chapter 2:

It was the sounds that wouldn't let her sleep. The squeak of shoes passing by her door at regular intervals, the steady beep of the I.V. by her bed, and the hum of a major metropolitan hospital all around her. She opened her eyes, giving up to stare at the ceiling above.

By rights, she should be dead now.

Sam shifted on the bed, and then winced at the pain in her stomach. It was a reminder of her brush with mortality, and all the decisions that had led to this. Had she been right about anything? Leaving the FBI, chasing Bright, hiding Juliet? Every single thing could now be reviewed, picked at, and brought under scrutiny because there was nowhere else to run.

Shooting Sanders? Had she had any choice in that? The moments of firing the bullet – of seeing him fall – replayed in her mind over and over. A fellow agent, a father, and she had shot him in cold blood. Could she have made that come out differently if she had tried?

That was the first time, in her entire law enforcement career, that she had actually fired her weapon outside of a training situation. Her first kill.

Sam's mouth twitched down, and she felt hot tears gather in her eyes. When had her entire life become a series of mistakes and mishaps that endangered everyone around her? This hadn't been in her plan – her grand scheme to show her father that she was worth his time and energy. And when that hadn't worked, she had found herself loving her career for itself. For the good she had thought she could do.

And what about the lives she had messed up? Her tears were starting to dry already. Don, and his brothers – had they been spotted through all of this? But if they had, then Dan would have mentioned it. No, their secret must still be safe in spite of her screw-ups.

And Russell! If it weren't for the IV in her hand, she would have slapped her forehead. She had forgotten to tell anyone about Russell, and his bus. His grandmother was waiting for him, and Sam had no way of getting in touch with her. She glanced around the room, but she didn't see her cell phone. She couldn't talk to anyone just now. She was alone with only her thoughts for company.

"Block him! Come on, Russell!"

The boy grunted with effort and brought his forearm up again, and then he danced to one side and leveled a kick at his attacker's knee.

"Sneaky little …," Raph muttered as Russell's tennis shoe connected solidly. Raph turned his body, and made an exaggerated move to sweep the boy's legs out from under him. Russell reacted in a timely manner, and got out of the way. He attempted to retaliate, but Raph was ready and caught the punch neatly.

Leo, circling the pair, continued to offer up encouragement. "That's okay Russell. Try again." The boy nodded, his eyes narrowed with concentration as he shook it off and started a new attack. It had been questionable – pitting Raphael against a youth who was new to the entire idea of sparring, but it was working out very well. Raph, out of everyone at the lair, was not distracted. He was giving his complete and undivided attention to the exercise, and he was actually trying to help.

For his part, Leo had managed to bite his tongue before commenting on this. Instead, he orchestrated the session, and ignored it every time he saw the slightest sign of a smile on his brother's face.

On the sidelines, Splinter sat quietly and observed the match. It was not what he would have done in his son's place, but this was Leo's time and opportunity. His son was stretching his skills and learning what it was to educate others. Making mistakes was part of the process. Next to the venerable rat sat two little girls, also watching the goings on in the practice area. Splinter had taken on the task of keeping the two occupied, as Juliet and Mike needed to have a discussion regarding the future.

Freedom. Splinter could only imagine how the young woman must have felt to realize that the burden of her ex-husband's madness was no longer a threat to her or her children. But at the same time, this change must affect others, and most particularly Michaelangelo.

Sometimes there is just no easy way.

"Are you leaving?" Mike asked, his head down. They were sitting in the back of the converted armored car that his brothers had affectionately nicknamed 'the battle shell'. It was the only place Mike could think of to have a private talk. But once in here, he had struggled over how to start.

"What?" Juliet replied. She studied the top of Mike's head for a moment. "Mike, come on. Look at me."

He raised his eyes reluctantly. "Are you leaving?" he asked again.

"Mike, what makes you think that …"

"You don't have to stay … now," Mike interrupted, but his voice was soft and reflected his worry. His hands were wrapped together and pressed between his knees – just in case they started shaking. The idea of being without Juliet and her daughters was like looking into a future without sight – it was just darkness.

"I'm not going to just …"

"I know that it would be really hard to stay here. The girls need school and friends," Mike interjected, running right over whatever Juliet had been about to say. She bit her lip as Mike continued, his words tumbling faster. "And you probably want to go back to work, and have curtains again." He took a breath, and Juliet opened her mouth to speak. "But it could work," Mike said earnestly, cutting her off yet again. "I'm willing to do whatever needs to be done to make it work, Juliet."

"Mike …"

He slipped out of his seat, and dropped to his knees in front of her. Mike took her hand in his, holding it like it was the most precious thing in the world to him.

"Marry me," he stated. Her eyes widened comically. "Okay, so we can't really get married, but we could do something like that. But I want it to be permanent."

"Mike …"

"I know it sounds crazy," Mike replied before even hearing whatever it was she wanted to say. Fed up, Juliet clapped her free hand over his mouth.

"Jesus Mike, will you let me talk?" she groused. He nodded slowly, but he looked like he was waiting for the axe to fall. "I'm not going anywhere." She wasn't certain that he heard her, because he was frozen in the same expression. "Mike, I'm serious. I'm not going anywhere – not unless you had some idea of moving."

"But," he mumbled from behind her hand.

"I'm not saying it will be easy," she explained, starting to smile. "In fact, it will probably be really tough, but you're right. We'll make it work." Behind her fingers, he was grinning. Juliet took her hand away, and caressed his cheek with it instead. "And the answer is yes." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his smiling mouth.

Striding down the hallway early in the morning, Dan swung the bunch of carnations and returned the smile of a passing nurse. Finding the room he needed, he turned in to find the bed empty. He only wore a puzzled expression for a moment before finding the bed's former occupant. Dropping the flowers he had brought on the bed, Dan posed a question to his friend. "Are you supposed to be up?"

Sam, her back to him as she shuffled around the room in gown, robe, and slippers, grunted noncommittally. Instead she continued to hunt through the hospital room, checking every surface.

"What are you looking for?" Dan asked.

"My phone," she replied impatiently.

"Sam, sit down. If you need to contact someone I can do it for you," Dan placated. It earned him a frown, but Sam did hobble back to her bed, and sit down gingerly, her arm across her stomach. Every time she sat down, or stood up, it felt like her insides were going to spill on the floor. Dan pulled up a chair, and dug out a small notebook and pen. "Now, who am I calling?"

"You're going to love this …" Sam noted, her expression brightening a little.

Don glanced at his phone in annoyance, and put down his soldering iron. It was mid-morning, the day after Sam had gone into the hospital. It frustrated him to no end that he hadn't heard from her, and that he could not risk going to see her.

He picked up the phone, and looked at the number displayed. It was completely unfamiliar.

"Hello," he said, giving in and answering it. Rapid breathing sounded on the other end. "Hello?"

"Is this, um, Don?" an unfamiliar male voice asked on the other end. Don, completely taken aback, wondered whom this could be. "Sam gave me the number."

"Is she alright?" Don questioned anxiously. Could this be someone from the hospital?

"She's fine," the voice dismissed easily. "But she asked me to call about Russell."

Don leaned against the edge of his worktable. "May I ask who you are?"

"Oh, sorry. Dan Wa. I'm an old friend of Sam's," Dan explained quickly. "I'm just thrilled to finally talk to you. You know, I helped Sam find you guys …"

Don was only half listening as Dan rambled on. Dan Wa. This was the detective Sam had called on when they came up with the plan to fake Juliet's death. An old college friend, Sam had said. And he had seen Sam, obviously, because she had asked him to call.

"What did you need to tell me about Russell?" Don interrupted, a little coldly.

"He's supposed to catch a bus to go to his grandmother's. She lives up in Fishkill," Dan explained, slowing down a bit. "I could come by and get him – take him to the bus for you," he offered.

Don's expression soured further at that idea.

"I'll be fine," Russell commented, his eyes on the view out the windshield of the battle shell. Don had politely declined the police detective's help in delivering Russell to his bus. Leo was glad; because this was something he wanted to do.

"I know you will," Leo replied, standing just behind the front seats. They had parked in an alley across from the bus station, and all that remained now was for Russell to take his bag and walk to the station. That, and to do the hardest part – say goodbye.

"You won't be able to tell your grandmother where you were," Leo instructed gently. Russell turned his eyes to his mentor, and grinned lopsidedly.

"I'm not stupid, sensei. I know it's a secret," Russell said. Raphael chuckled a little from the driver's seat.

"You've got money, and our number if you need us," Leo added. Russell nodded, still smiling a little.

"Come on kid," Raph said, interrupting his brother's endless delaying. "Go get your bus."

Russell stood up, and put out his hand to Raph. Surprised, the turtle took it and accepted the handshake. "Thanks, man. I won't forget it," Russell stated, and then he turned to Leo. He offered his hand, and Leo took it gravely. "I won't forget any of it, sensei."

Russell let go first, and picked up his bag. It contained clothes and some snacks that the guys had packed up for the boy. Leo opened the back door, and Russell jumped down on his own.

"Be careful," Leo said, getting in the last word. He shut the door, and walked back to the front of the car to sit in the passenger seat. The two brothers observed in silence as Russell hurried across the street and entered the bus station. He was out of sight now.

"You did the right thing," Raph said, and Leo looked over at him in surprise.

'I had to …" Leo began. "I had no right …"

"He'll be alright, bro," Raph reassured. "You gave him something, you know? Something he can hang on to when it gets tough." Leo raised his eye ridges in question. "You're gonna make me say it aren't you?" A smile tugged at the corners of Leo's wide mouth. "You were a good example, okay? Damn, Leo," Raph said, his tone laced with annoyance as he started the engine. "Don't make me do that again."