The Enemy

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Epilogue - Tentative Future

Michaelangelo:

Rama of course was tense, nervous and on edge, not to mention being overtired and stressed out, it made for a bad combination, especially when you added into the mix Raph's many snide comments that he couldn't help but pass Rama's way.

Raph sneered at her as he passed by commenting out the side of the mouth " What is your plan going come after us tonight in our sleep?"

Rama lunged at him getting him down and hauling out her sai to teach him a lesson, frightening Karena and the twins. By the time I got her to back down and off; Leo was standing there watching with, not a great deal of amusement, this was only the third time she'd gone after Raph this morning.

" It might be better under the circumstances to keep Rama away from the rest of the family." Leo declared firmly.

" What about Raph get him to keep his big yap shut," I countered.

" Mike" Leo said simply.

I hung my head, I knew there was no keeping Raph quiet, not when he was like this, and now that he was home he was even worse.

" I can't have Rama going after everyone whenever they say something she doesn't agree with or theydo something she doesn't care for. The family is under a great deal of strain as it is" Leo explained patiently, " I think for the time being it would be better to keep Rama to a bedroom."

Rama made a low growling noise lunging at Leo, drawing her katana and fuming " I'm not now or ever will be your prisoner Leonardo!"

Leo managed to block the blow with his own katana, but the upset that followed meant that Rama only succeeded in knocking a nail in her own coffin, so to speak. It took me even longer to convince her to back down and not hurt Leo.

" Come on Rama you are tired and you really could use some rest" I soothed, " I think you'd feel better if you weren't so exhausted. Leo isn't trying to make you a prisoner so put your sword away please." I coaxed keeping my voice low and soft.

She finally backed off and slipped her katana away, her chest heaving a deep scowl etched on her face.

I had managed to lead her to the only bedroom our smaller lair had, and we had sat to talk about all kinds of trivial subjects, speaking in Japanese or English as the whim struck.

Leo came and tapped on the door a while later, calling me outside to talk to me.

" How is she doing?" He asked.

" She seems to be a bit better with me, not so on edge." I replied honestly, knowing Leo would pick up on any lie.

" I don't know Mike she seems so dangerous right now, I really have my doubts on if she can even make it back to being with the family." Leo confessed uneasily.

" Leo you have to give her a fair chance, it is the first day with us. You know Raph ought to have better control of his mouth too, it isn't fair that she gets punished for her behaviour and not Raph." I pointed out.

" Raph is family and clan, she is neither at the moment Mike. Don't worry I will talk to Raph but when the time is right." Leo paused, " I want her out of here soon, once we have gotten some rest I'm going have Raph and Don scout for a possible place to make a home both for us, and for her. The sooner she is out of our home we can really start on our own recovery."

I scowled it sounded to me like Leo just wanted to give her the push out the door and be done with her, as if he suddenly realized all the work to be done with Rama and wanted to bail out while he could. I didn't say anything though, I knew why he felt that way, knew it had to be done, it had been part of what he had laid down in his ruling after all, so all I could do was accept the verdict as it was.

" I also want a guard on her until she does leave here."

" No problem I'll watch her Leo, so far she is willing to listen to me at least, eventually." I volunteered.

" I figured you'd offer Mike but you need to get your rest too" Leo insisted.

" I'll rest with her, she won't hurt me. I know she won't. Right now the only ones she seems out to get is you and Raph, I'm not sure about Don even." I shook my head.

" Aw Mike, what are we getting into. I know what you want and I'd love to see it but things don't look good for it…"

" You said the same thing about Rama helping us escape Leo" I reminded him, " She's still good. She's a scared hurt, confused kid who needs a lot of love and attention. I believe she won't hurt me because she does remember me, it's probably why she is willing to trust me Leo." I gave him a small smile and a shrug, " What else am I suppose to do Leo?"

I waited and when I didn't receive an answer I sighed, " I better get back to her Leo."

Leo nodded his head " Mike one thing you should know she was considering seppuku, she might still be thinking about it."

I turned back to the bedroom door " I figured if she made it out she would go off and commit seppuku. I can't lose her again Leo." I insisted firmly, " I won't" I vowed as I took a deep breath and re-entered the bedroom.

Rama had taken off her gear andhad freedher long hair she looked a bit more relaxed now but still not ready to sleep. I sat down on a stool that was in the corner of the small bedroom

" Leo said you were thinking of committing seppuku…"

" So what if I am?" She retorted.

" I think you have a better chance of regaining honour alive then you do dead Rama, and I hope you can find it in you to give us a real, honest chance before you do that, there are many ways to restore honour. Leo has offered you one way," I told her, " Besides I've missed enough time with you I don't want to miss anymore. I'd really love to get to know you better Ramiela."

She shrugged " I'll consider it." Was all she'd say.

I didn't want to push her too much right now, I figured Rama had good survival instincts at this time and I hoped that she really wouldn't be able to commit seppuku, course I would have to see if Don agreed, but it made sense to me.

" I'm grateful you did decide to help us Rama, I think that is partly why Leo is willing to give you a chance to fit in with our family."

" Like that will happen," She snorted, " They don't trust me and I don't blame them" she gave a wicked smile.

" We aren't so bad Rama, and underneath it all, neither are you."

Rama gave me a small smile, then we lapsed into silence for a bit she broke the silence a few minutes later by asking, " What am I suppose to call you?"

" I'd love to hear you call me dad again but that may take time and you may not be comfortable with it. So go ahead call me Mike, Mikey or Michaelangelo" I paused, " Course your mom used to call me Michael. Whatever works for you Rama."

She glanced down at the bed and bit her lip slightly " You know I had the strangest of feelings that father was going to kill me. It seems funny now, even thinking about it because I knew he had no reason to kill me…" She took a deep shaky breath, " I guess I just felt funny when I learned that he knew who I was all along and he never told me. Maybe I was just being paranoid."

I smiled leaning forward on the stool " As a ninja Rama you have been trained to listen to your hunches and gut instinct, that which some people call dumb luck." I shook my head, " If you had those sort of feelings maybe it was true. Maybe Yukio did intend to kill you when he killed us, or maybe not" I pointed out calmly, " Some part of you knew and accepted that possibility or you would never have had those feelings." I picked my words carefully knowing how protective she was of Yukio.

Funny, that no matter how much he had hurt her, he still had her devotion and loyalty and I had a feeling she would mourn his loss and when that wore off who knows what I had to cope with in the coming months.

For her right now the choice of seppuku or life might be a bit difficult and I hoped she'd chose life and start to enjoy some of the good things it had to offer her. She deserved it by this time in her life.

I watched as she finally laid down on the bed, closing her eyes. I stayed silent stilling my breathing so it wouldn't disturb her; I wanted her to get into a deeper sleep. Though I knew she would remain slightly awake and alert to her surroundings, so that if anyone tried to hurt her, she would be up and able to defend herself before they could even strike.

I sat back on the stool realizing the next little bit of our lives was bound to be very interesting, to say the least.

I was willing to do anything to make the transition easier on her. I was willing to be there for her and stay with her, for I knew she needed me more then my own family did, but I did hope sometime in the future we could all live together as family, once again.

I was glad to have this second chance with her. I felt honoured that she would trust me, and I knew I could trust her, to not hurt me.

In time who knew how she would be. I could see a bright future ahead of all of us, for she had made that first step to come out of the darkness she had been living in for all these years. I knew she still had a long way to go, but Rama in spite of all the odds against her had finally made it home, and I was sure she could beat the odds again.

The End.

Lunar ninja: She isn't going kill herself yet! At the moment the other turtles might have more to fear of being killed. Hmmm, I have been called worse and since it isn't true it won't bother me any, oh slave to a monkey. Now Rama she is a goat, and I best run before she can show me what she can do with a sai. A gratitude for your insight.

Reinbeauchaser: I didn't want to drag this story out, nor did I just want Rama to be 'all better' because after all she has been through it just wouldn't seem true. Rama does indeed hate Leo, part of that is what she learned from Yukio both from being around him and his training methods, but also Leo being there when Yukio died probably doesn't help matters. Ah yes had to have Karena give that line. I figured it worked well for a married couple. A gratitude for your insight.