Farewell Dear Friend:

Disclaimer: (forgot it in chapter 1) The TMNT belong to Mirage and other people sigh

Chapter 2 Introductions.

A half hour later Raphael arrived at the lair. Leonardo and Michelangelo were sparing in the main room. Donatello was nowhere to be seen, but Raphael could hear chinks and clunks behind the video monolith, that told him that his brother was busy repairing or adding to the wall of televisions.

Leonardo absently nodded a greeting, then smoothly disarmed Michelangelo of his left and right nunchuck. "You're back late," Leonardo said calmly.

"Hey Raph!" Michelangelo said. He retrieved his nunchucks from the floor, and moved to the couch.

Raphael smiled smugly, and learned his shell against the wall. "Master Splinter isn't back yet from his little trip, so I can't be late, now can I?"

That made Donatello peek out from the wall of televisions. "How did you know that Master Splinter isn't back yet?" he asked.

"I just left him," Raphael answered matter of factly. He knew his playing it cool was going to drive the others crazy. "I think he wanted to spend time with his friend alone."

"Master Splinter has a girlfriend?" Michelangelo asked puzzled. Leonardo glared at his brother annoyed.

"Don't be ridiculous," Leonardo snapped.

Raphael couldn't help but chuckle. "Well I don't think Margaret is his girlfriend, but she is a friend." Briefly he told his brothers about his meeting Margaret.

"That explains a lot," Donatello said thoughtfully. "I mean we get by okay by scavenging, but we've always had fresh food and first aid supplies."

"It does make sense," Leonardo mused as he paced back and forth. "I've always wondered if Master Splinter didn't have someone topside secretly helping us. It was always during one of his solo foraging expeditions that he would find the best stuff."

"But why visit her every night now?" Michelangelo asked. "He had to know we'd find out about her."

Raphael bit his lower lip pensively, and hoped Splinter wouldn't get back before he told his brothers his fears about Margaret. "He's visiting her because she's sick. When I was there, she had to take a lot of pills, and I saw some letters from a doctor, and . . ." Here Raphael paused. Should he tell his brothers what he overheard?

Leonardo noticed Raphael's mood instantly. "What else, Raph?" He asked concerned.

Raphael sighed. "While I was there, I overheard Master Splinter talking. He's not so keen on us visiting her, but she insisted. I heard . . . " here he paused again. He took a few deep breaths and just said it. "I heard her tell him that this would be her last chance to get to know us."

For several seconds Raphael's three brothers said nothing. Finally Donatello said, "that sounds serious. Do you think what she has is terminal?"

"I don't know!" Raphael snapped at him. He began to pace restlessly. "I don't even know what she has!"

Leonardo folded his arms and looked thoughtful. "How old do you think she is?"

Raphael ceased his pacing and thought. "She showed me an album that had a photo and a birthday card from Master Yoshi. The card said 'Happy sixty fifth birthday."

Donatello quickly did the math in his head. "That had to be more than 16 years ago. That would make her well over eighty."

"Translation, she's really old," Michelangelo added.

Raphael reached out and soundly whapped Michelangelo on the head. "That's not funny Mikey!" he shouted. The vehemence of his retort surprised all three of them.

"Easy, Raph, Mikey didn't mean anything by that." Donatello said gently.

Raphael's hands clenched into fists as he turned away from Donatello and Michelangelo.

"You think she's dying." Leonardo said calmly. It wasn't a question.

Now Raphael had a better target for his frustration. "Why do you always say things in the worst way possible?"

"I'm just trying to figure out where you're coming from," Leonardo answered not in the least bit annoyed. "Whoever this woman is, you like her, and the idea that she could be dying is driving you crazy."

As usual when Leonardo forced him to confront his emotions, he couldn't keep up his anger. He plopped down on the couch, and put his head in his hands. "Damn, Leo," Raphael said sounding miserable. "Why her? She's just a sweet old lady."

"Poor Splinter," Donatello said. "Raph's only known her for a day. Sensei's known her for over twenty years. How must he be feeling?"

At that moment the doorway to the lair opened, and Master Splinter came into the main room of the lair. All four turtles were instantly silent.

After an awkward few seconds Leonardo said, "Master Splinter, Raphael was just telling us about your friend Margaret."

"I see," Splinter said with a raised eyebrow. "But I suspect that your brother has told you more than I intended."

All four frowned at that. Trying to keep his frustration in check Raphael said, "Sensei, I saw all the pills that Margaret had to take, and I couldn't help but notice all those letters from Mount Sinai, and they didn't look like bills to me. "

Splinter's eyes narrowed. "You did not read her mail, did you Raphael?"

Instantly Raphael shook his head. "No! Of course not, I just noticed they weren't bills, but I'm right, aren't I? She's sick."

Splinter sighed sadly, and looked to the ground. "Yes, it is true. Margaret is ill."

"Is it serious?" Donatello asked.

"Her doctor wishes her to go into a hospital where she could receive the proper care, but Margaret fears that if she goes into the hospital, she will never see her home again." Splinter told them.

"What do you think?" Leonardo asked.

Splinter closed his eyes and shook his head with a pained expression. "I do not know, my son. Margaret is very sick and I would prefer her to follow what her doctor has told her, but I fear that to take her from her home may break her spirit, and she would allow the illness to take her."

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Donatello asked.

Splinter shook his head again. "I do not know, nor does she wish to tell me. April has helped me arrange for a nurse during the day to care for her as I have done at night."

"We'll help you Master Splinter," Leonardo said.

"You can count on it!" Raphael added. He was still feeling frustrated, but for some reason it helped knowing that Splinter was equally frustrated with the situation.

The next evening, Splinter lead the four of them to Margaret's home. He made them wait in the living room for ten minutes, then he appeared and motioned for them to enter the room.

Margaret was dressed in a sky blue robe. Her hair was tied behind her in a tight bun, and a pair of glasses hung around her neck. When she saw them enter the room she gave them all a delighted smile.

Splinter stood behind the four of them. In a voice filled with pride he said. "Margaret, allow me to introduce you to my sons."

Before Splinter could say another world Margaret said, "No wait, let me guess." She looked at the four of them analyzing what she saw. "Well I've already met Raphael." She turned to stare hard at Leonardo. "Now you, are very strong, and you move very slowly. You're not relaxed at all, because you're not very sure about me, but you're not tense either, which means you trust Splinter when he tells you I'm your friend. You're also standing between me and the others so you worry about them. You're Leonardo."

Leonardo put his hands together and bowed respectfully to her. Behind him, Michelangelo giggled. "She got you nailed bro," he teased. That brought Margaret's attention to him.

"And you!" She said with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "You've been comfortable here from the moment you arrived. You haven't stopped smiling, and Raphael and Leonardo keep glancing over at you as if they expect trouble. So you have to be Michelangelo."

Not it was Leonardo's turn to snicker. Michelangelo made an elaborate court bow, and said cheerily, "At your service always my lady!"

Margaret laughed in response. "And I suppose that means that Donatello is the one hiding in the corner looking at the models."

Donatello nodded and smiled shyly. "Did you make these model planes?" He asked softly.

"No dear," Margaret said a bit sadly. "My late husband did those. He loved air planes. He brought them from his home when we were married. Then Pearl Harbor happened, and I never saw him again."

"Oh!" Donatello said embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Donatello," Margaret said gently. "You didn't know. In fact if you like, those models you can have them for your room."

That surprised all of them. Donatello turned to face her puzzled. "Are you sure? I mean they're cool and everything, but I wouldn't want to take them if you're attached to them."

"Don't be silly," Margaret insisted. "I'd love for you to have them."

"Thanks!" Donatello said gratefully.

Three hours later Leonardo had no problem understanding both Raphael's and Master Splinter's attachment to this charming old woman. As Master Splinter prepared her dinner, Margaret showed the four of them her photo album of Master Yoshi and told them all she knew about their sensei's sensei. Master Yoshi didn't have any family, and when he was killed he had willed all of his possessions to Margaret. One set of albums had a set of pictures that must have been from some martial arts tournament. It showed Master Yoshi fighting with a pair of samurai swords.

"Where those his chosen weapon?" Leonardo asked.

"Not really," Margaret said. "Yoshi didn't seem to prefer any particular weapons. His only favorites were his more aesthetic pieces. I still have a few of those. Leo, be a dear and go into that closet there and take out the wood box on the bottom."

Puzzled Leonardo did as he was told. The box weighed more than Leonardo expected, but he had no trouble lifting it up and placing it on the bed. Margaret opened the maple box. Inside resting on the red velvet lining of the box was a set of dashio. There were designs carved into the blunt side of the blades, and the handles were made of carved ivory inlayed with gold.

Leonardo could scarcely breathe. "Oh Miss Margaret," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "These are beautiful."

"Well they're yours now." Margaret said with a chuckle, shoving the box in his direction. "I hope you enjoy them."

"What?" Leonardo said confused at first, then as what she said sank in, he said, "Oh no, Miss Margaret I couldn't!"

"Of course you can," Margaret said firmly. "And I haven't been a miss anything for a long time. You can call me Maggie." She took the case back for a moment closed it then pressed it back into Leonardo's hands. "I want someone to have them that will appreciate them. They deserve better than to be stuck in my closet."

Leonardo stared at the case in his hands. "Miss . . . I mean Maggie, I don't know what to say."

"You could try thank you, Leo" Michelangelo teased.

With a slight flush to his cheeks Leonardo bowed to Margaret. "Thank you Maggie," he said.

Raphael suddenly scowled. "I know what to say, or better yet what to ask," he said keeping his voice just in the polite range. "I wanna know why your giving your stuff away. Don't you want is anymore?"

Margaret eyed Raphael sadly, "I want to make sure that some of my treasured items find owners who will love them as I have. She looked at all of them. I know you talked to Splinter about my illness."

All four of them shuffled their feet embarrassed. "Is it serious?" Donatello asked.

"I'm afraid so," Margaret answered.

"Shouldn't you like be in a hospital or something?" Michelangelo asked.

Margaret shook her head in a definite no. "It would only delay the inevitable, and I hate hospitals. If I'm going to die, I want to die in my own home surrounded by people who care about me. Now lets not talk about it any longer."

Since the four of them really didn't want to talk about it either, they let the subject drop.

By the time Splinter came in with her dinner they had changed the subject to something milder. Michelangelo, always the entertainer, was telling her about how they saved the city of Beijing.

"And then Donnie made some kind of energy surge thingie that not only stopped the super mousers in their tracks it also made sure that The Foot couldn't use that anti gravity generator again."

"Oh my!" Margaret said clearly enthralled by the story. "How did you ever get back to New York? And what happened to that dear girl Kurai?"

"Kurai got us back," Leonardo answered with a slight grin. "She arranged it so that the four of us were able to sneak on the jet that took her and Doctor Chapman back to New York. We had to hide on the plane, but at least Hun wasn't there to throw us off again."

"Thank goodness," Maggie said, "And Kurai?"

Leonardo sighed. "She went back to the Shredder. She could have left him. He thought she was dead. I don't understand why she went back to him."

"She told you why Leo," Raphael said surprisingly civil. "Give her time, eventually The Shredder will betray her and she'll come around."

"You should not be telling Margaret such tales," Splinter said crossly. "You will upset her."

"Don't be silly, Splinter," Margaret said laughing warmly. "Your sons lead fascinating lives."

"Hmmmm Perhaps a little too fascinating." Splinter muttered. Once Margaret was done eating, Splinter said, "Now I wish for some time with Margaret myself. I will see you at home."

"But, please, do come tomorrow," Margarete insisted. Splinter threw her a look but he didn't contradict her.

Leonardo and the others bowed politely and left. Later that night Leonardo was cleaning up the main room when Splinter came in. Splinter raised an eyebrow as he watched Leonardo sweep the dust and crumbs into a small pile. All four of them hated household chores.

"Don and I figured we'd give you a hand since your going to be busy with Maggie." Leonardo answered the unasked question the sad expression on his sensei's face made Leonardo stopped worried. "Sensei is Margaret all right?"

Only then did Splinter notice the worried expression. "For now she is fine, but in the last few weeks I have seen her strength fading. I fear that very soon she shall leave this life."

She hadn't seemed very sick to Leonardo, but he knew that Splinter had known Margarete for years. Little things the four of them might miss would be quiet visible to Splinter. "Maybe we shouldn't visit her so much," Leonardo said thoughtfully. "I don't want us to wear her out."

Splinter gave Leonardo a gentle smile. "No my son. Today you made Margaret very happy. She told me that she greatly enjoyed your company, and that of your brothers. You were a welcome distraction for her. Lately she had been dwelling on her death, and it worries her."

"Was she trying to put on a brave front for our sake?" Leonardo asked? When Splinter nodded Leonardo put down the broom, and went to comfort his father. "Whatever you want us to do Sensei, we'll do."

Later laying on his bed, Leonardo thought about all he had learned in the past twenty four hours. He felt bad for Splinter who didn't know what he could do for his dear friend Margaret. Leonardo put another talk with Donatello on his mental 'things to do tomorrow' list, and he made a notation to talk to Raphael and Michelangelo as well. Splinter was going to need their help just as much as Maggie did. That included making Maggie feel better about her impending situation.

Well that's one thing I know I can do, he thought as he allowed sleep to claim him. There is nothing like almost dying to make a person unafraid of death.