Bashsister23, shelshokd, Inuchic17
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***SPOILER ALERT***
In case any of you haven't finished watching the TMNT 2012 series there is a character death in this chapter that is canon.
I don't proofread my chapters! Lol I just dish them out as I write them cause I'm too lazy to do it.
Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT. But I do own my OCs!
On with the story!
Enjoy!
It didn't surprise her when they told her everything. The thing that did surprise her more was how long she was out. How weak her body was…the fact that she had technically died. Three times. Once from when Shredder had first stabbed her. The second time when the guys failed to save earth. The third time when the guys went back in time and to get a second time to save earth. Meaning she had to relive through getting stabbed by Shredder and Menders trying to revive her again.
It messed with her mind.
She would wake up screaming until she lost her voice.
She knew her father and friends were tired from the countless nights she kept waking them up from their sleep and she couldn't help but feel guilty. So she just tried to stay awake as long as she could or do the home exercises that the Mender had told her to practice to get her muscles working like before. She only slept when she was with Mikey. He was the only one that could keep the nightmares away long enough for her to get a couple hours of sleep. Sometimes she would be so exhausted that her body would just force a shut down. She didn't mind those blackouts, it was the only time she could sleep without having to fear the nightmares.
It took her weeks to finally get her muscles working enough to start using crutches on her own. Everyone had been a big help in her recovery especially Mikey. He had been patient and helped with most of her exercises and when he couldn't, Cat and Skyler had been there to help her while everyone else went to patrol the city. It made her feel useless especially since there had been a lot happening in the city. The Foot clan was back but not lead by Shredder instead Karai and a close friend of hers was helping her. It was short lived when Shredder injected himself with mutagen making him even more powerful than before and he took back control of the foot. Karai and Shinigami had been staying with the guys working together to take down Shredder again. Even Master Splinter was beginning to fight back once he realized that her father had been right. Shredder will not stop unless he was dead. Splinter had gone off to help the guys with getting rid of Shredder once and for all while she was stuck at the lair practicing her exercises—
Kayla
"Kayla! Sky! I need help!" Cat shouted while shaking Kayla awake while trying to hold her up. Skyler rushed to her side and helped move Kayla to the couch.
"What happened?"
"She just fainted" Cat answered her.
"She's p-pushing herself too hard" Skyler said as she checked over Kayla's form. Skyler let her energy flow through letting it heal Kayla's over used muscles. As she finished mending her, Kayla began to stir awake.
"What happened?" Kayla groaned trying to sit up.
"You fainted…again" Cat eyes narrowed at her.
"I guess I should take a break?"
"How about you sleep instead?"
"How about we watch a movie?" Kayla grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
"You need to rest!" Cat snapped than her eyes softened when Kayla flinched "Look Kay, we've noticed you're not sleeping—"
"I'm fine—"
"No, you're not" Skyler butted in they had all notice the dark circles forming around her eyes from the lack of sleep. They hadn't said anything because they had been waiting for her to come to them for help. However, that wasn't the case and it was time they took matters into their own hands.
"Seriously guys, I'm –"
"Ahh" Cat gasped clutching her heart and she began to tear up.
"Cat what's wrong? What happened?" Kayla asked worried.
"He's…dead"
"W-who?" Skyler voice trembled in sorrow for her friend.
"Master Splinter" she began to cry, they all did. It was hard not to, this was Master Splinter, their mate's father. A person who they had gotten to know in the past year and become dear friends with. He was like a second father to them. And now he was gone.
Kayla carefully stood up and began her exercises again.
"Kayla stop"
"No"
"He's gone, exercising to distract you from the loss isn't going to help you in the long run, trust me" Skyler said softly recalling a time she did the same when her grandmother died except she had painted for hours.
"I'm not exercising to distract me, I'm doing this for him because he needs to be avenged and you know it too"
Cat and Skyler sat on the couch waiting for their mates and friends to return while at the same time continuing to watch Kayla in case she passed out again.
The van pulled up slowly back into the lair they watched everyone climb out faces full of sadness. Donnie was the first to speak.
"Master Splinter…" he drifted unable to say the words. Cat quickly ran to him and embraced him tightly which he welcomed.
"We know" she cried with him.
"How…you felt did it, didn't you?" he whispered and she nodded against his plastron.
"I'm sorry I should have been there" Kayla muttered.
"You couldn't have known that would happened" Mikey shook his head.
"If I just recovered faster I could have helped taken him down—"
"Stop there was nothing you could have done" Mikey said holding her tighter to him and burying his face in her hair.
"Shredder pulled a cheat shot" Raph sneered in anger, not at her but because of what Shredder did. Skyler touched his arm and it calmed him almost instantly and then he was overwhelmed with grief. And he held Skyler close to him.
"He deserves a proper burial" she stated quietly.
"April, could we…" Leo began and April nodded sadly.
"Of course Leo, I was actually going to suggest it"
It didn't take much convincing for Joshua to let them drive to April's farmhouse to give Splinter a proper burial. He was a dear friend to him so he let them do as they wished. He unfortunate couldn't join them. There was too much going on with Divinity for him to leave, after the fight Triceratons had left many injuried and were still recovering and the destruction of the city had their strongest casters fixing seals and barriers for their hidden city. Leaving the Elders to look after citizens as they rebuilt their haven. He would have to wait until things calm down before he could visit Splinter's grave and pay his respects.
It had taken whole day for them to drive there and bury him. They placed a gravestone and a photo of Splinter. Even the Mutanimals had joined them each paying their respect. Each of them said some words but they mostly stood and comforted each other. Hours passed and slowly each of them left the only ones left were Nia and Leo as they stared at the grave. It wasn't until Nia finally decide to break the silence.
"He needs to be taken down"
"And he will, if Shredder wants to play dirty we'll show him we can too" Leo agreed.
"We should get some rest before we head back"
"I know…I just need a few more minutes alone" he said softly.
Nia nodded in understanding and kiss his cheek softly and stood up to give him some space to sort his feelings. Leo also stood but instead of following her he left to the forest to mediate. When he found a quiet place he sat down and closed his eyes in concentration.
Leonardo
Leo eyes opened at hearing his father call out his name. He looked a around and saw no one.
Do not fear me, my son
"Father? Is it really you? Or I'm I just…dreaming this?"
You are not dreaming, I have attained a higher spiritual plane of existence. Passing into death, we merge with a whole of life. We become one in all of nature…in all of the universe. Even with you.
"I-I can't go on without you father,
You must, Leonardo. You are the sensei now. Your bothers need you. Your friends need you and so does your mate.
"Shredder is still alive"
What? You must end this, my son.
"I don't know if I'm strong enough, Sensei" the wind blew in the silence and Splinter was gone "Sensei?" Leo called out in hopes that he would return and tell him what to do.
The next day they prepare to leave saying one last goodbye to Splinter before they started making plans on how to take down Shredder once and for all. However, Mikey seem reluctant on leaving just yet as he watch Kayla sleep on top of him.
"We have to go Mikey"
"Can we just stay one more night" he said brushing a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"We can't do that Mikey we promise Joshua to be back before nightfall and start with a strategy" Leo spoke quietly not wanting to startle Kayla awake.
"I…I can't let her leave yet Leo. Do you know how long it been since she's had a full 8 hours of sleep? I need to let her sleep as much as I can…because I don't know when she'll sleep again" Mikey whimpered.
"Is she still having nightmares? Nia said she stop screaming at night"
"Yeah but that doesn't mean she's sleeping, I don't know what to do anymore" he pleaded with him.
"Okay one more night" Leo gave in and pulled out his T-phone to tell Joshua that they wouldn't be arriving until tomorrow.
She didn't want to be here again. She didn't want to—
Kayla
"Who's there?" this was different than the other times.
Calm yourself Kayla, it is only I.
Kayla turned around and saw Master Splinter standing before her.
"How? What's going on? Did…did I die again?" she asked in fear.
No he shook his head But you are not suppose to be here…at least not for a long awhile.
"I don't understand"
You don't have to
"Shredder is still alive"
I know…it is why I am here to help you. They will need all the help they can get to finish him off and if your soul is stuck between planes—
"My soul is stuck between planes?"
He nodded sadly No one is meant to die that many times. At least not in the same body. Or even in the same dimension and timeline.
"What do I do?"
Nothing, that is why I am here for, He smiled down at her placing a hand on the top of her head in comfort I never did repay you for saving my life
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you a second time—"
That was not your fault he said in a stern voice before sighing.
"But I have so many questions, what is this place?"
He chuckled It is not your time to know, now go, when you awake everything will be better and please watch over each other. I sense great change is soon to come…to all off you. He said wistfully.
Wait!
"Wait!" she screamed.
"Kayla it's alright! I'm here, I got you!" Mikey pulled her close. He had only left a moment to use the bathroom and had come back to her mumbling and twitching in bed.
"Splinter he…he"
"I know…he's gone I miss him too" Mikey frowned.
"No" she shook her head burying her face in his neck "He spoke to me—"
"What did he say?" Leo's voice caused them to look up at the door to see him standing there.
"He said 'great change is soon to come' and it didn't sound good" Kayla whispered.
Please review! Ahhh I'm so excited for the next few chapters that are coming up I hope you guys like them. :)