Chapter 18 – Runaway Bride

"Kim!"

Riley couldn't tell if the scream came from her or Leo, but before she knew it the bride had run out of her own wedding.

Riley didn't think twice, she dropped her own bouquet and ran after her sister. She threw open the doors to the dojo and looked around. She spotted her sister's white dress heading out into the sewers and she followed.

"Kim, stop!" She yelled

Kim suddenly stopped and turned around, fear and pain evident in her eyes and on her face. Riley stopped and held her hands up, as if she was staring at a frightened gazelle.

"Kim," She said softly, "It's ok. I know it's scary-"

Kim began shaking her head. It started small but the shakes turned more frantic and Kim screamed.

Riley covered her ears as her sister screamed. When the noise faded she looked up and saw her sister crying. Riley barely registered her sisters, the guys and April and Casey running up behind her, all she focused on was her sister.

"Riley, Leo." She gasped through her tears, ignoring the new arrivals. "Forgive me."

With that, Kim disappeared in a gust of wind and leaves.

"No!" Leo cried running to the spot she once stood. "Kim." He whispered before falling to his knees.

Riley had tears in her eyes as she watched Leo on his knees, crying his heart out for his missing bride. Leo slammed his fists onto the ground, ignoring the pain, his only focus on diminishing the pain in his heart.

Riley turned around and looked at her shocked sisters. Master Splinter walked over to his son and placed a comforting paw on his shoulder.

"Everything will be alright, my son." He assured him.

Riley watched this, suddenly feeling that this one time, Master Splinter was wrong.

"…What do we do?" Lilly whispered, afraid of speaking too loud.

Lilly was right. What would they do now? Kim only had 15 days left before her crown was given to Lord Renaldo, who for all they knew could be an evil sorcerer, Kim had abandoned Leo at the alter, Riley could not ascend the throne without a formal decline from Kim, and Kim had disappeared without a word. And they had no idea where she went…or if she was coming back.

Riley looked back at Leo and her heart ached for him. She closed her eyes and hung her head, for once not knowing what to do.

"Yes!" Renaldo cried, stepping away from his cauldron. "Phase 2 is complete! I'm one step closer to gaining what is rightfully mine."

Renaldo looked over his shoulder and smirked up at Charlotte with a wide grin. "Inform the court." He said, "We begin Phase 3."

Charlotte bowed her head. "Yes, my lord." She said before rushing out of the room with an equally triumphant smile across her face.

Renaldo looked back at the cauldron and chuckled darkly. "15 days left, princesses. The clock's ticking."

Riley stormed into the music room with her sisters following behind. She started pacing the floor for a few moments, quietly muttering to herself as she did. Lilly and Violet watched, too nervous to stop their hot-headed sister. Finally, Riley stopped and looked over at them.

"Why did she do that?" Riley asked, "It's not like Kim to freak out and bail."

"Um, actually-" Lilly started, remembering the time Kim ran away from Leo when she admitted her feelings.

"Our sister may get emotional," Violet interrupted, "But she's always thought things through. She's never done things half heartedly and she's never gone through with something if she wasn't sure." Her eyes drifted down. "She's never acted impulsively, or on a whim."

Lilly snapped. "Well looks like there's a first time for everything!" She shouted, "Because our sister just ran away, and now we have a missing princess on our hands! Again!"

Riley and Violet looked up at their sister in shock. Lilly calmed down and sighed.

"Sorry," She whispered, "I just…She seemed so sure this is what she wanted."

"Did she?" Violet asked, "When you think about everything that's happened and every time we spoke to her, did she really seem happy?"

"What do you mean?" Riley said, raising an eyebrow.

Violet shrugged. "Seems to me like she realised something while she was walking down the aisle." Her eyes widened

"Are you sure that you want to go through with this?"

"Yes!" Leo cried, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Just checking that we're doing this for the right reasons." Violet said

"She does know that you're doing this for love, right?" Donnie asked

Violet snapped back to reality and her eyes narrowed.

"Did Leo do something?" She asked her sisters.

Lilly and Riley looked at each other, their eyes widening. They looked back at Violet and nodded sadly.

"You think this is Leo's fault?" Riley asked

Violet shook her head. "I didn't say that." She defended, "I just think it's possible he said something that made Kim doubt herself."

The girls looked up when they saw Raph and Mikey walk into the room with April and Casey.

"…hey guys." April said awkwardly, "We sent everyone home."

The girls nodded in acknowledgment but didn't say anymore.

"Look, it's been a long day so why don't we all-" Violet's calm suggestion was interrupted by Lilly's sudden outburst.

"Did Leo want to get married?"

Everyone looked at Lilly in shock, but she stood her ground. Her eyes were narrowed, her stance firm and her hands were on her hips.

Raph suddenly laughed at the question, but Mikey raised an eye ridge.

"Considering what happened, babe," He started, for once serious. "Shouldn't you be asking if Kim wanted to get married?"

Lilly's mouth dropped and she glared at her turtle. "We're not talking about Kim, we're talking about Leo."

"Why?" Mikey cried, "He wasn't the one who ran out of the wedding."

Riley quickly jumped between the two, her arms stretched out to each of them. She smiled sheepishly.

"Okay guys!" She said, "Let's all go to our corners, yeah?"

"Riley's right." Casey agreed, "It's been a long emotional day. Let's not say things we'll regret."

Lilly looked past Riley and at Mikey with a glare. He looked back, matching her stare. Eventually Lilly tore her eyes away with a nod, her eyes softening.

"Okay." She said

"Fine." Mikey agreed before he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door as he left.

Riley looked away from the door to her sister. "Come on," She said, "Lets go home. We'll have some food, take a breather, and come back together with a plan."

Lilly nodded mutely and followed her sisters out of the room.

The room was dark, cold and empty. Dust and dirt lay around the entire place, making the place seem as old as time itself. The floorboards creaked as Kim materialised in the centre of the room, tears falling silently down her cheeks, her face void of any emotion.

She looked around the room, noticing the darkness and the cold. She swiped her arms across the room slowly, and as she did the entire building she was in transformed into its former glory.

When that was done, Kim looked down at herself. With a snap of her fingers, the wedding dress disappeared and some loose jeans, a baggy shirt and boots took its place.

Kim's eyes flooded with tears again as she felt her magic fading, its power flickering and unpredictable, just like her emotions.

She sighed as more tears wracked through her body. She fell to her knees and cried.

"I'm so sorry, Leo." She whispered brokenly before she curled into a ball on the floor.

In the distance, she could hear the recognisable chime signalling midnight. Her time was running out, but she couldn't bring herself to care.