A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!

Sorry this took so long! And guess what? Tiger Claw and cub fluff!

Hope you enjoy!

I OWN NOTHING!

Chapter 23

"My father, he was like the rock, the guy you went to with every problem."

–Gwyneth Paltrow

It was after The Shredder had finally dismissed them all for the time being (probably scrutinizing the Kraang device that the young ninjas had brought back with them) that Tiger Claw had decided that he'd finally had enough; it was about time that he and his young cub had a long and truthful discussion about what had been going on these past few days. Of course, Tiger Claw had already known about his late night meeting with Michelangelo a few days ago, as well as his first – and rather violent – encounter with the Kraang aliens themselves after twelve long years. However, he had yet to discover what had happened after that event, for Leonardo had said nothing of it after he returned within the early hours of the morning. The only thing that told the mutant tiger that the proceedings of the evening had been less than pleasant was the look of complete murder in his eyes…or was that due to the fact that Karai was smirking at him relentlessly after hearing how oddly high his voice had gotten for some reason?

Well, no matter. It was time that he put a stop to all his secrecy. After all, with the way Shredder was currently acting towards the young terrapin, Tiger Claw wanted to ensure that he and his cub didn't drift any further apart than they already had over the past few weeks. With Tiger Claw's continuous missions keeping him away for longer than he wished to, Leonardo had slowly become distant from his father, getting drawn further into the ordeals of the Foot Clan. If it had been only to remain closer to Karai, then Tiger Claw would have had no real issue with it; Karai, despite how she may appear and act towards others, was a good girl at heart, and Tiger Claw could never find it in himself to tear those two apart. However, now that they had become involved with the Kraang, and now that Leonardo's attitude towards his brothers had seemed to have worsened, the old tiger master could already see the black clouds of doom gathering over their heads.

Anything to do with those vile creatures could only bring about disaster.

So it was as he, his son and Karai were walking out of the throne room that Tiger Claw placed a paw on Leo's shoulder, drawing the boy to a halt as he looked up at him expectantly. "Leonardo, I believe it is time that we had a discussion," he began calmly. He knew as well as any parent with a teenaged child that simply rushing into things and immediately accusing said child of wrongdoing would only make matters worse, especially with a child like Leo.

Just as Tiger Claw had expected, Leo's eyes widened with both alarm and immense guilt before his panicked blue orbs darted over to Karai on his right, almost as if he were silently begging her for help. With her own amber gaze wide, she cast a glance at both of the mutants in turn, before she took a big step backwards. "…Oh jeez would you look at the time I think I'd better go now bye!" she stammered in a single breath before spinning neatly on her heel and dashing down the corridor towards the dojo, disappearing from sight even as Leo continued to stare after her retreating form with his mouth hung open. Then his eyes narrowed, and his mouth formed a pout which completed the expression that screamed 'traitor'.

It took a bit of effort for the old tiger not to laugh as he shook his head. 'Kids,' he silently mused before patting Leo's shoulder, motioning his head towards their sleeping quarters expectantly. He swore he could hear Leo swallow thickly as they walked towards the bedroom in silence. Obviously the boy had been dreading this moment for a while now, and admittedly so was Tiger Claw. However, this was something that needed to be done, for both of their sakes.

Once they were inside the four plain walls of their room, Tiger Claw allowed Leo to walk inside first before he shut the door behind them. He wanted to make sure that no one intruded upon them as they talked, but he didn't lock the door; the last time they had been in a locked room together, Leo had ended up unconscious in bed for the next several days. He knew very well that neither of them wanted to remember that particular event.

Once the door was closed, he turned to find Leonardo sat on a futon across the room. He had placed his scabbards on the floor on his right just within reach, and he sat with his hands on his knees and his head down, his gloomy gaze looking off to the left as he frowned. His shoulders were hunched slightly, and his hands were clenched into loose fists. Tiger Claw knew that kind of body language anywhere; he knew he was in trouble, and he evidently felt very guilty for his actions, but he didn't want to say anything about it. The tiger fought the urge to sigh tiredly.

Well, might as well get on with it.

He silently crossed the room and sat down on the other futon in front of his son, who continued to avoid his gaze as he began to idly fiddle with the wrapping on his wrist, seemingly finding them far more interesting than the oncoming conversation. Resting his paws on his lap, Tiger Claw drew in a deep breath, and he let it out again through his nose before he finally broke the silence that hung over them. "…tell me what is wrong, Leonardo," he began, his tone gentle but commanding nonetheless. It was his tone that finally made Leo's eyes drift upwards to meet his own, though they were still clouded with indecision as he remained silent for a little while longer. Tiger Claw didn't press him, but simply waited.

Leo sighed heavily. "…where the hell should I start?" he muttered at last.

Tiger Claw stifled a chuckle. "I have always thought that the beginning is a good place to start," he said.

After biting his lip, Leo relented. "…uh…well, how much do you already know?" he asked timidly, his shoulders visibly tensing, almost as if he were afraid of what Tiger Claw would say.

This time Tiger Claw did smile softly as he folded his arms over his chest. "My son," he said, "you do not have to be afraid. I know about your first encounter with the Kraang on the night that I lost you…and about the entire ordeal concerning your brother, Michelangelo."

He watched as Leo's entire body suddenly went very stiff, his eyes wide and panicked again as he looked up at his father. His mouth opened to frantically try to explain, but Tiger Claw lifted up a hand to silence him. Once the boy went still again, Tiger Claw saw fit to continue, his tone retaining the calmness. "As I said, I have been aware of your actions for some time now. But I chose not to bring it up or try to stop you. Do you know why?"

Still rigid with apprehension, Leo shook his head.

"It was because I had hoped that by allowing you to see your brothers, to see the truth behind the lies your fractured memories have fed you, that maybe…" he paused, his brows furrowing as he searched for the right words. Finally, he reached out and laid a hand on Leo's shoulder, looking deep into his young yet deeply troubled eyes. "…I hoped that you would finally find peace, Leonardo. I wanted you to find happiness with your true family, and whether or not you would leave the Foot Clan to live with them would be up to you in the end…what you choose to do with your life is not my decision to make."

Throughout Tiger Claw's speech, Leonardo remained silent and still as he looked up at his master. There was no longer any fear or worry in his eyes as he became more relaxed, but he still felt something parallel to relief and slight confusion as his brows knitted together. Of course, he should have acknowledged that Tiger Claw knew all along about what he'd been doing behind his back, but he hadn't expected him to be so composed about. Leo had thought that he would have been outraged or even betrayed that he would dare to seek out his true family and leave him behind, abandon him after all they had been through together and all that Tiger Claw had done for him. But instead, Tiger Claw understood him. He wasn't sad, angry or even disappointed in him in the least it seemed.

He just…understood.

Tiger Claw watched as the wheels turned inside his young cub's head, inwardly glad that he was no longer afraid as he had been before, and he allowed himself to smile faintly. But the smile quickly faded into a thoughtful frown. "Leonardo," he spoke again, regaining Leo's attention. "For whatever reason, even after having met one of them alone, you have suddenly come to hate them more when you returned. Why is that, my son?"

At this, Leo's expression instantly darkened as he looked back down at his lap, his fists clenching tightly. "…I was wrong about Michelangelo, Sensei," he growled. "I thought that I could put my trust in him at the very least, if not in Donatello and Raphael. But they set me up. They lied to me again. But every time I say I'm going to end them once and for all, that I'm done with their lies, I just…I just – argh!" he stood up from the futon and paced the floor in frustration, swallowing the tempting urge to punch the wall. Tiger Claw stood up as well, watching as Leo sighed heavily and brought his hands to his face and shook his head.

"I don't understand it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation before letting them flop to his sides uselessly. "I-It's just like last time on the rooftop! I could've let Xever have his way, and I could've finished off Raphael myself, but I couldn't! Something's always stopping me, like a pain in the back of my head or something, but – Sensei, it's driving me crazy and I don't know what to do –"

His angered rant was abruptly brought to a halt by an oversized paw resting on the top of his head. Blinking in confusion several times, Leo brought up one hand to cover the furry one upon his head as looked up as much as he could at his father's face. He noticed how he was patiently smiling down at him despite his earlier outburst. "In time, young cub, the truth will come to you. I understand that right now you are confused, frustrated…and scared," he said, noting with a slight frown how Leo's sullen eyes drifted to the floor. "But I know that soon you will realize this simple truth; you are not to listen to the voice inside your head, telling you what not to do…"

He reached out with his free hand to tap a claw over Leo's chest. "…but you are to follow the voice within your heart, telling you what you must do. Wakarimasu ka?"

For a moment Leo said nothing, his eyes staring down at the claw pointed over his heart in thought. He had to admit, whether he liked it or not, Tiger Claw was right; he was scared somewhat. He was scared of what was going to happen now that they had involved the Kraang in their ordeals. He was scared of what Shredder had in store for him. He was scared of what would happen the day he finally sought out and found the truth for himself. Would he ever be the same again? Would he be free from all his hate, or would more simply erupt? Would he be separated from Karai and Tiger Claw forever…? He closed his eyes. That would never happen. He would never allow himself to lose the two most important people in his life that mattered.

He would eventually find the truth, that much he was certain of. And whatever was to come after that, well…he knew he wasn't going to be alone. Not with his father and his sister by his side. Though a part of him actually hoped that someday…maybe his brothers would be there too…if they could amend what had already been broken so many times, if it were even possible anymore…a part of him doubted that very much.

"…you are to follow the voice within your heart, telling you what you must do…"

Leo stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around Tiger Claw's waist in a hug as he rested his head against his chest. "Wakarimashita," he replied softly, his embrace tightening as Tiger Claw's arms came around him and held him close. Listening to his heart was easier said than done, that much he was aware of. But with time, Leo was sure it would eventually come to him.

But only with time…

Tiger Claw smiled, patting his son on the back of his shell fondly as they drew away. "Good. I'm happy to hear that," he said. Then his smile vanished as a deep frown quickly replaced it. "However, this does not mean I haven't forgotten the fact that you lied to me and then went after the Kraang behind my back," he said crossly.

Leo's smile instantly fell at that, and his eyes widened with dread. "Eh?" he squeaked.

A wicked grin was Leo's only warning before he was grabbed by the shoulders and pulled forwards again, but not for a hug. Instead, Tiger Claw's jaws clamped onto the top of the turtle's head hard, and the poor terrapin could do nothing but squirm and cry out in panic as he tried to pry off the tigers' teeth from off his head. Alas, the mutant cat was going nowhere, and neither was Leo. "Ah, ow! Get off, get off, get off, PLEASE!" Leo cried pitifully between breathless laughter and high-pitched yelps. "I'm sorry we went out without your permission Sensei but it wasn't even my fault it was Karai's idea not mine just let me GO!"

Feeling pity for the child (though it still amused him to no end) Tiger Claw finally released his hold on the boy as he folded his arms over his chest and laughed smugly, watching as Leo groaned and rubbed his aching head. "So, I take it you have learned your lesson about keeping secrets from me, young cub?" he probed with a cocky smirk.

Once he was finished soothing his throbbing temples once more (which did not help to cure his earlier headache in the least), Leo looked up at the tiger again. His expression was murderous, but his eyes were playful. "Oh, I've learned my lesson alright," he snickered as he assumed a stance, his fingers bent like crooked claws as he grinned up at his Sensei. "Now it's time I taught you a lesson, you over-sized kitten! Take this!" With a loud battle cry, he pounced on Tiger Claw, taking the old cat by surprise as they both tumbled to the floor, with Leo clamping his teeth upon Tiger Claw's ear left, tugging on it with a series of playful snarls and grunts. Unaffected by the blunt teeth impaling his ear, Tiger Claw grinned like the devil.

Oh, it was on.

It was early the next morning that Karai knocked on the door to the bedroom the two mutants shared. It was a part of her daily routine that she rose early for her usual one on one training sessions with her father. But today, he was away on important business matters elsewhere that did not concern her nor interest her. So today, it was up to Tiger Claw to train both her and Leonardo in the dojo. However, when she knocked a second time, she received no answer from the other side of the door. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she shifted her weight to the side and folded her arms over her chest. Could it be that Tiger Claw had already been sent off on another solo mission so early in the morning? But that would mean that Leo was in there possibly sleeping alone, which Karai knew was something that even at his age, he just couldn't do. Due to the constant fear of abandonment and isolation, he would start to panic if he ever found himself waking up alone; it was something he'd lived with ever since he was a child, something he couldn't control…

Karai bit her lip in rare nervousness. If Tiger Claw really wasn't in there, she felt the need to check on Leo in case he was huddled against the corner of the wall. Opening the door slowly, Karai peered inside the room…and was forced to slap a hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh that threatened to erupt at what she was greeted with.

Tiger Claw was in there alright, and so was Leonardo. But they were both fast asleep, with the over-sized cat's body protectively curled around Leo like that of a mother cat with her young. Leo had his head pillowed on his father's side as he lightly snored, lulled by Tiger Claw's low purring. Blankets and pillows were strewn about the floor, indicating that there must have been a scuffle before the two of them had tired themselves out and fell asleep on one another. It made Karai wish she had been there to see it all play out. And she so desperately wished that she had a camera with her now.

Karai let loose a giggle as she slid inside the room, silently closing the door behind her as she stared down fondly at the two of them with her hands on her hips. She shook her head with the simplest of smiles. They were sleeping so soundly, as if they had not a single care in the world. It was very rare to catch the two of them like this, despite how close they were as father and son. Well, they used to do this when Leo was younger, but as he got older, Leo eventually grew out of it, or so he had claimed. What she saw before her contradicted Leo's 'proud' statement of growing up…and although she was ashamed to admit it, it made Karai rather jealous inside to watch them like this.

It was times like this that she wished that she and her father was as close as these two…

She shook her head, banishing those thoughts for the time being as she pursed her rouged lips together. It was only five-thirty in the morning. And Shredder wasn't around to tell any of them what to do for the time being. And they had been awake until after midnight the night before. Perhaps a little cat-nap with her second family wouldn't hurt, right?

Shrugging to herself, Karai casually sauntered over to the pair of dozing mutants. Carefully laying herself down so that she was cuddled against Leo's left side, she closed her eyes as she pillowed her head on his shoulder, her left hand coming around to hold his larger one as her right arm went around his shoulders. She couldn't restrain the soft sigh of contentment that escaped her lips. This was the first time Karai had done this since she and Leo were only eight and nine years old, back when she used to stay overnight whilst her father was away on business. And it felt…well, to put it bluntly, it felt good. She felt safe with her mutant brother and his father as she slowly began to drift off again.

But just as the gentle hands of sleep lulled her back to sleep, a tired voice whispered into her ear.

"…helmet-head."

Her eyes glued shut, she smirked.

"…three-toes," she whispered back.

It was still rather early in the morning when Raphael awoke. His brothers were still fast asleep, exhausted from the events of the long night prior. On top of that, the injuries they'd all gotten from that disgusting squid mutant (Mikey had named it Justin for lack of a better name) had ensured that they'd probably be stuck in bed for at least the rest of the day. The thought of that only made the already hot-tempered turtle feel ten times worse as he stomped into the kitchen.

After Leonardo and his crazy ninja girlfriend had left them to die with that 'Justin' monster, Michelangelo had been completely out of focus for the duration of the fight. Raph could tell off the bat that it was due to Leo abandoning them that had left Mikey so distraught…which was why when Justin attacked, Mikey was the first to fall after a blow to the stomach that sent him flying into the wall. After Mikey was down, the creature had turned on Donatello before Raph could stop him, grabbing him with one of his slimy tentacles and sending waves of electricity searing through his body as he screamed helplessly in its grip.

Raph could only watch in horror as his burned body went limp, and he was barely breathing once Justin had released him. Frantic, Raph had feared that he had lost his brother and leader, and it was only the steady beating of his heart that had reassured him that Donnie was still alive, very weak, but alive nonetheless.

Seconds later, Raph was seeing red. His blood had boiled within his veins and his shaking fists threatened to snap the handles of his Sai's in half as he released a roar of unrestrained rage. All of the anger he had forced himself to restrain that day, from Mikey's depression, from the Kraang putting April in danger yet again, from Leonardo…and then from watching his younger brother nearly die right before his eyes…

That had been the last straw. After that, Raph had gone berserk.

It hadn't taken long before Justin was done for, along with the entire WWG building after Justin's body had collapsed on top of the control panel. It had been a melee to haul both of his unconscious brothers onto his shoulders and escape the smouldering building before they all burned to the ground, but they had made it out with their shells still intact. Exhausted, Raph had practically collapsed onto the roof of a building farther off from the inferno, allowing himself and his gradually waking brothers to relish in a brief moment of rest before they regained enough energy to return home. Both Mikey and Donnie had thanked Raph for his efforts, but Mikey remained as sullen as before, continuously staring in the direction of the building.

Rah found it odd that even though all of his anger had temporarily been spent for the day, he still managed to find more reasons to get angrier.

Once they had made it back to the lair, where both April and Splinter were anxiously awaiting their arrival, the human girl had immediately begun to worriedly fuss over them upon seeing the state of their injuries, especially Donnie who looked as if he had been through hell and back. Splinter was outwardly calm, but Raph could see the apprehension in his eyes as he set them all on the couch to tend to their injuries. Raph remained indifferent about his own well-being, instead telling them that their main focus should be on Donnie and Mikey; he was sure that Mikey had messed up his left arm during the fight.

After they had been bandaged up, Splinter had given them all the odd smelling herb tea that was supposed to help them heal, and had asked them to tell him exactly what happened during their mission. Mikey had been reluctant to say anything on the matter, remaining silent the whole time as he stared down at his tea cup. It was eventually left to Donnie and Raph to re-tell the events at the Kraang base from start to finish; not a single detail was left out…including the appearance and disappearance of Leonardo and the kunoichi named Karai. Once the story had finished, Splinter had declared that they would discuss the matter further the following morning, and that the three of them should get some much needed rest. Mikey was the first one to leave the living room, vanishing from sight and into the privacy of his room within mere seconds even as his family watched him go. April had decided to stay the night in order to keep a watchful eye on the injured brothers…and also to console poor Mikey, who was hurting in more ways than any of them could hope to count.

His brow furrowing angrily as he released a growl from his throat, Raph pulled out a stool and sat down at the kitchen table. Crossing his arms on the table top, he let his chin fall down on them as he glared downwards. This was all Leonardo's fault. Mikey's constant sadness, Donnie's injuries and Splinter's grief…it was all his fault. Raph had known that he couldn't be trusted from the very beginning, but Mikey had been adamant that there was good inside of him somewhere. In the end, just like he had been right about Chris Bradford, Leo had proven to be nothing but another Foot Clan member; a liar, a killer…and a deceitful wretch.

However, despite being proven right, Raph felt no victory out of it. In fact, it only made the red clad turtle feel bitter.

In truth, he hadn't wanted to be right. He hoped that maybe there really was a semblance of goodness inside of Leonardo like Mikey had said over and over again…that there really was hope…

Raph ground his teeth together as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Damn Leo," he cursed under his breath.

"Language, Raphael."

"GYAH!" Raph cried out, nearly falling off his stool in fright as turned around, finding the towering form of his father standing behind him at the entrance of the kitchen. Splinter regarded his oldest son calmly, watching with hidden amusement as he let out a sigh of exasperation and relief. "Seriously? Again?! You're gonna need a bell or something, Sensei," Raph muttered, though he really shouldn't have been surprised. He should've known by now that his master was usually awake at this time. And to be honest, even if he did have a bell, Raph doubted he'd be able to hear him anyways, being a ninja and all.

Splinter shook his head at that as he moved from behind Raph, taking a seat beside him as he folded his hands on the table before him. "Why awake so early, Raphael?" he asked, retaining his composed tone as he addressed his son. "Is there something bothering you, my son?"

Raph straightened up in his seat in the presence of his master, his emerald eyes darting off to the side. "…it's nothing, Sensei," he said lamely. When he looked back up at his father, he noted how his furry brow was raised, meaning that he was not impressed with his vague answer in the least. Letting out a harsh breath, Raph propped his chin on one hand as he glared back down at the table as if the very face of the Shredder were engraved on its surface. He was not in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment, let alone his Sensei. But if he were to ignore the question, a part of him feared the consequences. So it was with another sigh that Raph decided to relent.

"…it's about last night, Master Splinter," he began glumly. "I mean, it's not just the fact that Leonardo left us; he's in the Foot Clan for crying out loud. But it's the fact that because of him, Mikey and Donnie could've died, and Mikey's still suffering! I knew I should've taken him down when I had the chance, but I…I…I couldn't. And I don't know why…" he trailed off, the anger that once burned behind his eyes turning into resigned sorrow as he stared at his hands.

Splinter remained silent for a moment, simply stroking his beard as he watched his son. Unlike Michelangelo, who had been positive that he could bring their oldest brother back to them from the very start, Raphael had succumbed to anger as per usual. The new chip in his shell and the scar across his shoulder may have been what sparked the anger in the very beginning, and then learning of his involvement with the Foot Clan made it burn brighter. However, after his actions the previous night, Raphael seemed…almost as saddened as splinter himself was. He had claimed that he didn't know why he couldn't take Leo down whilst he had the chance to do so, but Splinter knew better. He knew precisely why.

Splinter reached out, gently taking his sons' hands in his own as the red clad turtle finally looked up at him. "It is because he is your brother, Raphael," he said. "Despite knowing in your mind that he has allied himself with the Foot Clan, and despite knowing that he is, unfortunately, a danger to our family, you cannot bring yourself to strike him down. And for whatever reason, it seems that he is unable to do the same."

Looking down again with a small grunt, Raph scowled. Of course he couldn't kill Leo. No matter what he did to them, no matter which side he took, they were still brothers. True, he was not the same child they knew before the day they lost him all those years ago, but they were still connected. They still had their memories of each other from when they were young. They still…he still cared about Leo, no matter how much he denied it. Not that he would ever deny it.

Splinter gave Raphael's hands a reassuring squeeze. "Raphael, I know that you are still unsure. I know that it is hard for you to openly say how you are feelings; I was the same at your age, as you know. However, there are some things that you must know, my son…"

Raph allowed his gaze to meet his father's. "…what's that, Sensei?" he asked, his emerald eyes filled with indecision.

Splinter smiled down at his son softly, releasing one of Raph's hands to lay it upon his shoulder. "When the time is right, the flames of rage inside of your brother will eventually dissipate, and he will come and seek the truth for himself. Whether he chooses to stay or to go is for him alone to decide in the end. As for you, Raphael, when that time comes, you must remember this: when you are in doubt, you are not to listen to the voice inside of your mind, telling you what you are not to do…" He reached out to place his palm over Raph's chest. "…but you are to follow the voice within your heart, telling you what you must do. Only by opening your heart will you have a greater chance of doing the same for Leonardo."

Blinking once, Raph looked down at his father's pale hand over his chest. Open his heart? How could he possibly open his heart to an enemy? But…Leonardo wasn't really his enemy, was he? He was just confused, lost and angry, and he couldn't seem to control it. Raph mused that, in a way, the two of them were a lot alike in that regard; they both had difficulty controlling their emotions, namely their anger and hatred towards their enemies. But if what Splinter said was true, and Raph found a way to let go of the grudge he held and opened his heart to Leo, then…

…then maybe there really was still a glimmer of hope left?

Raph's expression hardened with resolve as he looked back up at his father. He nodded once, covering the hand that Splinter held over his heart with his own. "I'll try, Sensei," he said. "But it ain't gonna be easy."

Splinter chuckled, bringing his son to his chest and wrapping his arms around him. "My son, I am fully aware that nothing in life is ever easy," he said as he hugged Raph close, "especially lives that are as unusual as ours."

Raph's arms came around Splinter's waist as he returned the hug with equal force, his head resting against his chest as he scoffed at his master's statement. "Tell me about it," he droned with a weary roll of his eyes. "If life were easy, I wouldn't have to hit Mikey so many times just to get him to shut up."

Another chuckle rose from Splinter's chest as he and Raph finally pulled away. "Indeed, that would also be true," he smiled. He lifted a hand to pat Raph on the shoulder fondly. "Now, let us go and see that your brothers are alright, and then we shall prepare breakfast. I believe April said that she would do the honors of cooking for us this morning," he said as he began to walk out of the kitchen, with Raphael at his heels.

Raph returned Splinter's smile as he followed him to his brothers' rooms, feeling that little bit lighter now that he had been able to talk to him. However, a part of him still wished that things could be easier. If things were easier, then Raph would have to problem opening his heart…he would be strong enough to protect his family from those who dared to do them or any member of his family harm…

…if things were easier, then Leonardo would already be with them.

A/N: I know it's not as long as my other chapters! Sorry! I hope you enjoyed it though, Happy New Year guys! Hope y'all have a great 2015!