A/N: Hey everybody! Wow, you guys are the greatest; your comments and patience with me is astounding, and so I thank all of you very much for sticking with me this far! Still can't believe this is 38 chapters long already! And even though this was a real pain in the neck to write, and it may have been a little rushed in some areas, I'm pretty proud of it...especially the ending XD

I OWN NOTHING! JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW! XD

I hope you enjoy! Comments are very much appreciated!

Oh, one more thing: this is my early New Years gift for you guys! Happy New Year! :)

Chapter 38

"We are all mistaken sometimes…but it does not mean we are evil, or that we cannot be trusted ever afterward."

― Alison Croggon

Over the past few months that she'd been visiting the turtles' lair, April had been pleasantly surprised that not only had the abandoned subway station become well-furnished over the years, turning into a real home that the family could be proud of, but also, thanks to Donatello, it was warm enough so that the turtles didn't freeze during the winter, and so April could wear her favorite set of pajamas – a yellow tank top with flowery patterned pants – and not have to worry about freezing either.

Still, it didn't help that now, with her arms bare, all of her bruises were on display. And boy, did they look worse than she'd first thought.

With a soft hiss of pain, April tugged out the rubber band from her hair and shook her head, letting her short tangled auburn locks fall gracelessly around her shoulders, before she flopped backwards onto the futon, the only spare one that Master Splinter had managed to provide for her. She looked up at the ceiling, staring at the network of pipes above her, and listened to the faint sounds of the sewers beyond the four walls that surrounded her.

Getting April settled into the lair, whilst it hadn't taken as long as they'd thought, had still been a bit of a melee. In the span of a few hours, the boys had been sent out to grab some supplies from her aunt's apartment and stuff them in a bag without being seen – which now sat within reach on the floor – and April had been forced to wrack her brain to come up with some kind of believable excuse for her sudden leave when she'd called her aunt up. Donatello had suggested summer school, but he'd forgotten that it was nowhere near summer yet (but at least the poor goof had tried). In the end, Michelangelo had offered 'Kung-Fu Camp', and as ridiculous as it sounded, her aunt had actually bought it. And, in some respects, it wasn't technically a lie; she was training with the turtles during her stay. The only thing wrong was the name.

So, after telling the older woman that she'd be gone for a few weeks (with April holding back tears of frustration and guilt from the love and care she heard in the voice on the other side of the phone) the family set out on finding April her own temporary space.

Ironically enough, when the four mutants had first moved into the abandoned subway station over twelve years ago, Splinter had discovered there were four separate rooms, likely used for storage. Three of them had been turned into bedrooms for the turtles, whilst the fourth had become a basement of sorts, and had been filled with items that the boys or Splinter no longer had any further use for, such as old children's books, broken crayons…and much to April's hilarity, a pack of unused baby diapers. Her spirits had skyrocketed at the sight of Raphael's face when he'd noticed them as they were clearing a space for her to sleep.

However, as she tore her gaze from the pipes overhead and cast her blue eyes about the half-empty room, she frowned sadly as she remembered the sudden look of sadness and longing on Splinter's face when he'd shown her the room. It had been brief, merely a flicker, before he'd masked it with warmth and kindness as he addressed her again. But nevertheless, she'd seen it.

If things had been different, this room would've been Leo's…

The thought of the blue clad turtle brought up another very unsettling thought, and she sat up on the futon with a grunt of pain as the action pulled at the bruises she'd sustained from her earlier scrap with Karai.

Thanks to the turtles and Splinter, not only had she been given a safe shelter from the Foot Clan and the Kraang, but she'd also been provided with enough supplies to last her at least two weeks, and had been able to give a somewhat reasonable excuse for her absence. She should've had very little to worry about. However, there were still a few things that did concern her greatly.

What was she going to do about Leonardo?

She'd promised him that she'd go out to meet him again in Central Park on Friday. But now, plans have been drastically changed, and with her being confined to the sewers until further notice – not that she resented it – she feared what would happen if Leonardo went to the park to wait for her, and she never showed up. April knew how much he loved talking to her, how just being with her had lifted his spirits so much after everything he'd been through.

Would he be heartbroken to find that she'd broken her promise?

And worse still…when was she going to tell Splinter and the boys about their secret meetings together?

With a groan, April covered her face with her hands, letting her elbows rest on her knees as she shook her head and shut her eyes tightly. The boys and Splinter deserved to know about Leonardo. They had every right to know. He was their brother, Splinter's son, whom they'd believed had died twelve years ago and was now in the Foot Clan, after their blood. But April had sworn to Leo that she'd tell no one…

But despite that, April knew she wouldn't be able to keep that promise any longer. She'd held their secret back for as long as she could, but there was no way she could keep Leonardo away from his family any more than they already were.

Lifting her head from her palms, April's eyes were narrowed as they snapped open, her brows furrowed determinedly as she climbed to her feet. Leonardo was her friend, and a part of her still felt very guilty for what she was about to do, for she'd made a promise to him. However, she remembered another promise, one that she'd made to his brothers long before she'd met him…

"We will get Leonardo back, no matter what. And this time, I promise you that you won't be alone."

If there was any way she was going to fulfill that promise, this was her chance.

After taking a deep breath, and sending up a silent prayer to whatever god was listening to her in that moment to give her the strength she needed, April squared her shoulders, stepped off her futon and walked resolutely towards the door.

However, fear grasped her once more as she gripped the door handle, and she stopped short. Closing her eyes, she dipped her head and took in yet another deep breath. She could do this. She had to. It was the right thing to do, for the sake of Leonardo and his family. But still…

With a grunt, April shook her head, banishing the doubt.

I'm sorry, Leo. But your brothers have been kept in the dark long enough.

Before any more second thoughts could manifest and seize her once more, she tugged the door open and stepped out of the room.

And not a moment too soon it seemed, for just as she left the bedroom and entered the main room, Donatello was already halfway up the stairs leading out of the lair, his Bo staff strapped to his shell, and a rather dark look clouding his features as he glared straight ahead of him. Raphael and Michelangelo must not have noticed, for their eyes were glued to the T.V instead, not that she could blame them; the show they were watching was pretty captivating.

However, despite how engaging the show was, and how angry Donnie looked as he stalked up the steps, getting closer to the turnstiles, she couldn't chicken out now, not when she had something important to tell him…to tell all of them.

Still, a part of her was tempted to let Donnie go do what he needed to do, whatever it was. Because if he was mad now, she could only imagine how mad he would be later on upon discovering that she'd been holding back a crucial development concerning their older brother. But she promptly shook away her fears, her brows furrowing once more as she walked briskly towards the fuming purple clad turtle, reaching out to grasp his left forearm.

"Donnie."

The young ninja turtle froze mid-step, his head snapping around to face her over his shoulder. And for a fraction of a moment as she drew her hand back, April bore witness to the look of pure restrained anger burning within his reddish brown orbs. It was enough to freeze the blood flowing through her veins, and for the first time ever, April found herself afraid of her best friend.

Was…was he angry with her? Was it because she'd gotten hurt so easily? Or was it…?

However, the look was gone again in the next instant as he blinked hard, almost as if he were snapping himself out of a trance. And upon realizing that he was looking at April, his expression instantly morphed into surprise, embarrassment, and guilt all at once. "Oh, jeez, um…h-hi, April," he stammered, bringing up a hand to scratch the back of his head. "Sorry, I thought, um, well, I mean –"

The sudden spark of fear washing away as he continued to babble incoherently, April visibly relaxed, and smiled fondly up at the lanky turtle with a shake of her head.

There's the Donnie I know and love.

"It's okay, Donnie," she appeased, raising her hand to rest it atop his shoulder, further silencing his rambled attempts to apologize. "There's…there's something I need to tell you."

Tilting his head to the side, Donnie blinked once at, clearly confused, and even more so as she turned around to cast her gaze upon the two turtles sat in the pit, still oblivious to what went on around them. "In fact, there's something I need to tell all of you," she said a little louder, finally gaining the attention of Mikey and Raph as they turned their heads to face the red head standing at the foot of the stairs.

Now that she had their undivided attention, she released Donnie's shoulder and bit on her lip, her hands wringing together as she prepared herself for what she was about to say. This was it. There was no turning back now. No more secrets, no more second guessing

Inhaling deeply, she said:

"It's about Leonardo."

At that, their eyes widened slightly as they stared at her in surprise. Without even looking at the T.V, Mikey picked up the remote and switched it off, plunging the lair into a stunned silence. Though it helped that there were no more distractions, it didn't help to appease the nerves that were pulsing through April in that moment as she stood before them, and yet again, the thought to dismiss it and pretend she'd said nothing quickly crossed her mind.

"What about Leo?" Donnie then asked her, breaking the silence.

April turned to face him, and saw that his brow was raised, his hands on his hips…and though his expression was neutral, he had that look in his eye that April both loved and hated all at once. It often meant that the purple glad genius knew something that no one else did. Sometimes it could be kind of funny, especially when it was aimed at one of his brothers. However, in this instance, it was anything but funny. In fact, for April, it was very disconcerting.

April swallowed thickly, averting her gaze from Donnie's as she looked down at her bare feet instead. "…um…well…the thing is…" she stammered, raising a hand to idly twist a lock of her loosened auburn hair as her voice trailed off. Oh great, now she was getting the jitters big time. And if she thought she'd looked like some kind of guilty felon before, she could only imagine what the boys thought of her now.

"April."

A soft yet authoritative voice from the right caught all of their attention, and they turned to find Splinter emerging from the dojo, hands clasped behind his back as he approached the redhead. His brown eyes curious but his expression gentle and reassuring as he regarded her, he reached out and laid a hand on April's shoulder. "Do not be afraid," he said. "Whatever it is that you would like to tell us, we are all listening. We will not judge you, April."

Behind her, the boys shared a brief glance, before collectively nodding their heads and sending the human girl supportive smiles. "Yeah April, Splinter's right," Mikey said brightly as he scooted over and patted the space between him and Raph on the bench, inviting April to come and sit with them. After Splinter released her shoulder, she shuffled over and sat down between the two turtles, and had barely gotten settled before Mikey threw his arms around her shoulders, pulling her close for a warm hug despite her surprised squeak. "We won't be mad or anything, we promise!" he said, smiling as his cheek came to rest atop her shoulder. And despite her nerves, the smile was far too contagious for her to not return.

And as she craned her neck to look back at Raph, the red clad turtle was offering her his signature lopsided smirk as he nodded once to her, wholly in agreement with his youngest brother.

Once Donnie and Master Splinter came to join them in the pit, with the rat master sitting beside his youngest son, and the purple clad leader choosing to remain standing, April patted Mikey on the shoulder as he released her from his enthusiastic embrace, and then squared her shoulders once more. "Okay," she breathed.

She could do this. She knew in her heart that this was the right thing to do.

"A few weeks ago, I met Leonardo…"

"Jeez, did he have to bite so hard?" Leonardo winced aloud to himself, rubbing the new sore spot on his head – decorated with teeth marks – with a scowl creasing his features. Well, at least Karai hadn't gotten off easy this time…though she had hair to hide her teeth marks. Lucky.

After he and Karai had finally explained everything to Tiger Claw – from their first sighting of the relentless Kraang ship, to the deal they'd made with the Hamato turtles to destroy it, and then finally to the horrible change of plans gone awry that had resulted in the tiger mutant getting lit up like a Christmas tree – the old cat had taken it better than they'd thought he would've. In fact, he understood their reasoning to form a temporary alliance with the other turtles, even though he didn't quite agree with their methods (which Leo was very inclined to agree with, especially concerning the bike ordeal).

However, despite all that, the results were precisely what he and his sister had predicted. And boy did it hurt. And worse still, Tiger Claw had bitten him around the same area as his old scar, the one he still couldn't recall he'd ever gotten, making it just as sore. It was times like these that Leo wished he had sharper teeth. Then he could return the favor.

Soon after their excruciating punishment, Leo had decided to get out of the lair and venture into the city for a little while, to relieve himself of the stress that had mounted on him earlier that day, and to finally find some peace of mind after another, as Karai had put it, 'family drama' episode, which was something the young turtle was quickly getting tired of. In spite of himself, Tiger Claw had allowed him to go, no doubt sensing that some time out would do his son some good.

It was nearing the middle of the night by the time he'd gotten out, meaning there were less humans wandering about the streets and less chance of him being seen, but Leonardo chose to run along the rooftops anyway, just to be safe, as he headed towards a place he knew would bring him some semblance of serenity, as well as reconnect him with something he had dearly missed since he'd left Japan.

Though Central Park was a place that held a few bitter memories that Leo very much wanted to forget, there had also been moments that had filled him with so much joy and happiness, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Also, the atmosphere, the trees and beautiful assortments of flowers in the shrubs, the silence that was neither daunting or hollow…it reminded him of his old home in the secluded forests of Japan. It reminded him of how much he'd loved to meditate beneath his favorite tree, how much he'd loved having mud fights with Karai, how much they'd loved to pretend to be explorers, how much they used to play hide and seek with Tiger Claw and almost never win…

Walking down the vacant path, Leo inhaled deeply through his nose, and then let out a contented sigh, a smile gracing his lips. This place, though nowhere near as vast or as grand as the forest he'd once called his home, was still very peaceful, and still filled him with a sense of freedom, serenity…

Moving deeper through the dense path of trees and bushes, Leo found a small clearing, and his smile broadened as he looked around him. It was obscured enough so that no humans would see him should they be passing by, for it was surrounded by a thick, beautiful wall of neatly trimmed rose bushes. And standing in the center of the clearing, there was a single tree, its trunk thick and strong, and its leaves, fluttering in the light breeze that swept over them, were a glorious emerald sheen.

Whistling quietly in admiration, Leo walked over and sat himself down under the tree, folding his legs beneath him and placing his hands on his lap. His back straight and his shoulders relaxed, Leo closed his eyes. Soon, he fell into a deep meditative state, a state he and Tiger Claw had achieved together during one of their few meditation sessions. It was a state he could reach only when he was truly at ease, when his mind was clear, and his worries and fears were washed over him, like a river flowing over an immovable stone. A state in which he knew, for certain, he was safe from the nightmares that haunted him for so long.

He sat there for a long time in the blissful silence. It was just him, and the beautiful nature that surrounded him…

"So, how long have you been following me?" he said, slowly opening his eyes and staring straight ahead of him.

A short huff of half-hearted laughter his question, and he felt the trunk of the tree shift as his new unexpected companion leaned his shell against it on the opposite side.

"How long did you know I was following you?"

Despite himself, the corner of Leo's mouth hitched up. "To be honest, only a minute ago. I debated on whether or not I should've attacked you when I felt your presence nearby, but since you made no move to strike…I dismissed it."

"I noticed. And yet, I find myself wondering why. Care to explain?"

Leo's smile fell at that, and his brows furrowed, recognizing that irritatingly smug tone of his. This time, Leo did turn around just a little, looking over his shoulder to find the back of Donatello's head facing him. However, the blue clad turtle didn't need to see his face to know that the younger turtle was grinning smugly at Leo's silence, and it made Leo grit his teeth as he scowled deeply. They both knew exactly why Leo hadn't attacked Donnie outright when he'd sensed him coming…and it the fact that Leo didn't want to admit it out loud was what the tech guru found amusing.

Instead of answering the question, Leo merely huffed, turning back around to glare at the bushes. "Instead of questioning my acts of mercy," he bit out, "maybe you can tell me why you are out here following me around, Donatello."

There was a short silence that hung overhead for a short time. Leonardo began to wonder if the other turtle was going to answer him at all, until he finally spoke, albeit hesitantly.

"…you remember what you said that night, a little while back? About April?"

Brows furrowing in confusion, Leo raised a brow, but didn't turn around again. "Yeah, I do. What of it?" he asked, already dreading on where this was going.

"…you said that you personally meant no harm to her, that she was an innocent person that got caught up in our affairs," Donnie said. Then, there was a sudden hint of malice in his voice as he growled, "And yet, because you kept seeing her, she did end up getting hurt. Maybe not by you, but by someone you see as a close friend."

Leo's eyes narrowed darkly, his hands clenching into tight fists on his lap as the urge to turn around and punch the other turtle crossed his mind. However, after a moment, he sighed, shaking his head. No, there was no reason for him to get angry at the well-deserved accusation. Despite everything Donnie and the others had done that day at the docks, betraying him again over something as petty as a feud that raged between their two clans…Leo couldn't find it in himself to get angry at him anymore. In truth, he was tired of being angry at him, at all of them…

"If you've come all this way just to blame me for what happened to April today, then fine," he began rather sullenly as he hung his head low and closed his eyes. "I can understand. It was partly my fault anyways; I should've tried harder to stop Karai. Hell, I almost destroyed my relationship with her trying to stop her. And…I realize now that I probably should've listened to you before, when you told me to stay away from April. I should've known that I was putting her in more danger by seeing her."

He sighed again. "Even though she managed to get away, she still ended up getting hurt. For that, Donatello…I'm truly sorry," he continued. And then his heart clenched at his next words. "If it's any consolation, I won't see her anymore. I'll stay as far away from her as I can, if that's what it'll take to keep her safe from the Foot. I'm sure she'll understand…"

There was another silence as Leo trailed off, this one longer, thicker, tenser than the last as the two turtles sat there beneath the tree. A part of Leo was certain that Donnie had suddenly left, until…

"…actually, I didn't come here to blame you."

Blinking hard, Leo's head snapped up in surprise, and he turned around to look at his distant younger brother. "What? You…you didn't?" he asked, still not quite believing he'd heard that correctly.

However, as Donnie turned around, he flashed him a small, awkward, but very genuine gap-tooth smile before he stood up. Leo's eyes followed his movements as he walked around the tree and stopped in front of him, still wearing that same smile as he looked down at him. "I didn't come here to blame you," he repeated, his eyes shifting to the side as he brought up a hand to rub the back of his neck. "I mean, well, I wanted to at first. I was actually on my way out to go and find you and beat the crap outta you."

Leo's expression flattened, and he raised a brow at the taller turtle. "Seriously?" he deadpanned.

Donnie shrugged awkwardly. "Hey, could you blame me? I was ticked as hell when I heard what happened. Well, I was, until April stopped me from leaving." Then Donnie's eyes met his older brothers', the awkward smile turning into something somber. "She, well…she told me everything."

His scowl vanishing, Leo blinked hard again, eyes widening as he visibly stiffened. "She…she did?" he stammered, a cold sense of fear suddenly gripping him as his clenched fists twitched with anxiety on his lap. April had told Donnie everything? Even after she'd promised that she'd keep everything between them a secret from anyone?

How could she?

No, no, that couldn't be right. Perhaps she didn't tell him everything, at least not the personal stuff. He knew – prayed – that April wouldn't have completely gushed out all his secrets to Donatello like that…would she?

"…w-what did she tell you, exactly?" Leo probed, wincing at the sound of his voice; he sounded almost like a frightened child caught in the act of stealing a cookie.

But to his surprise, Donnie chuckled good-naturedly. "Nothing I didn't already know," he shrugged again. "Just that she met you after you saved her from some Purple Dragons, and that you guys talked and got to know each other. She didn't give me any details or anything too personal, and I didn't push her, so don't worry. Whatever secrets you shared with her are still safe with her."

Try as he might, Leo simply couldn't restrain the soft breath of relief that escaped him as his shoulders sagged. She hadn't told him everything. Thank goodness. He could still trust April…even if he couldn't exactly see her anymore.

Finally unfolding his legs, Leo stood up, brushing stray blades of grass off his legs before looking back up at Donnie. "So…what else did she tell you?" he asked again, though this time he was patient, and a part of him almost eager to hear what Donnie had gathered from the redhead.

Donnie smiled softly at him. "…she told me how nice it was to talk to you," he said, rubbing his left arm absently. "She told me that you were a little hesitant at first, but you still managed to warm up to her and talk, joke around, share some tips about training. Heck, she even told me how much you laughed at her jokes, which is kinda saying something. She thinks…she thinks you're a lot of fun to be with."

Folding his arms as he listened closely, Leo couldn't help but allow a faint smile of his own to claim his lips as warmth burst from the pit of his chest. She really thought that about him? She thought he was fun? Wow…even when she wasn't around, she still managed to find a way to make him blush…though he prayed he wasn't, not now in front of Donatello of all people.

"Leo," Donnie continued, looking his brother in the eye and recapturing his attention. "The reason why I came out here, why I sought you out, wasn't because I wanted to blame you for what happened to April…well, though you are kinda to blame –"

"Can't argue with that."

Donnie chuckled lightly at that, once again finding himself matching his older brother's faint smile. "…I didn't come here to blame you," he repeated. "I came here to thank you."

For what felt like the umpteenth time today, Leo's eyes went wide as saucers as he gawked at Donnie, before his brows furrowed in confusion as he tried his best to comprehend what he'd just heard. Donnie…was thanking him? But…but why? What on earth did he have to thank him for, especially considering everything that had happened between the two of them and the others?

"Huh?" Leo muttered, the only coherent word he'd managed to get out, which earned him another chuckle from the lanky turtle.

"Despite how much crap I gave you the night I found out about you two seeing each other, what April told me made me realize something," Donnie continued, taking a single, unhesitating step towards his older brother. "You made April happy. You gave her someone else to talk to, to relate to, when not even I or my brothers could. You helped her to cope with the loss of her father…you just made her happy. And that's all me and the guys ever wanted for her; to be happy, even when so many things in her life are going wrong. And even now, you still want to help her, keep her safe, even if it means not seeing her again. So, thank you."

Dumbfounded, Leo found himself unable to avert his eyes from his brother this time as he stared, speechless as his mind went blank. Had he…he'd made that much of an impact on April's life? Of course, she'd done the exact same for him just by being with him, listening to him, but to think…he'd made April that happy…and Donnie was actually thanking him for it.

Not for the first time, Leo found that his feelings were very mixed. He was confused, he was baffled, he was honored…but above all, he was happy. Happy that he'd given April his gift of trust and friendship despite how little time they'd spent together. Happy that he'd had the privilege of meeting such a wonderful person. And…

With a breathless chuckle, Leo shook his head, still not quite believing any of this was really happening, before he looked back up at his younger brother. This time, his smile was wide and genuine as he shrugged one shoulder. "You, uh…you're…" he stuttered, idly tugging at his scarf as he bit down on his bottom lip. "You're welcome…Donnie."

Nodding, Donnie snickered. "I take it you're pretty confused," he alleged, placing his hands on his hips to prevent him from fidgeting. "I can understand. I mean, just the other day you were trying to kill us – again – after we went behind your back, and now here we are. It's, ah…it's a bit of a drastic change, isn't it?"

Unable to disagree, Leo huffed a short breath of laughter. "You could say that," he said. It really was a radical change, from once again finding his distant brothers to be as deceiving as the rat that abandoned him in the forest as a child, to suddenly…forgiving them again. That is, if he really did forgive them for what they'd done at the docks. He was finding it increasingly hard not to, after everything Donnie had said to him…and in truth, Leo did want to forgive them. He just needed –

Donnie suddenly moved, catching Leo completely off-guard, before long yet muscular arms encircled him and pulled him forwards into Donnie's chest, holding him fast as Donnie's head came to rest atop Leo's shoulder. Out of all the things Leo hadn't been expecting to happen, this was undeniably one of them, and he blinked rapidly in surprise as he stood there, unmoving as stone, trapped in Donnie's warm yet fierce embrace.

"Leo…about what happened at the docks," Donnie said, his voice barely above a whisper. "…I never got the chance to tell you that I'm sorry. We never should've gone behind your back and betrayed your trust like that. We never meant to make you go through that again."

He then tightened his embrace, and Leo was unsure if he had any intention of ever letting him go again. Not that he really wanted him to…

"I'm so sorry, Leo," Donnie said, his quiet voice wavering dangerously. "I truly am."

In that moment, as the start of tears began to sting behind his widened eyes despite his efforts to stubbornly hold them back, Leo knew had never wanted to return his brother's embrace more than he did right then and there. At his side, his left hand twitched, slowly, hesitantly, drifting upwards to lay it against his carapace…

…and yet, he slowly let it drop back to his side again, inwardly cursing himself as he did so. A part of him wanted to…and yet, he still couldn't. He just couldn't bring himself to hold his brother. He wasn't ready, not yet.

However, as he closed his eyes, he knew, in his heart, he was more than ready to say this…

"I forgive you, Donnie."

And he meant it. Every word of it.

He heard Donnie's breath hitch once. And Leo didn't have to see his face to know that his little brother was restraining his own tears as his shoulders began to tremble.

The two of them stood there for a time, neither of them ready or willing to pull away. And for the first time, Leonardo didn't care if he was being watched from the shadows, be it Karai or one of the Foot soldiers Shredder had sent out to tail him, to give him another reason to be paranoid and fear the wrath of Shredder's power. Instead, he simply let his brother hold him, for as long as he needed to.

However, despite his efforts, a single tear managed to slip through his closed eye, trickling down his cheek, his lower lip trembling. For twelve long years, no matter how much he'd convinced himself that he hated them, that they had never loved or wanted him…

Leonardo had missed this…

Back at the underground lair, all the lights had been turned off for the night, including the T.V, leaving the home in darkness. April, Mikey and Raph were still sat in the pit together once, with the human girl wedged between the two turtles on the bench. She and Mikey had passed out long ago, after staying awake for so long waiting for Donnie to return, and Raphael, the only one still awake aside from Splinter, had decided to join them rather than retreating to his own bed. So he'd gathered some blankets from their rooms and draped them over himself and sleeping pair.

However, as he sat there in the darkness, with the only sounds breaking the silence being the soft breaths of his baby brother and his human sister as they slept peacefully, Raph found himself unable to fall asleep as he stared up at the arrangement of pipes overhead. His thoughts were far too focused on what had transpired earlier, when April had finally confessed…

She'd told them that she'd met Leonardo, their older brother involved with the Foot Clan, at least twice in the past few weeks. She'd told them how nice he'd been to her despite his distrust at first, how fun it'd been to talk to him, how open he was with her. She'd also said that she was sorry she hadn't told them sooner, because she'd promised Leo she wouldn't tell anyone of their meetings together.

Of course, none of them had been angry or upset with her, much to her relief. In fact, Mikey had been bouncing off the walls with happiness in knowing that Leonardo had managed to find a friend in April, so much so that he'd even snagged 'Little Leo' from the dojo again when they'd sat back down. Splinter had been very pleased as well, for this meant that his eldest son had not been turned into a complete heartless soldier of war, even in the hands of the Foot Clan. Hell, even Donnie had been smiling for two whole minutes at the revelation, before he'd excused himself from the group, saying that he had something important to do before he left the lair.

Raph had been happy too, as well as pleasantly surprised to know that his cold, slightly insane older brother was actually a complete dork – seriously, anyone who laughed at April's jokes was automatically a dork in Raph's book as far as he was concerned. However, a part of Raph was rather curious as to how April had managed to befriend Leo so quickly, taking into consideration just how cynical his older brother could be. Perhaps it was because they had a lot in common with each other? Or did April just have that kind of effect on people sometimes?

Also, another question continued to linger. Was April's friendship a step towards getting their older brother back at last? If Leo knew that she was a very close friend of theirs, could that draw him closer to them as a result, give him the courage to approach them, trust them, and finally seek out the truth?

A part of Raphael hoped that was the case, and yet, he doubted such a miraculous possibility…especially after what they'd done at the docks…

Clanking metal broke the silence and derailed Raph's train of thought as he sat up, careful not to jostle April's head pillowed on his shoulder too much, and turned towards the entrance of the lair. It was Donnie, who looked very tired as he trudged down the steps and approached the trio in the pit. The taller turtle offered him a weary but genuine smile. "Hey," he whispered in greeting. "You been up all this time?"

Returning the smile, Raph nodded once. "Pretty much. Though these two knuckle-heads couldn't last more than five minutes before getting knocked out," he chuckled, jabbing a thumb at the two sleeping beauties next to him. In Mikey's arms, 'Little Leo' was held close to his chest. The orange clad turtle wore a peaceful smile on his face that Raph couldn't help but be fond of as he reached out, gently patting his baby brother on the head.

Donnie echoed Raph's chuckle as he shook his head at the scene before him. "I didn't think they would. It's been a pretty long day for all of us," he said. "By the way, while I was out, I ran into Leo."

Instantly, Raph's smile fell away as he snapped his head back to Donnie, eyes wide with surprise. "Seriously?" he breathed. Rubbing the back of his neck drowsily, Donnie nodded. After carefully shifting April's head onto Mikey's shoulder, and affectionately brushing away a stray lock of hair from her face, Raph slipped off the blanket and stood up, facing Donnie as he approached him. "So what happened?" he asked. "What did he say? What did you say?"

Donnie's red eyed gaze slid to the side for a moment, his hand dropping back to his side. "Well…when he saw me, he didn't attack, which was kinda surprising. Instead, he just let me talk," Donnie said, turning back to face Raph's surprised expression. "I told him about what April said. And…he seemed pretty happy that he'd made her happy. And then I…"

When Donnie trailed off, Raph raised a curious brow, not trying to hide the hint of concern as he looked at his exhausted brother. "And?" he probed, already fearing the worst had transpired between the two of them. "What did you do, Don?"

Donnie swallowed thickly, and it was only then that Raphael noticed that there were tears staring in his brothers eyes. However, there was a smile on his face, though his lips were trembling as he fought for control over his composure. "…I told him how sorry I was about what happened at the docks," he said, his voice beginning to crack. "And, Raph…he said…he forgives us. He actually forgives us."

Raph blinked, his mouth falling open slightly as he absorbed what his brother had just told him. And then, a large smile grew across his face, and he made no attempt to stop it as he let out a breathless laugh. "Are you serious?" he asked, reaching out and gasping Donnie's shoulders. "He…he said…d-does that mean…?"

"We still have a chance, Raph," Donnie said, the tears slipping freely down his face as he mirrored his older brother's grin, reaching up to lay his hands over the ones tightly bracing his shoulders. "We still have a chance to get our brother back after all."

Unable to hold himself back any longer, Raph tugged Donnie forwards, still grinning as he threw his arms around his younger brother in a tight, unbreakable embrace, which Donnie was quick to return with equal force. As they stood there in the darkness of their sewer home, their hearts leaping with newfound hope and joy, Raph was sure he had never felt his spirits soar any higher, and a part of him still couldn't quite believe if this was real or just a dream. But if it was a dream, he never wanted to wake up again.

Leonardo forgave them. Despite what they'd done to betray his trust and hurt him, though it had never been their intent to do so, Leonardo still forgave them. And that, in Raph's book, meant that his genius brother was right, that they really did have another chance to make their family whole again. All they had to do was hope and pray, pray with everything they had, that they didn't screw anything up this time.

In that moment, as the two brothers held each other close, everything in their world suddenly seemed right. In that moment, they were almost certain that nothing, not even Shredder or the end of the world itself, could shatter the new hope blooming within their hearts.

An hour had passed since Tiger Claw had allowed his son to leave Shredder's lair and venture out into the city for some well-deserved time to himself – well, after his punishment, which had been very amusing for the old cat at least – and already, so much had transpired in his absence.

Not long after Leonardo had taken his leave, Shredder had called Karai into his throne room for her mission report, with Tiger Claw going inside with her, both to oversee the situation and to offer the girl silent support should she be harshly punished for her failure to capture April O'Neil. And it was during this time that Tiger Claw really began to question how Oroku Saki chose to raise his daughter. It was true that she was his student as well as his child, and that sometimes punishments could be a little harsh; sometimes Tiger Claw could be just as rough with his son, but only because he knew the turtle could take it.

But to inflict actual wounds that left defacing scars on her back…

However, when Karai had finished reiterating the events leading up to her defeat by the hands of the girl she'd hunted down, Shredder, whilst he had been near furious with his daughter for bringing shame upon him and the clan she fought for by being defeated by a mere beginner…he had decided against punishing her in the way he normally would have, which had been a great shock to both Karai and the tiger.

A part of him had believed that Shredder had finally decided to show some mercy on his child, to show some compassion for her in his own strange, distant way, despite the fact that she had disappointed him. And after sharing a look with the girl kneeling before her father seated upon his throne, he'd been sure that Karai had thought the same.

However, it was not a second afterwards that Shredder spoke again, telling her what her true punishment would be. And to say that it hadn't been expected, or had been taken well at all by the rebellious teenager, would be a dire understatement.

The Foot Clan had recently brought in some new recruits; more soldiers that had willingly offered their services to the Shredder, to aid him in his quest to claim victory and vengeance upon Hamato Yoshi and his turtles, and had shown that they were worthy enough to bare the crest of the Foot. One of them, however, was in need of further training before he could be sent out on a proper mission with the rest of the new members…and so, it was with a hint of rare yet scathing humor that Shredder assigned Karai to be his personal trainer until further notice, as penance for her failure.

Of course, Karai had been ready to protest, but upon knowing the consequences if she denied her father, and knowing that she was being let off easy for the first time, she'd reluctantly agreed to his terms, and was then sent on her way, being informed that the soldier in training was to arrive at the lair within an hour.

Now, Tiger Claw and the ill-tempered kunoichi were in the dojo, waiting for the new pupil to arrive. With her back against the wall, Karai had her arms folded over her chest, her amber eyes glaring down at the floor as she toyed with her kunai knife, repeatedly tossing it in the air before catching it with ease. Beside her, sat on the bench as he polished his sabre, Tiger Claw could only quietly sigh and shake his head. He had to admit, being temporarily demoted from third in command to personal 'newbie' trainer was a rather unpleasant position for the girl to be in. But at least she wouldn't be going to bed with new bruises or scars marring her flesh, or giving Leonardo yet another reason to want to kill the Shredder.

And speaking of which, Leonardo chose that very moment to appear in the dojo, catching the attention of his father and his sister as they turned to the doorway. The young turtle offered them a smile in greeting, which Tiger Claw returned with a nod of his head. However, the smile his son wore soon faded into a confused frown when he caught sight of Karai, the way she glared hotly at her feet and refused to look up at her brother. "Karai? Are you okay?" Leo asked, crossing over and approaching her just as she stuffed the knife she'd been tossing back into her belt before crossing her arms again, letting out a frustrated huff.

Tiger Claw watched as his cubs' expression morphed from confusion, to concern, and finally to anger. He'd made a note of how much lighter the boy had seemed when he'd first entered, how there had been an air of content and happiness enveloping him. Whatever had happened out there in the city had evidently put him in a very good mood. However, that good mood had all but vanished now as he reached out and laid a hand on Karai's shoulder.

"What did Shredder do to you?" he asked with a low growl, already scanning her face for any bruises she hadn't earned from getting thrown down the stairs of a subway.

Finally lifting her head up to look Leonardo in the eye, Karai's scowl deepened. "Oh, nothing," she said with a shrug, her tone as nonchalant as ever though her expression said otherwise. "He didn't hurt me this time, but I'd rather be walking around with one less freaking eyeball than doing what he asked me to do."

Leo's scowl disappeared, and Tiger Claw was unsure of whether or not to laugh at the utter bafflement that to its place as his son stared at the girl. "Uh…either you're kidding, or what Shredder did was worse than getting beaten up," he mused, raising a brow.

"To her, it certainly seems that way," Tiger Claw said, sheathing his sabre back into place as he stood up from his seat on the bench, his hands on his hips as he regarded Karai with a look of both pity and fond exasperation. The pair of teens looking up at him as he spoke, "Shredder has assigned Karai to personally train one of the new recruits coming in. I cannot say that I blame her for her foul attitude." He then shrugged, fighting the urge to smirk at the new deadpan look that had graced Leo's face as he turned back Karai.

"Really? That's what's ticked you off?" he asked, and then grinned smugly when Karai let out another huff of aggravation and turned her head away from the turtle. Leo sighed at that, his grin turning into a lopsided smile. "Look, it does sound kinda crappy, but don't you think you're being a little dramatic over it?" he mused, tilting his head to try and meet her eyes again. After a moment, she finally gave in and slid her eye back to him, and though her scowl remained, Leo dismissed it as he offered her a reassuring smirk. "Come on, Karai, you've been through a whole lot worse than this," he said, patting the girl's shoulder once. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

Smiling at the two of them, and proudly admiring Leonardo's patience and reasoning in the face of Karai's stubbornness and pride, Tiger Claw nodded his head in agreement. His son was indeed right. The girl had handled far worse situations than this in her lifetime. Surely she could handle training one Foot soldier for a little while, right?

"WHOA! Look at this place, it's amazing!"

All three of them jumped in surprise, eyes popping wide open at the sound of new, very loud and very excited voice, and they whirled around to find its owner just entering the dojo. And at the sight of him, their jaws dropped comically.

"You. Have got. To be kidding," Karai breathed as she stared at the newcomer standing in the doorway in utter disbelief.

Not for the first time, Tiger Claw was very much inclined to agree with her on that.

A/N: ...uh oh. All I can say is uh oh.

Well, on that note, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! More are on the way, so stay tuned!

Next Chapter: Whilst Karai is busy not trying to tear her hair out, Leonardo and his brothers are in for one heck of a ride when Shredder plans to steal the mutagen from the Kraang. And their only means of finding out his true intentions with it are through the Foot Clan's newest 'member'...