Homecoming

Serra concealed her surprise as best she could and gripped the crystal orb in her hand tightly. Surely, the soul could not harm her as long as she held it. She glanced at Charon, shaken, and noticed he shrank back infinitesimally.

Neither of them had realized just how powerful the soul would be and Serra had provoked it to anger. She needed time to consider. She held up the orb.

"Return for now," she commanded. "We shall discuss these developments… later."

The orb pulled and the soul resisted.

"Return, NOW!" Serra cried, putting more strength behind the demand.

For one moment, she was afraid it wouldn't work. But slowly the flame returned to it's smaller tear drop form and was sucked back into the crystal.

It was bright, ever so bright, and he could not open his eyes more than a slit for fear of going blind, but that did not mean he was helpless. He left his eyes safely closed and brought his other far more accurate senses to bear. He listened carefully and his whiskers twitched with the slight vibrations around him.

He was in rapid motion, though it also felt as if he was standing still.

He swiveled his ears to follow the nearby sound of joyous chiming laughter that somehow reminded him of Luna. The vibrations that surrounded him were of total innocence and love.

you are awake.

It was the same voice from the Oracle's palace, but calm and full of peace. It spoke quietly, as if the rage from before had never existed.

"Yes," Splinter said, carefully. "Who are you?"

trine. you?

"My name is Splinter," he replied. "Trine, where are we?"

ley-line.

"I do not understand what has occurred," Splinter said, warily, "We were in the Oracle's Palace. You were angry about Luna's death and I feared you would divulge something you would regret. But Luna lives."

trine knows. splinter said reveal nothing.

Suddenly Splinter realized his mistake and he laughed loud and long in relief. Trine had not really been enraged and he had asked the soul to reveal nothing, he just hadn't meant to include himself in that directive.

"You did well, little one. I did not suspect," he said, chuckling. "But I still do not understand where we are."

ley-line. highway of the gods. trine sends splinter home.

"Sends?" Splinter was stunned.

evil ones think trine destroyed splinter, but pushed splinter into line instead.

"You are not coming?" Splinter asked.

want to. can't. orb holds me.

"Why did you do this, Trine?" Splinter asked.

why call luna daughter?

Splinter paused before answering. He wondered about this little being who was so clever. Of course innocence often sees right to the heart of things but what did it mean by answering his question with it's own?

"I call Luna my daughter because she is mate to two of my sons," he said, "and because my heart has longed for such as she for many, many years."

family and love. luna loves you too.

"I can only hope," Splinter said softly.

luna and splinter need one another. trine has seen.

"You have foresight, little one?" Splinter asked, startled.

There was no answer and the ground that Splinter stood upon suddenly heaved and rolled, tossing him to the ground. The bright orange light that surrounded him was fading quickly and outside of it was a darkness so deep it defied description.

trine can go no further. serra closes the orb!

The soul's 'voice' was broken now as if at a great distance.

call for ... luna will catch…

The voice cut off but there was a great shove and Splinter felt himself flying through the black even faster than he had before. Without Trine to shield him with it's glow, the journey was rough and he was pummeled on all sides by forces he could not see.

He could not stay in this darkness. The absence of everything sucked at his soul like a black hole and began to devour him. He closed his eyes once more and sank into himself in meditation. How was he to call Luna from this place?

As he settled into his mediation, away from the physical chaos of the outside, he felt surrounded by the comforting presence of his family. They were always here with him at the center of his being.

The calming blue of Leonardo, the vast red strength of Raphael, the bright orange innocence of Michelangelo and the deep violet knowledge of Donatello. But added to these familiar companions was a silvery presence, full of love and acceptance, joy and compassion. This new thread was his daughter and he reached out gentle mental fingers to pluck it.

Luna had told her story throughout the day and far into the night. Now, she gazed sleepily at her family, still gathered close around her. April and Casey had left during the day and Hades had gone to check on his kingdom with promises to return, leaving Luna alone at last with her loved ones.

No one wanted to leave the room and break the spell of warmth and family that surrounded them, so everyone had simply made themselves comfortable.

Raphael and Leonardo sat on either end of the sofa with Luna in between them. She lay half across Raphael's lap on a pillow and he stroked her hair gently. Her legs and feet were stretched across Leo's lap, and he rubbed the soles of her feet and stroked her calf soothingly.

Mikey and Don sat on the floor in front of her, using the sofa for a back rest. They leaned sleepily on each other in a way that made Luna smile softly and she rested her hand and arm across their shoulders. Mikey rested his cheek on her arm and Don reached up to clasp her hand gently.

She should have been perfectly content, surrounded as she was, but there was still one family member missing and Luna's heart ached that Splinter was not here. She had, as yet, been unable to fulfill her promise to free him and it ate at her heart day by day.

She was just dozing off, despite her guilt, when something struck a chord within her and she stood abruptly. At her motion all four ninjas sprang to their feet, weapons drawn, and placed their shells to her; enclosing her in a circle of protection.

"Luna? What is it?" Leonardo asked, as his eyes flitted over the room, searching for the danger.

"Someone is coming," she said softly. "Traveling on a nearby ley-line."

"A god?" Raphael asked menacingly.

"Call Hades back," Donatello said. "Only two of us are equipped to handle an immortal."

"Not a god," Luna said, concentrating hard. "This feels strange. It is a mortal, out of control…"

Her eyes were suddenly huge as the internal call repeated.

"Splinter!" She gasped.

The four turned to her as one with startled looks of hope.

"Clear me a space! I must catch him or he will hurtle right by!"

They sprang into action, sheathing weapons, and shoving the furniture away from her in a large circle.

"Stay back," she warned, "This is difficult and he is injured. Leonardo, make ready to aid him."

They fell back at her command, waiting anxiously by the doorway as she raised her arms. Silver power flowed out, encasing her arms and hands forming a globe, large enough to encase a man, overhead. As the globe expanded, tentacles of power crackled through the air. It searched for the ley-line and, for one moment, they could see it. A thick black cord that absorbed all the light around it, stretched away into the distance.

The silver globe snapped on to the line. Strain crossed Luna's face as she braced herself and her power for impact. There was an explosion of light, a cascade of sparks, and the side of the globe buckled in; collapsing around Splinter's body like the magical equivalent of an airbag, shielding him from further damage as she slowed his velocity.

Luna's body shook and her knees began to buckle as more and more power flowed from her to the alternate plane and she fought against the pull of overwhelming speed.

Raphael broke away from the others at the door and dashed in to catch her, holding her upright. He could not stand by and watch her collapse under this weight. He threw his arms around her waist and lent her his strength but the burden was more than he expected. Much more than even his powerful muscles could support.

Raph refused to back down. His eyes narrowed, he dug in his heels, and he drew on his own fiery power. Red threads flowed visibly around him shoring up his strength and gliding over Luna to join with her silver ones. Together they threw power into the void and pulled the globe back.

Hand over hand, they reeled in the silver sphere that encased Splinter, peeling it slowly away from the black cord until it finally separated from the line, snapping toward them at great speed. Two pairs of hands, one large, green, and coated with red; one small, fragile, and covered in silver, 'caught' the glowing sphere like it was a giant ball.

Together, they set it on the floor and let the power lapse.

Luna fell back into Raphael's arms, but shook her head as Leonardo rushed to tend her, sending him instead to his injured father. She looked up into Raphael's rich amber eyes and smiled, raising a hand to his cheek tenderly.

"Thank you, love, I couldn't have done it without you," she whispered.

Then darkness claimed her and she was asleep in his arms.