As promised, here is part two of this chapter, enjoy oh BTW I hope you read the bold/italic/underlined part at the top of the first part, it's important regarding Hope's charicter. Now, in this part you'll see another side of her:P

Rays of Hope chapter 2 part two: A leader struggles.

He smiled at her feeling better but he did not want to apologize to master Splinter just yet. Hope seemed to sense that and grinned at him.

"I don't think it would hurt sensei to wait for his 'sorry sensei'"

She stood up and turned to him, Leo looked up at her expecting her to offer him a hand. Instead, Hope flicked right between his eyes causing him to lose balance and tumble into the sewer water. Leo sat up, shock written on his face and Hope stood there cracking up.

"You think that was funny don't you." He glared at her.

"Yeppers, you should've seen your face when you fell Leo." She laughed so hard her gut hurt.

Suddenly Leo grabbed her leg pulling her into the water with him. It took her a moment or two to realise what had happened. Hope growled and pounced on him. The others didn't know Leo was ticklish… she, however, did. But Leo wasn't the only one who was ticklish and soon their laughter filled the sewer tunnels drawing their brothers to them. The three other turtles stood their wondering what had gotten in the two. Finally, Leo and Hope calmed down and sat in the shallow water catching their breath. They looked up and saw their brothers, dripping wet from the water splashing up in their tickle fight. Hope snickered and stood up offering Leo her hand, for real this time.

"Right… now can we go play follow the leader?" Raph looked annoyed.

"Only if Leo is leader!"

Raph glared at her and she happily returned it.

"Alright, fine! Leo can be leader, see if I care!"

Raph turned and stomped away. They looked after him and shook their heads.

"What were you two doing there anyway?"

"Do you really want to know that Donny?"

The purple masked turtle thought about it.

"No…."

"Then don't ask."

Mikey and Donny glanced at each other and went to follow their hot headed red masked brother. Suddenly Hope pounced on Mikey's back making him sway back and forth before he got his balance back. He looked over his shoulder at his black masked sister.

"Come on Mikey, carry me!"

Mikey grinned at her and took off running with Leo following them. Soon the five rejoined and the rest of the afternoon was spent with games like follow the leader and ninja tag. All seemed normal but Hope and Leo couldn't help but smile every time they looked at each other. Hope knew that Leo wasn't all he claimed to be and Leo knew that he didn't have to play the brave leader in front of her. He knew that if he ever felt insecure or was in doubt he'd only have to go and talk to her, she'd understand. This knowledge caused a huge weight to be lifted off of Leo's shoulders and for once since he found out why he was trained so much harder then the others he felt like he wasn't alone in this. He may get annoyed by his playful younger sister but now he was glad she was here.

That evening Leo and Hope walked to master Splinter's room.

"I don't know Hope maybe it's better not to…."

"Come on Leo, you have to do this, you know you do."

He sighed and entered the room.

"Sensei? Sensei, I'm sorry about what happened today. I didn't mean it, I don't hate you."

"I know my son, I understand. I also know that your sister had a word with you as she has with me…."

"Hope talked to you?"

"Yes, does this surprise you Leonardo? Both Michelangelo and Hope have the tendency to show up when they shouldn't be…."

Crash!

"Like right now for an instance."

Hope looked up at them, her face red as a tomato.

"Oops, sorry about the door sensei" she jumped up and tried to lift the door back to it's hangings but scoffed when it didn't move "bad door, you just had to crash down with me didn't you, it's all your fault!"

Leo and Splinter laughed at her. Hope turned at them, giving up on the door, and lifted an accusing finger up at them.

"Don't laugh at me, it's not funny! It's your fault."

"Yeah right, like it's my fault you were listening and the door crashed."

"Yeppers!"

Leo sighed knowing that he wouldn't be able to talk some sense in his sister.

"My daughter, we were just talking about you."

"Yeah, I know… I heard."

"I figured you had little one."

She stuck out her tongue at Leo.

"What was that for?!"

"What was what for?"

Leo stared at her angelic expression only to see her stuck her tongue out again.

"Hope!"

"What?! I'm not doing anything, you must be dreaming Leo."

This was one of those moments she annoyed him to no end.

"Children, please… pay attention."

"Yes sensei."

The went to sit in front of him.

"Leonardo… this afternoon I realised that I, as Hope pointed out so gracefully, expect too much too soon. I was so driven by my desire to make you a strong leader that I lost sight of the consequences. You are still just a child and I tend to forget that. I thought I was helping you but the pressure I put on you only drove you away from me. Now I see that I should do what your sister told me to do, let you be a child. I beg you forgiveness for pain I caused you, my son."

"Sensei you don't…."

"Hope, today you showed me a wisdom beyond years. This… and your willingness to protect and guide Leonardo led me to the following decision. Hamato Hope, you are to be Leonardo's second in command. This means that, whenever Leonardo or I are unable to be there or give orders. You'll also be a guardian to Leonardo so I wont overdo his training. Leonardo if you feel like you can take no more talk to Hope, she'll talk to me."

Hope sat there with a shocked look on her face.

"Sensei… Leonardo's second… isn't that s'pposed to be Raph's position, or at least Donny's? They are more se… se…, aw snap, se-ri-ous then I am. And older too."

"No, I feel that this must be your position in this family. The Leader and The Guardian, together you shall watch over the others… understood? Now go to bed little ones."

"Yes Sensei…."

Leo and Hope stood up and went to their room where they met up with their brothers. After their evening routine they laid down on their mats and talked until a figure stood in the entrance of the room. The five children looked up at their sensei. Splinter smiled at the expectant faces and walked over to a bookcase in the corner of the room. He sat himself in the centre of his children with the chosen book and began reading, soon they all fell asleep. The rat noticed the chance in their breathing and stopped reading. He stood up to put the book away and went to re-tuck his children in, laying his hand on their heads as he did so. Splinter made his way back to the doorway and reached for the light switch but he let his gaze rest on each of his children before he turned of the lights. A soft smile laid on the rats muzzle as he walked away from the now dark bedroom, wondering what tomorrows events would bring them.

Well that was about it for this chapter, I'll update as soon as I have time. As for my other stories... sorry I'm searching for a good way to write down the storyline in my head -.- please review!!