A/N: My thanks to all you that have come back after this very sad beginning. Again I suggest you grab your box of tissue. As I mentioned these first three chapters are tear jerkers, then things pick up in chapter 4. Again thanks for your patients.


Leo blinked at him in surprise. "Raph…"

"You're goin' to run off! Splinter's been dead only a day and you're tucking tail!"

Leo rose and stepped calmly around the couch. "No, Raph. I'm not running off anywhere. I'm just taking Father home, that's all. I'll come right back. I promise."

Raph glared, clenching his fists at his side. How could he? How could he just take off on them! Raph growled. "Fine, do whatever you want. You're in charge now, right? So, just go on, leave us."

Leo sighed, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Raph, please. I don't want to go any more than you want me to. But it's for Splinter. It's what he deserves."

Raph continued to glare then turned and stomped back to his room, past Mikey. The younger turtle had new tears rolling down his cheeks. "Leo? You're leaving us?"

Leo went to his brother and hugged him. "Not right now, Mike. But yes, in a few days to take Splinter home to Japan. But I'm coming right back, I swear."

Donnie watched Mikey cry into his brother's shoulder from his doorway. Beside him Sarah rubbed soothingly at his arm. She could feel the incredible pain that ate at his heart at the thought of his brother's absence at this crucial time. Also Leo's leaving would only put a heavier burden on him.

Mikey finally stepped away and retreated into his room. That's when Leo lifted his eyes to meet Donnie's. "Could I talk to you, Don?"

Donnie looked down at Sarah and she gave a small reassuring nod. She would do whatever she had to do to keep their home and family working as it should. And she would do whatever she could to lessen his burden. She rose up to place a warm kiss on his cheek. "I'm here."

He nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. He followed Leo across the living room. They both glanced at Splinter's door, where April's soft sobs could be heard. Leo slid aside the screen to his room. His and Splinter's were the only ones with shoji screens still, the rest had finally replaced their screens with real walls. He sat on the side of his bed while Donnie sat in the chair beside it. "Leo, you can't just leave."

Leo leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I have to, Donnie. It's only right that I take him home. It is my responsibility."

"But we need you right now. Couldn't it wait a while, until…we've adjusted?"

Leo gave another heavy sigh. "I'm not going to leave right away, but maybe in a week or so. We need to cremate Master's body first. I've already asked April if we could use her farm."

Donnie frowned. "And when do you want to do this?"

Leo dragged a hand down his tired face. "Maybe tonight or tomorrow."

"We'd better do it sooner rather than later, his body is more vulnerable to decomposition down here." Donnie was trying to keep his thought logical as to not feel the pain of their father's loss.

"Alright, tonight then." Leo raised his eyes to his brother's. "Will you help me Donnie? Mikey's so broken up I don't know that he'll be much help. And Raph….well, Raph is…."

Donnie sighed now. "I know. I'll do what I can."

Leo gave him a small sad smile. "Thanks, bro."

"I'll get everyone moving. Will you ask April if we can borrow her van? We'll need it to move Splinter." Donnie rose to leave and Leo nodded.

Sarah was waiting for him as he stepped from Leo's room. She handed him a cup of coffee and squeezed his hand warmly, touching his cheek before turning toward Splinter's room. He could sense her trying to steady her nerves, as she paused in the doorway. He took a sip of his coffee trying to steady his own nerves. This was going to be a very long and hard day. He walked slowly to Mikey's door and taking a deep breath he knocked.

Kala answered. Her eyes were swollen but she offered him a weak smile. A moment later his brother stepped up behind her. "We're going to take Splinter to April's farm. You guys should get ready to go." Donnie explained. Both gave a silent nod. He knew how they felt and that was why he had no words of comfort. Instead he turned away down the short hall for Raph's room.

He knocked again and waited while there was an exchange of gruff words on the other side of the door. "What!" Raph jerked the door open. He paused when he saw it wasn't Leo. He sighed and his shoulders sagged. "Sorry, Don."

Donnie offered a small half smile. "It's okay, Raph. We're all a little stressed. Leo and I talked it over and we decided it'd be best to take Splinter to April's farm to take care of his remains. We'll leave once she brings her van over. You guys should probably get ready to go."

Raph frowned. "We'll be ready."

Cat stepped up beside him and gently patted her husband's arm. "Thanks, Don."

In the kitchen, Sarah had helped April from Splinter's room and provided her a cup of tea. Their longtime friend looked terribly old in that moment. Her face was drawn and dark circles rimmed her eyes. The streaks of gray in her hair stood out against the red and her makeup was smeared. She stared into her cup, while Sarah moved around the room preparing breakfast. She didn't bother with the normally large spread, instead only put out some muffins and sausage. And then she slipped from the room. April didn't even notice her leave she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts and memories. She remembered the first time they had meet, how patient Splinter had been with her. She recalled the time she'd gotten ill and he had cared for her until she'd gotten better. She could sympathize with her friends. Her own father had died many years earlier. And although the pain had lessened with time, it had never truly left her completely. The loss of a parent leaves a hole that no one else can fill. And Splinter had become a surrogate parent in the past years, a trusted and wise confidant. He would be sorely missed.

Sarah stopped beside Donnie as she crossed the living room. He had settled on the couch with his cup of coffee. "I need to prepare Splinter for the ride to April's."

"I'll get Mira ready to go."

She rubbed his shoulder gently as she passed and disappeared into their room, only to emerge a few seconds later with her sewing kit. Donnie could feel her incredible sadness as she stepped again into their father's room. He frowned. She was trying so hard to be strong for everyone especially him. He thought back to the previous day. He couldn't remember any single event clearly; it was a haze of tears and pain. The only thing he could clearly recall was falling asleep with his wife's arms wrapped around his neck and his head resting on her chest, listening to her steady heartbeat. She had been the only real thing to him then, the only thing solid. She had taken his grief and loss without complaint drawing it in like a sponge and reciprocating with love and patient. He had never been so grateful for her presence than in those moments.

Now as he looked on the darkened doorway, he could feel her grief being pressed down. Something inside him told him she was crying. Another father lost. He hesitated as he stood. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her. He shook his head. She wouldn't allow him to do that just yet. If he went to her now the grief would disappear altogether and the concern for him would return to her eyes. It would likely be some time before she would finally breakdown and sob into his chest. Once everything was taken care of, then and only then would she allow him to comfort her.

So with a heavy sigh, he turned and headed down the hall to Mira's room.

Mikey lay on the bed with his eyes closed, while Kala dressed. Normally he enjoyed watching the ritual, but at the moment he had no desire to do anything, and especially not the things that gave him pleasure. Once she was done she climbed back in beside him. She ran a gentle hand across his cheek and he sighed. Her touch seemed to be the only thing that stopped his trembling. "I still can't believe he's gone. It's just so unreal."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, tucking his head beneath her chin. "It won't be real for a long time."

He sighed again. "I keep forgetting, you lost your folks not so long ago." He wrapped his own arms around her waist.

She rested her cheek against his head with a sigh of her own. "Sometimes when I hear Sarah in the kitchen in the morning I'm reminded of my mother." A sad smile graced her tiny lips. "She loved to cook. Every morning I'd wake up to her humming a soft tune and the smell of breakfast." Her arms tightened around her husband. "That's what gets me through...the memories. It's all I have left."

Mikey closed his eyes thinking of the love Splinter had shown them. He had taken them in and cared for them as his own. He had wiped away their tears, healed their wounds, and kept them safe. There were many humans on the surface that couldn't even do that.

He buried his nose a little deeper into Kala's chest, recalling the many nights his father had held him so. There had been a time that he had been haunted by nightmares as a child. Those nights he'd wander into Splinter's room and without a word, his father would scoop him up and cradle him until he fell asleep. And each morning he would find himself back in his own bed. It had been a silent ritual that neither father nor son had spoken of, but it had remained a cherished memory all his life. And now it was all he had left, those simple quiet moments of being family.

Not so far away, Raph was thinking of his family as well but not in the same context. He paced his bedroom a glower in place. Cat sighed as she slipped her top on. "He's not going away forever. It couldn't take more than a week or two to go and come back."

He turned his glare on her. "That's not the point. Why does he have to go right now, when we need him the most? Maybe I should go instead."

Cat took his hands in hers. "Leo wants to do it. He feels like it's his responsibility. And he's not leaving right away. Besides," she smiled up at him, "I'd miss you if you were gone that long."

He returned a weak smile of his own. "I'd miss you too, darlin'. But what if he gets over there and doesn't want to come back? What if somethin' happens to him? What if..."

She cupped his face, the same sadness as his reflecting in her green eyes. "We just have to trust him. Trust him to be safe and trust him to come back. He won't abandon us, you'll see."

He nodded, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. He pulled her into an embrace and buried his nose in her hair. Somehow she always seemed to know the right thing to say.

Leo had taken April's seat in the kitchen, while she had returned to the surface to get her van. He now stared into this own cup of tea as if the secretes to universe were held there. And if not the universe, perhaps at least the secretes to his own life. He had been groomed his entire life for this moment – to step up and take responsibility for their family. The familiar burden, though, seemed heavier than ever now. He could hear the others congregating in the living room and his guts twisted. They're all looking to me now. And I don't have a clue what to say. Father always knew the right thing to say in these situations.

He heard the elevator door open. Sighing, he pushed back his chair, leaving the untouched cup of tea on the table. He looked around the living room, as April stepped out of the elevator. Kala was holding Mikey's hand and whispering in his ear. The youngest brother still wouldn't make eye contact with them. Raph and Cat sat beside them. He looked up at Leo but said nothing. Donnie held Mira in his lap, his eyes transfixed on Splinter's door. Leo followed his gaze and saw the small shape of Sarah move just inside. At moment later she stepped to the door. She took a shuddering breath and met Leo's eyes. The sadness in them nearly overwhelmed him.

As she passed him, she touched his arm. Leo was surprised to feel her hands shake. "He's ready." She said softy, before going to sit beside Donnie. Her husband wrapped her tightly in an arm, pulling her against him and placing a kiss in her hair.

Leo took a deep breath. "It's time to go."

The girls hung back as the four brothers entered their father's room once more. The smell of incense and oil met their noses. Sarah had rubbed it gently over his fur and then sown the two sheets together, effectively making a bag to conceal his body and keep it safe for transport. She had also slid away the futon, so that he lay now on the straw mat.

Without words the four each took a corner and lifted him. Leo and Raph led the way to the elevator. Donnie pressed the button as they stepped inside. Once they reached the back door of the garage, they all paused and wait for the girls to catch up. Here, Cat and April stepped outside first to be sure no one was around and then they all followed. April opened the back doors to her old van and the guys slipped inside. They lay Splinter on the floor and April handed Raph her keys. He stared at them blankly.

Cat spoke beside her. "We talked it over and we think you four should stay with Splinter. We'll follow in the turtle-van."

"Do you remember the way?" April asked and Raph gave a slight nod.

Sarah stepped past them to hand Leo something wrapped in a towel. "You didn't eat anything yesterday or this morning. Please eat. You're going to need your strength."

Leo gave her a small smile. "Thanks." His voice sounded hoarse even to his own ears, so he turned and climbed back into the van without another word.

Donnie touched Sarah's cheek and she covered his hand with hers. They did not need words. The depth of their heartache was evident through the bond, a circle of grief, love, loss, concern, and sadness. He patted Mira's head where she clung to Sarah's leg but remained silent. Slowly he stepped away to sit beside Splinter on the van's floor.

Cat walked with Raph to driver's door. She pulled him down into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. He shivered and she held on a little tighter. "I love you." She whispered in his ear.

He licked his lips. "I love you too." She stepped back and he climbed into the driver's seat. They exchanged one last look before she turned to climb into the other van.

Kala squeezed Mikey's hand. "I'll be right behind you." He swallowed hard and gave a nearly imperceptible nod. She stepped back and they closed the doors.

Splinter would never again set foot in their home.


A/N:...sniffle...Yes, another very sad chapter. But I hope you enjoyed it.