Ch 30 Resurrection

Back at the lair, the three turtles watched anxiously at their Sensei and brother; waiting and hoping for some sign that everything would be okay. Splinter stood still, his hands not moving from Leo's chest and head.

Suddenly, Splinter wavered and staggered back with a loud groan. Raph, who was standing next to him ran and caught him before he could fall onto the floor.

"Sensei?" Raph said as he gently lowered him onto a chair by Donnie's desk. "What happened?"

His son's looked at him intently as he place a hand on his forehead. "Everything will be alright." He told them. He looked over at Leonardo and waited. "Your brother should be waking up soon."

"GUYS!" Mikey pointed to Leo. He was moaning and moving his head back and forth. All three turtles gasped when they realized the wound on Leo's plastron had miraculously healed. Leo's eyes fluttered open and he looked up to see his family looking down at him with anxious eyes.

"Hi everyone." He said nervously.

Mikey was the first to speak. "Leo!" He cried as he grabbed his brother into his arms. "You're alive! We've missed you so much bro!"

Each gave Leo a warm hug as he attempted to sit up. They helped him off the table and gave him a chair to sit in.

"What do you remember Leo?" Donnie asked hiim.

Leo took a deep sigh and looked at each of his family members. "Bits and pieces." He said as he scrunched his face in an attempt to recall what had happened since he saw his family last. "I remember Tiger Claw trying to hurt April." He looked over at Donnie. "Is she okay?"

He breathed out a sigh of relief when he nodded. "I also remember Shredder..." His voice trailed as memories of his time with the foot leader came back to him. He swallowed hard. "I also remember agreeing to let Shredder take my life and...and then a need...to hurt you." He looked from one family member to the other. He lowered his eyes in shame as the memories came back to him. "I am so sorry for all the things I said and did to you." He told them.

"It wasn't you bro." Raph told him. "It was nothing you did."

"I know, but I..."

Mikey put a finger to Leo's lips and shook is head. "There was nothing you could have done bro." He reminded him.

"Yeah Leo, and besides, we're all just happy to have you back." Donnie told him.

"Thanks guys." He said. He smiled at them and then looked at the floor and narrowed his eyes.

"What is it Leo?" Raph asked in concern.

"I remember something else." Leo told them with a far away look in his eyes. "I remember a feeling...like something else deep inside." He placed a hand on his chest as a warm feeling came over him. A voice sounded far away in his head.

I have always been there to protect you, as I have protected your father, brothers and your sister.

"Leo, what is it?" Donnie asked, peering at him closely.

"I don't know." He looked up at them. "I just have this memory of someone...or something, such love and peace surrounded them, and they cared about me...about us." He once again tried to pull the memory forth but all he could think of was a voice that sounded so far away.

You will not remember this, but you will remember my love.

Leo shook his head as the memory and the voice faded away. He sighed heavily and rubbed his face tiredly. "I don't know." He told them. "So much has happened." He went to get up. "So much hate and evil has been done to us...all of us." He said as he went to leave.

Splinter looked at his son sadly. "My son." He place a paw on Leo's shoulder. "I wish to help you get past all the evil that was done to you." He told him. "Would you allow me to help you meditate."

"Of course father." They hugged each other. "And thank you...all of you...for not giving up on me and helping me to come home." He said as he looked at each of them.

They held each other again and insisted he go lie down in his bed for some much needed rest. He was more then happy to oblige. As he laid there, he thought back to all the horror that happened, but there was still that one part of his memories that couldn't seem to come through. For some reason, the memory of Tang Shen kept coming back to him. But he finally shrugged it off and fell into a deep sleep.

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Two days later, Splinter sat under his tree in meditation. Life was finally good. Splinter and Leonardo had called Karai and told her the whole story of what had happened. Splinter had requested she now come home and be with them which made everyone jump with joy. Leo had started meditating and was determined to come to grips with what happened. He knew he would push past it and Splinter knew he would be okay.

While he sat there, reflecting on all that had happened, his ears twitched back as he heard the sound of steps quickly and quietly coming into the dojo. He smiled as he realized it was his eldest son. He could tell Leo was in front of him and kneeling before him. He gave him a moment to get settled before he addressed him.

"What is it my son?"

"Sensei." Leo began. "Can you tell me about Tang Shen?"

Splinter opened his eyes in surprise. "I have spoken of her many times, what is it you wish to know?"

"I know you've talked about her, but you never really told us anything about her." Splinter looked at him curiously. "Like what her hobbies were; was it love at first sight for you when you first saw her; what about ninjustu, did she know martial arts?"

Splinter held up a paw and smiled at him. "Why do you want to know these things about her?"

"I'm not sure." He told him. A memory of a young woman in the forest came to him but he was uncertain as to why. "I just feel like she's here somehow." He looked around and stared at the small picture of Splinter's family on the mantle. He stood up and walked over to it. "Sometimes...I just feel like her spirit is here...like it's a part of this place." He shrugged. "Somehow. You know Sensei?" He looked up at his father.

Splinter smiled. "I do know." He agreed as he thought of the voice that came to him that one time so long ago.

He smiled and began to think of the many memories of his beloved. His eyes took on a far away look as he thought back to the first time he had met the love of his life. "Many years ago, when I was a young man, there arrived in my village a beautiful young girl, her hair was long and dark and her skin was milky white. She had a soft smile and her eyes were dark like pearls..."

As he spoke, behind Leonardo, his brothers, April and Casey walked into the dojo and sat down to listen.