Yes, I got completely sucked into the story, so I finished this chapter in like two or three hours! That's mainly because this is how I had planned the story would go on a long time ago. All I had to do was type it down. Yay!

You're probably not going to feel happy reading this chapter, but please try and read it to the end, anyway. This is not the end of the story!


"Yes!"

The elevator doors finally opened and April stormed out. She was still on the first floor. She looked at the floor, finding a trail of blood that led to where she had left the Turtles. She followed it, just in time to see the last guard thrown on top of the huge pile of unconscious men. Next to the pile, she found an older man, a sword piecing his body, his face lifeless.

"What have you…" she gasped as all Turtles looked up, heavily panting and sweating.

"This…" said Leonardo, turning the body slightly and slowly pulling the katana out, "happened by accident." He wiped the blood off with Alexio's jacket.

"Jim!" April ran a little further down the hall. Jim was lying on the floor, severely injured from all the punches he had received. Donatello crouched next to him.

"He's going to be just fine," he said.

"'m Sorry," mumbled Jim, his eyes still closed.

"It's alright now," said Leonardo. "You did well. Thank you for everything."

"Hope they got room for one more in that ambulance," said Raphael.

"Where's Naomi?" asked Michelangelo. April's eyes widened as she looked at him.

"You mean she isn't with you?!"

Donatello stood up. "We thought you'd catch up to her!" he said.

"I was stuck in the elevator after she took off!" said April.

"Let's find her," said Donatello, running down the hallway. The others soon followed him.

"Jim, you stay here," said Leonardo. "We'll come back for you."

"S-sure," moaned Jim. "I won't be… going anywhere."


I have to… keep going…

Naomi had no idea where to go. The hallway was spinning around her.

Someone was standing in front of her. She lifted her head and looked up. A friendly face smiled at her. A face she knew very well.

"S-Serge?"

"Sis," he said. "You're tired. Take a rest."

Naomi's eyes were filled with tears. She wanted to hold him, but her arms refused to raise.

"It's ok," said Serge softly. "You just need some rest. I'll stay right here until you wake up."

"Promise?" asked Naomi. A heavy dizziness suddenly overwhelmed her and she fell down. Her entire body hurt so much.

"Promise," she heard her brother's voice echo in her head. "We'll always be together from now on. Including Mom and Dad. I promise. Just sleep."

"Naomi! Where are you?!"

Donatello's voice sounded from somewhere very far away.

"Don…" She really couldn't talk anymore. She wanted to call for him. Her body was entirely numb. Everything around her was getting darker and darker.


"Look at this," whispered Donatello as he looked around. "She's lost so much blood…" His worries grew with every step they took.

"Ew, there's puke all over the place," pointed out Raphael. Donatello looked at it.

"Pure gastric juice," he gasped. "They didn't even feed her…"

"Jim told me yesterday that he did try to give her some food and water," said April. "But she threw up the water as soon as she had finished it. She didn't even try eating."

Donatello started running, tears escaping his eyes. The rest followed him.


"Naomi!" Donatello's voice again. Naomi stared into space. She could see less and less, and was feeling cold. She felt herself getting weaker every second. She wanted to sleep. She wanted the pain to stop. She was so tired.

Suddenly she could see five shades approach her.

"Naomi!"

One crouched beside her, the others stood around her.

"Naomi, it's alright," she heard Donatello whisper. She couldn't see his face anymore, just a shade. "You'll be ok. It's finally over."

Everything went black, the voices faded away. Even the pain faded.

I'm sorry, she thought. Looks like… you came here for nothing. I'm so, so sorry.

A peaceful darkness surrounded her as she relaxed.

Goodbye.


Donatello took her wrist, checking for pulse. His heart skipped a beat.

"No…" he whispered. "No, Naomi… Naomi, don't die…"

April buried her face in her hands and started to sob softly. Michelangelo laid his hand on her upper back. She leaned against his chest and cried silently. Tears were rolling down his own cheeks, as well.

As well did the other Turtles. Even Raphael.

"This can't be," he whispered, rage building up in his chest. "After all we've been through…"

He drew his sai and turned around, ready to storm away.

"I'll tear him to pieces," he growled.

"Raphael…" said Leonardo, one tear streaming down his cheek.

"I'll rip him to pieces! That bastard!"

"Raphael!" Leonardo took his brother's shoulder. "What difference would it make?"

"He killed her!"

"I know, but this won't help. It won't change anything."

Raphael tugged his sai back on his belt… reluctantly.

"She can't be dead," he whispered. He turned to look at Naomi's body in Donatello's arms.

April's sobs filled up the silence.

Leonardo walked towards Donatello and put his hand on his shoulder. Donatello, still crouched with Naomi's body in his arms, looked up into his brother's eyes. Leonardo had never seen him this crushed.

"It's not your fault," he reassured Donatello. Donatello looked back into Naomi's lifeless eyes. Eyes that were once a toxic green, had gone blurry and empty. He gently laid her back on the floor and stood up.

"It is my fault," he said, his voice shaking. "If I hadn't sent her home all on her own…" He turned around, tears streaming down his face. "What the hell was I thinking?!"

"It's not your fault, Donatello! Stop talking like that!"

"Well it's true, isn't it?! What kind of brother am I?! I sent her away all alone in the dark! Of course it's all my fault, Leonardo! My neglect towards her has become fatal—"

Leonardo slapped him strongly on the cheek. Donatello immediately fell silent.

"We all failed as brothers," said Leonardo strictly. "But those who think they can resolve things with regret or by blaming themselves are fools!"

Donatello rubbed where Leonardo had slapped him and stared at his brother.

"You know better than that," said Leonardo more calmly.

Donatello looked his hands. His arms were covered in blood. In just a few seconds, he burst in tears, dropping himself on his knees, embracing himself.

Leonardo couldn't hold back anymore, either, and turned towards the wall, burying his face in one hand. Raphael could see his shoulders twitching with each sob.

Michelangelo was still holding April in his arms, both of them in tears.

Raphael walked towards Naomi's body, crouched beside it and looked into her eyes.

"Brat…" he whispered. "Why did you come back, damn it…" Again, he felt a wave of rage rushing through his entire body. He took her shoulders and started jolting the body.

"Wake up, ya damn twerp!" he screamed, catching everyone's attention. "Don't you die on us, ya hear me?! You ain't gettin' rid of me that easily! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Raphael!" Leonardo grabbed Raphael's arm. "Stop it! She can't hear you! It's over! Cut it out!"

Raphael stopped moving quite abruptly.

"Did… did she…?" he whispered. He looked carefully at her eyes.

"Let go of her, Raphael," said Leonardo. "Come on."

Raphael didn't listen. He sat completely still.

He saw it again. This time for sure. Her eyelids moved just a little. This movement was soon followed by a slow blink.

Leonardo gasped. Raphael looked at him.

"Did ya see that?" he asked. Leonardo nodded.

Donatello looked at them.

"Guys, she blinked!" said Raphael. "She's still alive! It's not too late!"

Donatello stood up in a flash and took a close look at Naomi. And yes, there it was: a slow blink. Her mouth was also moving a bit, as if she was trying to speak. But all that came out was a hoarse, short "Ah".

Just in time, they could hear the sirens of the approaching ambulances.

Donatello carefully picked Naomi up.

"Let's hurry downstairs," he said.

"I'll go get Jim," said Leonardo. "You guys go on ahead."

They spread out. As Donatello carried Naomi, he said: "Naomi, listen to me. You need to stay awake. Don't close your eyes. Understand? Stay awake, no matter what."

Naomi didn't show any sign of whether she had heard him or not.

They entered the great hall before the main entrance.

"You guys go," said April. "The police are also coming. They can't see you. I'll stay with her."

The Turtles didn't even protest; they knew where they stood. Leonardo joined them with Jim and left him with April and Naomi. Donatello stroke his hand over the side of Naomi's face one more time before they made their way out.


See? She's alive. You'll probably hate me now for either making you think she died or that she didn't. Please review, or comment, whatever you like to call it. It'd really help me out a lot in becoming a better writer. 3

See you next chapter!