A/N: I'm sorry, but after watching the latest episode, I had to write this. I'm still a little emotional over it, tbh, because, my lord, it was perfection. Tang Shen was beautiful, amazing...and she didn't deserve to die the way she did.

Anyways, this is what happens after the whole ordeal, and the turtles finally return home to a distraught Splinter.

I OWN NOTHING.

Enjoy!

Beloved

The moment the sound of four sets of familiar footsteps echoed from the entrance of the lair, Splinter's ears pricked up, his head snapping up as he shot to his feet, nearly stumbling over his own feet as he hurried out of the dojo.

There, he finally saw them. His four, weary teenaged children, plodding through the turnstiles one by one and then trudging down the stairs, before all of them came to a halt upon seeing him standing there, staring at them as if they were ghosts.

It had been a week, a full week, since the old ninja master had seen or heard from them.

They'd gone up to the surface for their evening patrol, promising that they'd return home on time as usual. However, even as dawn arrived, the four of them were nowhere to be found, and no matter how hard he, April and Casey attempted to contact them, they would not answer. Even the Mighty Mutanimals had gone out to search for them, souring high and low four the young ninjas, but had been unsuccessful.

It was merely seconds ago that Splinter had begun to fear the worst had happened to them. What if Karai, his poor child unable to control her own actions, had gotten to them again? What if Shredder had captured them? Or worse….

Now, however, as he stared at his four children, the four people he had left to love and cling to in his life, he was relieved, overjoyed…and yet, he was also unbelievably furious with them at the same time as he approached them, his ears tipped backwards and his brows furrowed as he frowned deeply. "Where on earth have you boys been?!" he demanded. "Do you realize how much worry you have caused your family and your comrades? You have been gone for a week, with no calls, nothing to tell me where you were, or if any of you were still alive. We feared that you were all dead! What do you four have to say for yourselves?!"

Exchanging shocked looks with one another, the boys then lowered their heads in shame. And it was then Splinter realized just how tired they were; the bags under their eyes, the soft scars marring their shells and skin that had not been there before, the odd smell of smoke, and the dirt that coated their faces, as if they'd been sleeping in the woods all this time.

His ears flattening, Splinter sighed and shook his head. Though he was still mad, and though he desired an explanation from them as soon as possible, he couldn't help but feel as though he was being far too harsh on them. They had obviously been through much during the past few days, and the last thing he wanted to do was punish them for something that was, quite possibly, out of their control.

"…My sons," he said, his tone gentler and calmer than before. "…please…tell me what happened."

When they lifted their heads up and opened their eyes again, what he saw took him by surprise.

Tears were now streaming down their dirtied faces, dripping off their chins as their shoulders shook, almost as if they were fighting back sobs as they bit their lips.

Splinter's eyes widened, and he reached out a tentative hand to them. Why were they crying? What had he said? What had happened to them? "Boys, what –?"

It was Leonardo who moved first, so fast that Splinter barely registered it, before his arms were wrapped around his waist, his face burrowed into his chest and his fingers grasping the fabric of his robe. Michelangelo wasn't far behind, and he was instantly followed by Donatello and Raphael. Soon, the old rat was surrounded by four sobbing turtles as they clung to him, their embraces strong, unyielding, and as loving as ever…yet so desperate.

He was not new to such affection, of course, though such embraces were not ensued as often as they should be. And yet…

"We're sorry, Splinter," said Donnie through his tears, his face burrowed into the crook of Splinter's shoulder. "W-We're so sorry."

"We tried, S-Sensei," Raph wept against him. "We wanted to…we really tried…but we c-couldn't save…we couldn't…"

Worried and more confused than ever before, Splinter looked down at each of them as they continued to weep, spurting out near endless streams of apologies as they held onto him like a lifeline, apart from Mikey, who was simply too distraught to say anything as he sobbed helplessly.

What were they talking about? Who couldn't they save? And why were they apologizing to him as if they'd failed him?

"…we'll never leave you again, father," Leo muttered against his chest, his hold tightening around his waist as he looked up and met his eyes. His crystal blue orbs were wide, filled with tears, and yet so resolved despite his sorrow. "We swear we'll make this right again. No matter what, we won't give up…"

Unable to respond, Splinter looked deep into the eyes of his eldest son…and he could've sworn that behind the tears, behind the determination that he had always seen within this boy since he was but an infant…he could see flames. The same flames that Splinter himself had seen all those years ago as his home, his clan…and his beloved Shen, burned to the ground.

But how could that be…?

It was then that Mikey finally looked up at him as well, hot tears still pouring down his flushed, freckled cheeks. "We love you, dad," he whimpered.

Gazing down at his youngest child, and then looking to each of them as they nodded in wordless agreement, Splinter's face softened. A sad smile grew across his features as he lifted a hand, and pressed it gently against Mikey's cheek, using his thumb to wipe away the tears. He was still confused, and was still in need of answers…but he assumed that those answers could wait for tomorrow. Right now, his children, for whatever reason, needed him, but not as their teacher.

They needed their father.

Wrapping his arms around them as much as he could, he pulled his sons close to him, allowing them to shed their tears once more as he held them, shutting his eyes to keep his own tears at bay.

"I love you too, my sons," he whispered soothingly.

Later that night, once the boys had managed to collect themselves and ease their tears at last, Splinter decided that it would be best that they slept together in the dojo, just this once. It was more out of reassuring himself that they were still here with him, that they were still alive and unharmed, (for the most part, that is) but to his surprise, the turtles were more than willing to comply, and had quickly gathered blankets and pillows together before piling them into a nest of sorts in the center of the dojo, just underneath the tree.

It was moments later that the five of them were lying in a heap on the floor, with all four boys cuddled against their father in the middle of their nest as they slept. Michelangelo had laid himself behind Splinter, his head pillowed on his back, and Raphael had slung his arm around him. Leonardo was curled up against Splinter's chest, and Donatello had his arm around his oldest brother, his cheek resting against his shell.

Before he let himself finally get some rest after a long week of sleepless nights, Splinter couldn't help but smile as he gazed upon each of them. This was just like how they'd used to sleep together, before they'd gotten their own rooms, or when they were little and had gathered together in the pit after a nightmare had frightened them…

However, it was clear that whatever had frightened them this time was something far worse than a mere nightmare.

Splinter's smile faltered somewhat, his ears drooping as he looked down at Leonardo. He could still see the dampness his tears had left behind on his mask, and the fire that had burned behind his eyes…if only he knew what had lit the spark, what had caused his children to become so distraught…

"We're sorry, Splinter. W-We're so sorry."

"We tried, S-Sensei. We wanted to…we really tried…but we c-couldn't save…we couldn't…"

"…we'll never leave you again, father. We swear we'll make this right again. No matter what, we won't give up…"

"We love you, dad."

With an inaudible sigh, Splinter reached out and softly laid his hand against Leo's cheek. The eldest turtle barely stirred under his touch.

'You do not have to fear, my sons. I know you will never truly leave me. And I, in return, shall never leave you…for as long as I live and breathe…'

With that final thought, Splinter lay his head down and closed his eyes, letting the gentle hands of sleep finally claim him now that he was surrounded by the four people that meant more than the world to him, with no intention of ever letting them out of his sight again…

And in the darkness of the dojo, unbeknownst to its slumbering inhabitants, a lone figure emerged from the tree, moving gracefully across the dojo until she knelt beside the five mutants.

Dark eyes pooling with tears, a smile grew across her soft, ageless face as she reached out, her hand coming to rest atop Splinter's head, though he remained oblivious to her touch. She chuckled fondly as she shook her head, her long hair slipping over her shoulders. Even after fifteen years, and an unexpected mutation, he hadn't changed, not one little bit. He was still her strong, protective, clueless yet loving husband.

He was still her beloved Yoshi.

Her gaze moved to each of the turtles that slept around him, her smile widening as she watched them stir and mumble incoherently in their dreams, before her eyes wandered back down to Splinter.

'Take care of our little Kappa, my love.'

With that, Tang Shen leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead, before she faded away, leaving her small, beautiful family of kappa to finally rest in peace…

And patiently waiting for the day she would see them once more…

A/N: ...

Word of advice, NEVER listen to 'Love is A Song' whilst writing a sad piece. You WILL cry.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that, and more are on the way. I might do another one based off this episode involving Leo and Karai! :)