As the sun was sinking below the horizon, Kait sat cross-legged on her bench on her roof, waiting. Her arms pulled her legs tight against her chest as she rocked back and forth a little. A few minutes after the sun had completely hid itself behind the skyline she heard the thud a few roofs over. Uncurling herself, she stood, her eyes straining to see in the darkness.

"I see you have some sense, Ms. Daws, and that you care about your friend." Karai spoke arrogantly as she sashayed onto Kait's roof.

Kait only nodded, watching the other woman closely and praying she wouldn't give anything away.

"So you have decided to take us to their lair?" Karai asked, her voice as sickly sweet as it had been on the phone.

"Let me see him first. Take me to Milo. Once I know he's safe I will take you to them." Kait's voice shook but she could only hope Karai would think it was because of fear.

Karai was silent for a moment, pondering her options and taking in the appearance of the pitiful, trembling woman in front of her. "Alright. We will take you to Milo and then you will take us to them. But if you betray us, I will give the order for one of my men to kill him."

Kait nodded, moving to follow the Foot into her apartment. She was occasionally pushed from behind as they descended the stairs and finally as she was shoved into the same black car as before and a black hood was pulled over her head.

In the darkness, all she could hear and feel was her breath. But as she listened to the air moving in and out of her nose, it calmed her. She still remembered his voice and his touch. He told her to listen to every breath she took, use it like a tick of a clock. He told her to slow down that clock until it met time with his slow, rhythmic tapping on her arms. She took deep breaths as she looked up at him, his chocolate eyes calming her. Her breathing slowed until it matched the steady tapping on her arms. She focused on his hands on her shoulders and his eyes on hers. After he saw her calm, he gently wrapped his arms around her, careful not to hold her too close.

The thought of Don in her apartment just before they separated, her to wait on the roof and him to join his brothers on an adjoining rooftop, kept her calm until the hood was removed from her face and she could see the inside of a garage. She could only hope the boys had kept up as she was pulled out of the car and dragged into a freight elevator. After a few moments, they were in an open and derelict warehouse. Tied to a chair in the middle of the room, tape over his mouth and surrounded by several Foot members, was Milo. He saw Kait and his blue-green eyes widened significantly enough for her to see it across the room.

Kait ran to him quickly, throwing her arms around his waist as she fell to her knees in front of him, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you okay?" her voice cracked as she pushed his hair out of his face. A nod. "Did they hurt you?" she didn't see any marks on him, but it could have been beneath his clothes. A shrug. "I'm so sorry, Milo. I can't believe they involved you in this. I promise I'll explain it all once it's over." Another nod. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tight for a few moments before she was pulled away.

"Now, Ms. Daws, will you take us to them?" Karai growled to Kait as they pulled her back into the elevator.

Kait nodded, tears still falling down her cheeks as she lost sight of Milo. She could only pray that that Leo and Mikey were doing their part of the plan. Back in the car and back in the hood, she was only in the dark for a few minutes before her eyesight was restored.

"They live in the old sewer system." Kait murmured quietly.

Karai sighed impatiently. "We know. But where? Take us to them."

Kait nodded. "I only know the way from the shop. Can you take me there?"

The black car fired to life, and for the first time she wasn't put in the hood so she could actually see the city fly by as she began to shake and sweat in the seat. Within minutes, they were at the gallery and she was being dragged out of the car and pushed towards the manhole. By time she walked to it, a few of the burlier men had pulled it aside. With a deep breath, Kait sat on the edge like she had with Casey, knowing that this time she wouldn't have someone to catch her.

The fall was even more terrifying than the first time, and the landing was painful. She felt something roll in her ankle, but when she slowly stood, her hand against the wall for support, she was happy to find that she could easily support her weight, there was just a bit of discomfort. The Foot were surrounding her by then and she was forced to start walking.

She made sure she followed the instructions that Don had repeated to her again and again. After twenty minutes of walking, she found the steel door that Don had told her would be there. "I've never been strong enough to open it." She told the Foot quietly, her heart racing in her chest. She was sure it could be heard on the other side of the door.

One of the Foot men stepped up to muscle it open. After a few seconds, everyone heard it creak as the hinges finally surrendered their guard. Everything happened simultaneously, and it was difficult for Kait to remember Don's instructions for her. He had told her to press against the back wall, get as far away from the ensuing struggle as possible, while still remaining within Don's sight. Kait did her best to obey, backing against the wall as Don, Raph, Splinter, Casey, and April leapt from the room, attacking the Foot ninjas and Karai.

Despite being outnumbered, the good guys were winning, slowly pushing the Foot back down the tunnel Kait had led them from. But Karai would have none of that. Slipping away from her struggle with April, she grabbed Kait by the arm, dragging her down another tunnel.

"You and your friend are dead now, Ms. Daws." Karai hissed as she squeezed Kait's arm painfully.

"Don!" Kait screamed as she tried to pull and fight back, but the other woman was much stronger than her. "Don, help!" She screamed before she was punched in the gut, stealing away all her wind.

Don heard her call his name just before he knocked out the two Foot ninjas he was fighting. "Kait!" he shouted back, hoping she would call again so he would know which of the three tunnels she had been pulled down.

"That way, my son!" Splinter shouted, pointing his own bo staff down the hallway he had seen Karai move towards.

Don didn't wait for permission from his father or his older brother, Kait was his priority. Even after what had happened between him and Kait because of the Foot, he would never hesitate to protect her. Running at full tilt, he ran down the sewer branch for a few moments before he saw Kait's trademark strawberry blonde hair glistening in front of him.

"Stop, Karai! Let her go!" he bellowed, his voice sounding almost like Raph's because of his anger.

Obviously Karai feared Raph more than she would Don, probably because of the vengeance she knew Raph would seek, because she turned around with pure panic in her eyes until she realized it was only Don.

"Let her go or I'll kill you myself." Don hissed, holding his bo at the ready, knowing Karai had two katanas, just like Leo.

Karai only smiled underneath her black hood. Without any warning, she pushed Kait towards Don, following just behind her with her sword drawn. Don caught Kait with one arm, holding her away from Karai on the other side of his body, and bringing his bo up to block the sword with his other. It was almost impossible for him to fight and protect her at the same time. Where he could normally fight two or three Foot ninjas at the same time and still win, Karai was no ordinary Foot ninja and he wasn't usually trying to protect a helpless woman.

Thankfully for both Kait and Don, Raph joined his brother in the sewer tunnel, his sais ready to defend his family and avenge his lover. Karai's face drained of color as she tried to run, but Splinter was behind her, having snuck along the wall while Karai was distracted by the arrival of the other brother. Splinter and his sons all knew what was about to happen. They had been waiting for Karai to show herself for several long months. The whole Hamoto family had reached a silent agreement that Karai would not survive her next encounter with the family because of what she did to Emily.

Splinter struck first, pushing Karai towards the brothers. Don struck her towards Raph, who had a sai waiting point first.

As quickly as it had begun, the fight was over. Half the ninjas were dead, the other half had ran away, and Karai now lay on the ground, a sai protruding from her chest. As Don looked down at the draining body, he noticed it wasn't Raph's. Raph's sais had brown leather grips, plus, Raph still had two sais tucked into his belt. The weapon that his brother had used to kill Karai had a blue grip. It was Emily's, unused since she had killed the Foot ninja in the sewers.

"I've been carryin' it around wit' me." Raph mumbled, looking down at the dead woman. "I've been waitin' for the day I could get revenge for Em."

Don nodded, patting his brother on the arm. He knew Raph would be sleeping in the chair in Emily's room tonight. All was quiet until he heard a sob from the corner of the sewer. Turning on a dime, he saw Kait cowering in the corner, tears streaming down her cheeks. In two steps he was in front of her, taking her up in his arms, lifting her up off the ground as he held her, his face tucking into her hair.

"Shhh," he murmured, feeling her wrap her arms around his neck. "It's all okay now."

Kait pulled in a broken sob. "Milo..." She tried to finish the sentence but her voice broke.

"Is on his way to the lair with Leo and Mikey. And I'm going to take you there right now." Don told her quietly, switching his hold so that he carried her bridal style, even though her arms were still around his neck.

After a few blocks, Kait quietly asked to be put down. She appreciated the return of the security of Don's arms around her, but she wanted to walk on her own.

"You sure?" Don murmured to her, letting the others pass in front of them while he gently ran his hand up and down her arm. She nodded a little, looking up at him with that old look of complete trust that he had missed. Don pulled her closer, resting his face against her hair. "I'm sorry you had to see that. But I have to admit Raph might be in a better mood from now on."

That managed to pull a chuckle out of Kait as she threw her arms around his neck, holding him close. It startled him at first, having her that close again, but he wrapped his arms around her small waist, holding her tightly. After a few moments, they separated, keeping their arms around each other.

"Come on," Don smiled down at her. "Let's get you to Milo." He gently guided her down the tunnels, a hand resting millimeters from her back.

After a few minutes they were in the shabby living room. The others had already dispersed by time they arrived, all except the curled up body on the couch.

"Milo?" Kait's voice cracked a little as she waited, her hand finding Don's and holding it tightly. He stepped closer to her, squeezing her hand back.

The ball uncurled and revealed its disheveled brown hair and red rimmed blue eyes. "Kait!" His body uncurled immediately as he sprung up from the couch, walking unsteadily towards them. "Let go of her, you freak!" he shouted, pointing a finger at Don.

Kait let go of Don's hand so she could hold out both hands to stop him, pushing against his chest before he could get close enough to start swinging. Milo had a bit of a violent streak when it came to being protective, especially protecting Kait. "Milo, relax, they're my friends. The ones I told you about at the diner. This is Donatello, but he goes by Don." She took a step back to stand beside Don, squeezing his arm a little.

Don offered his hand for Milo to shake. "I'm the one that's patched up Kait's neck, if she told you about that. I've been watching her at night, taking care of her."

Milo didn't meet his hand. "You've been around Kait?!" Milo was still shouting and beginning to tremble where he stood.

"As much as she'll let me." Don gave him a meek smile, glancing down at Kait.

Kait knew Milo was about to hit something, probably Don, so she stepped between them again. "Milo, chill. They. Are. My. Friends. Don especially. If you hit him, or any of them for that matter, I'm going to hit you right back."

Milo deflated, his eyes darkening and his shoulders sagging. His arms wrapped around Kait tightly. "I'm so glad you're safe. I was so worried." He hid his face in her hair.

She held him back. "I was so worried about you, Milo."

They stood there, holding each other for a little while, just glad to see each other again.

"Kait," Don whispered, his fingers gently touching her back. "Do you want me to leave you two alone?" He wanted to leave, feeling out of place as he watched the almost intimate exchange between the two. He began to worry about the validity of his emotions. Maybe she already loved Milo. He mentally chastised himself for even caring who she loved.

Kait turned around to look at Don, gently touching his arm. "No, please, stay. I need your help to tell him. If I can tell him anything."

"You can tell him everything." Don gave her a small smile, beckoning her back over to the couch. Milo followed them closely. The three sat down, Kait in between the two, a hand on Milo's knee and her back against Don's side. He wrested a hand on her hip, reassuring her. He remembered vividly that contact grounded her, calmed her. It helped after her brother barged in and in the hospital. He planned on sticking to that plan.

For about two hours, the three sat there, Don and Kait explaining it all to Milo. He was startled, a little scared. But they had expected that. Kait gently comforted him through it, and Don kept Kait calm through it. After two hours, another had been brought into the fold. Milo was silent, lost in his own thoughts, leaving Kait and Don to theirs.

"I wanna show you something." Don murmured to her, gently touching her arm to snap her out of her trance of worry.

Kait nodded as Don gently pulled her off the couch. Milo didn't even notice them move. Don led her to his lab, motioning for her to sit on the examination bed. He stoked his computers to life and clicked on a few icons, opening up a picture file.

Kait lost her breath as she couldn't help but smile. Don had taken her sketch of the family and turned it into a three-dimensional image.

"I had to do something with my time. Even though I was still watching you at night." Don leaned back in his chair with a large smile, watching her face.

Kait walked up behind him, giving him a hug around his chair. "Thank you, Don. I'm so sorry about what happened, I…"

"Don!" Raph shouted as he slid into the lab. "Don, something changed on the screen." He glanced at Kait, but was more focused on his younger brother.

"Show me." Don's voice was hard, scientific, but hopeful. He grabbed Kait's arm and gently pulled her with him.

In Emily's room, Raph pointed to the EEG machine at her bedside. Don was silent for a few moments, just watching the screen, nodding to himself.

"The brain activity is higher than it's been since she fell in the coma." Don mumbled more to himself, but Raph and Kait heard him.

"What does that mean?" Raph asked tentatively.

"It means she's that much closer to waking up."

AN: Sorry this took a little longer than usual, but life is annoyingly tapping me on my shoulder and reminding me I have other things to do.

And you might hate me for it, but I am starting to love these cliffhangers. If you really want me to stop them, tell me and I'll try to be a bit nicer with my updates.

I also have to apologize for my last chapter, I was having a fight with a horde of plot bunnies and I forced them to come out, even though they really didn't want to, so it made a mess of the chapter. I will try to keep the quality of my updates a bit better.

Questions, comments, concerns, and quandaries are always welcome.

Thanks for sticking with me through all this.

Sincerely,

C M