For the Love of a Family: Part One
Requested By: XxWolfMan95xX

Anime: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012-14

Reader:
Serena O'Neil
Female
28
Waist-length brown hair, jade colored eyes, C-cup breast, Slight curves, wears a necklace with the insignia of the Hamato Clan
Big sister, mother figure, dear friend
Ninjitsu

Character:
Hamato Yoshi, aka Master Splinter
Male
32
Big, round ears, black and brown fur all over his body, brownish-amber colored eyes, maroon robe with Hamato Clan insignia on back
Sensei, father, dear friend
Ninjitsu

Plot: Serena and Yoshi grew up together. He moved away when he got married, and she stayed in New York.
Relationship: Complicated.
Word Count: 3, 885

"Yoshi…" the boy's mother said softly. "Do you need anything?" He shook his head, not taking his eyes off the figure on the bed. Behind him, the woman sighed, quietly shutting the door. In the back of his mind, Yoshi heard her, but didn't acknowledge it.

Instead, he reached forward, taking the figure's hand in one of his while brushing her hair away from her face. Rage boiled in his chest at the bandages wrapping around her head for the hundredth time, but it had not lost any intensity. Of course, it wasn't directed at Serena. No. It was directed at the man who had hurt her.

Yoshi bowed his head, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck. "Please, Rena. Please wake up." A tear slipped down his cheek as he reflected on his relationship with the young girl.

They had met as kids. Neither remembered how, but they figured it was a his-parents-knew-her-parents kind of thing. Both were about five when they met, and started playing together. That was how it all started.

Serena's mom died about a year later. Yoshi still remembered how broken she was, but how she tried to be strong. It was only once they were alone in her room did she finally let the tears come. It broke Yoshi to see his friend normally so happy looking so upset, but he stood with her every step of the way. But it seemed he wasn't there enough.

It wasn't so bad when she was younger, but Yoshi began to notice differences in his childhood friend. She began wearing longer-sleeved shirts and pants, no matter the weather. When he asked about it, she shrugged it off with "I wanted to do something different is all." And, like a fool, he had believed her.

His mother had become like another mom to her, so she took it upon herself to bring dinner to Serena and her father every Friday. Yoshi and his father tagged along, his father so he could protect his wife and son, and Yoshi so he could see Serena. This went on for years, till they were thirteen. It was last week that they had found her.

No one had answered the door, which made the Hamatos wonder if they were out. Of course, they wouldn't have forgotten, for they came at the same time every night. Not to mention the lights were on. Feeling something was wrong, Yoshi walked around to the back. Halfway through the alleyway, a soft moan reached his ears. Following the sound, he gasped at what he saw.

Serena was lying behind a dumpster in a pool of her own blood. Shouting for his parents, Yoshi cradled Serena to his chest, trying to get her to wake up. His father came running, while his mom got the car going. Together, Yoshi and his father got Serena into the car, laying her head on Yoshi's lap. His mom gunned it to the hospital, which thankfully wasn't too far away. The whole time, Yoshi begged Serena to stay with him.

Once inside, Yoshi and his mother rushed Serena to the emergency room, while his father called the police. They arrived shortly thereafter. Yoshi's father told them everything that had happened. In no time at all, two officers had gone to arrest Serena's father, while the other two stayed just in case. The arrest had been successful, and that was all she wrote.

"Good riddance." Yoshi muttered bitterly. He sighed harshly, lifting his head from the mattress. His heart did flips when he saw Serena's beautiful green eyes staring back at him. He didn't dare speak, for fear this was a dream.

"Hey, Shi." He gasped at the nickname. Smiling with tears running down his face, he brushed the hair out of her face again.

"Hey Rena." Turning around, he shouted for his mother. She came running in, a thrilled smile breaking out on her face when Serena stared back. Rushing over, she tenderly wrapped the girl in an embrace. Yoshi wiggled his way in between them, sighing in relief. Serena would be alright now, and he would ensure nothing hurt her ever again.

父ラット、母狐

After Serena had fully awakened, a detective had come in and explained what they had found, and what her father had told them. Once he was done, he asked for her version of the story. To say the stories were polar opposites would be an understatement. Serena told them everything.

She told them of the abuse her father had inflicted upon her, from starving her to beating her to cutting her with anything in reach. Yoshi had seen the scars, but hadn't wanted to believe they were real. It explained everything: why her smiles became more and more forced, why the sudden wardrobe change, and why she hardly laughed. Needless to say, her father was never heard from again.

Serena had moved in with the Hamatos after she had been released from the hospital. They doted on her, showing her the love of a family as it was supposed to be. Since she was never officially adopted, she kept her surname, but no one cared. Yoshi watched her whenever he could, making sure to keep her safe. With the blessing of his father, he began to train her in Ninjutsu. He was thrilled to find she had a knack for it, and quickly advanced to his level.

As they got older, Serena noticed her feelings towards her childhood friend changing. At first, she didn't dwell on them, instead choosing to ignore them with the hope that they would disappear. Instead, they grew… and grew… and grew… till she was jolted awake in the middle of the night. She had fallen in love with Yoshi Hamato.

Of course, she was frightened out of her wits when she realized. Should she say something, or act like nothing was going on? Would he catch on? Did he feel the same way? Was she overreacting? Shaking her head, Serena had mentally scolded herself for acting like such a child. She decided that she would act exactly like she had been up to this point, and try to figure out if he felt the same way.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but she soon realized that was easier said than done. Nevertheless, she did a masterful job at hiding how she truly felt. At least from Yoshi. His best friend, Oroku Saki, saw right through her. But he didn't tell, since both of them were really close as well.

That all changed when Yoshi and Oroku met Tang Shen. Both fell head over heels for her, so much so that their friendship began to suffer. Tang Shen and Serena tried what they could to keep the boys from fighting, but their influence was only effective when they were around. Serena lost count of the times Yoshi came home with bruises because he and Oroku had fought again. More than once, she was tempted to tell him how she felt, but knew that rejection was inevitable. And, if she was honest with herself, that would hurt more than keeping her feelings to herself.

Being a naturally forgiving person, Serena was never jealous of Tang Shen. Instead, she tried to find out who she loved. When it turned out to be Yoshi, Serena felt like her heart had died. Nevertheless, she didn't say or do anything to sabotage their relationship.

Oroku confronted her about it, but she had simply told him that wasn't the kind of person she was. She would step back, and be there for Yoshi, just as he had been for her for all these years. Oroku had stormed out, throwing a sentence over his shoulder that she would never forget:

"If you aren't willing to fight for your happiness, you will never get it."

Oh how right he was. Tang Shen and Yoshi got closer and closer. Marriage loomed on the horizon, but Serena refused to see it. Of course, it only made it worse when, on Yoshi's twentieth birthday, they announced their engagement and their moving to Tokyo. It was painful moving out of the Hamato house, but, thankfully, her uncle, Kirby O'Neil, lived in the city, and had a spare room in his apartment.

Being the friend she was, Serena put on a face, pretending to be happy for Yoshi and Tang Shen. One part of her was, genuinely, but the majority of her heart was broken into a million pieces. When Yoshi came to say goodbye, she disguised her tears of pain as tears of happiness. He gave her a necklace with the insignia of his family, so she wouldn't forget him. Only once he had driven down the street and vanished around the corner did she break down in tears, letting her heartbreak out.

Kirby didn't push her, knowing what she had gone through. It lessened when Yoshi began sending her letters every month. It brought Serena back, and she began responding. All was going well until a year later, when she received word of the burning of the Hamato dwelling. When she read there were bodies, Serena lost it.

She locked herself in her room, refusing to eat. She surrounded herself with pictures and letters of Yoshi and herself, refusing to believe he was gone. Denial didn't help in the long run, but it did lessen the pain for a while. Kirby eventually had to break down her door and drag her to the kitchen so she could eat.

It took her a while… seven years, to be precise… but Serena finally made a comeback. Her smile and laughter were back for good, and her health had never been better. The only change was the constant glimmer of sadness that shone behind her joy and the chain she never removed from her neck. While she no longer allowed herself to be swallowed by darkness, she never forgot either. About Yoshi or the pain. The stabbing had lessened to a dull ache, but one that stuck with her no matter where she went.

Unfortunately, the past has a habit of coming back to haunt you.

父ラット、母狐

Serena smiled down at her fifteen year old cousin as she laughed at her father's joke. They were walking home after having dinner at a quaint Japanese place a few blocks down called Murakami's. Serena was thrilled to find someone else who spoke Japanese. Kirby and April could only stare in shock as she and the chef spoke in Japanese the whole time, often times laughing at whatever was said. Of course, they didn't mind. It may have been in another language, one that had attachments to painful memories, but Serena seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself, which was the point of the whole night.

The mood was broken as a white van drove in front of them, coming to an abrupt halt. Four identical men jumped out, walking towards the family. Serena positioned herself in front of her family, staring down the men. She glanced back when April tugged on her arm.

"Serena?"

"I'll be okay. Just run, April."

"But-"

"RUN!" April and Kirby did, tearing down the street. The men tried to go after them, but were blocked by Serena. "Not a chance, punks." Spinning under one punch, she hit his torso several times, knocking him backwards. A scream made her whirl around. Her eyes widened when she saw two of the men had gone after April and Kirby, and were now carrying them over their shoulders.

"SERENA!" April cried, pounding her captor's back with her fists. Serena dropkicked his free shoulder, making him crumble. April rolled out of the way, standing. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Hearing more movement, the brunette whirled, hands on guard… only to freeze in shock. Four, turtle-like things were fighting the men. Each adorned a colored mask and their own set of weapons.

One, wearing a blue mask, landed next to her, glancing at her briefly. His eyes focused on her necklace, widening. However, his stare was cut off when one of the men punched him. Serena was snapped from her stupor as well. Jumping on his shoulders, she backbent, throwing the man away. She then helped the turtle up.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." They parted ways, fighting their own opponent. Serena swore his moves were familiar, but she couldn't remember from where. She didn't get the chance to dwell on it though. A backhand to the base of her neck knocked her out. The last thing she heard was April calling out her name.

父ラット、母狐

Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo kneeled in front of Master Splinter. He was telling them off for losing the family. It didn't help any when they began to blame each other. It stopped when Michelangelo let his mouth run away from him again, blaming Master Splinter for letting them go up in the first place. He started to apologize, but Splinter cut him off.

"No, Michelangelo. You are right."

"I am?"

"He is?"

"You were not fully prepared for what was up there. I trained you to fight as individuals, not as a team. And as your teacher, your father, the responsibility for that is mine. Perhaps, in another year we can try again."

"Wha- another year!? Ha-Has everybody forgotten that people were kidnapped?! They don't have a year! Sensei we have to do something now!" Splinter looked at Donatello, his third eldest.

"You weren't there Sensei. You didn't see the way that girl looked into my eyes. She was scared, and she was counting on me – us! – to save her!" Splinter turned around, looking at a picture of his wife and child, before trailing his eyes down to one of him and another girl.

"Yes." He turned around again, looking at his sons. "You must save her."

"I agree Sensei." Leo spoke up. "But, in that fight, we weren't exactly a well-oiled machine."

"Like the robot with the brain thingy."

"Give it a rest already!" Splinter hummed, catching the attention of his sons.

"If you are to fight more effectively as a unit, you are going to need a leader." He smiled as his sons began to ask to be leader. Well, Leonardo did. The others began giving reasons as to why they should be leader. "This is a difficult decision. I will mediate on it." Splinter said as he closed the door to his room. He opened it again to say "It's Leonardo," before closing it again.

He had settled by his chest when a knock sounded at the door. "Sensei? Can I talk to you?" Splinter stood, reopening the door.

"What is it Leonardo?"

"Well, it's about when we were fighting those guys. Another girl was with the family." Splinter's eyes widened. He nodded, giving Leonardo permission to continue.

"Well, she was trained in Ninjutsu. I thought some of her moves looked familiar, so I landed next to her after pushing off with my katana." Leonardo looked up at his sensei's eyes, gauging any reaction to what he said next. "She wore a necklace with your symbol on it."

Splinter's breath caught in his throat. He disguised it, but he was sure Leonardo heard it. Nodding, he closed his eyes. "I see. What did she look like?"

"She had brown hair, jade colored eyes…" Leo thought for a moment. "Oh! And the redhead girl called her 'Serena'." Splinter gripped the doorframe so hard his knuckles turned white. "Sensei? Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Leonardo. Thank you. You may rejoin your brothers." Leo bowed, walking out of the dojo. He glanced over his shoulder once, but didn't look back after that. Splinter followed him, closing the door behind his eldest son.

His legs felt like jelly as he walked to the memorial, picking up the second picture. He gently brushed his fingers across the girl's smiling face, before clutching the photo to his chest as he collapsed to his knees. Tears rolled down his face. A gasping breath passed his lips as he whispered one name.

"Serena… you're alive." A memory flashed through his mind, but Splinter couldn't stop it from playing.

He groaned as he tried to push the beam off his legs. His throat and his eyes burned from the heat and smoke from the fire. Oroku Saki laughed as he stared down at his old friend. Half of his face was burned, making his sick smirk sicker. Yoshi looked up, reaching for his friend.

"Please! Help me!"

"No…" Saki said slowly. "I don't think I will. Say hi to Tang Shen when you see each other again. And… while you're at it… tell Serena I said hi as well." This froze Yoshi's movements.

"S… Serena?"

"Is that not what I said?"

"What have you done to Serena, Saki!?" Saki chuckled darkly as he walked away, picking something up along the way. "Saki!"

"If you must know…" Oroku glanced over his shoulder. "I killed her. Two weeks ago." Yoshi's eyes widened, his heart dying further than it already had. "You ought to know… your name was the last thing that fell from her lips… before my blades pierced her heart." He cackled as he walked away, leaving Yoshi to burn in the fire… and his grief.

Splinter gasped as sobs wracked his body. "Serena… Serena… Serena." He looked at the picture again, brushing his thumb over her face again. "Oh Rena. Please… please come back to me. I can't lose you. Not again."

父ラット、母狐

Serena held April's hand as they descended the ladder into the sewers. It had been a week since the turtles had saved them from the Kraang, and they had decided it was time for them to meet their sensei. Serena was thrilled at the prospect, while April was a little more hesitant. Nevertheless, she was assured that no harm would befall them. Leonardo led the group, helping the girls through the more… questionable… areas of the sewer. Both were thankful when they finally arrived.

"Here we are!" Michelangelo flipped over the turn dials, running towards what Serena assumed to be the dojo. "I'll go get Sensei." Raphael rolled his eyes at his younger brother. He, Donnie, and Leo led the girls over to the couch.

In no time at all, Mikey had returned with their sensei. April stood first, Serena standing behind her. Something about the rat in front of her was just so… familiar. When he spoke, her world came crashing down.

"Hello, Miss O'Neil. My sons have told me much about you." He looked up, his entire body becoming rigid at the sight of Serena. She stepped out, her eyes wide. "S… Serena?" he whispered.

"Yoshi…" Tears began to run down Serena's cheeks. "Yoshi!" She flung herself at the rat, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed, spinning her around, encasing her waist with his arms. He buried his face in her neck, soaking her shirt with his own tears. Everyone could only stare in shock at the duo.

Yoshi laughed breathlessly, breathing in Serena's scent. He felt her tears soaking into his fur, but he couldn't care less. Serena tightened her arms around Yoshi's neck, burying her face deeper into his fur. "Yoshi… I can't believe it." She pulled back, resting a hand on his cheek. "I heard you were dead." He laughed again, bringing her in for another embrace.

"And I you, Rena." She smiled at the childhood nickname. "But that is in the past." Serena nodded, returning the hug. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and April put the pieces of the puzzle together, realizing that this was the childhood friend their father or cousin had told them about. They smiled at each other, thrilled for the two.

"Come. There is much I wish to tell you." Serena smiled, taking Yoshi's hand.

"And I you, Shi. And I you." April watched, smiling, as the duo walked into the dojo. She then turned to the turtles.

"So… who wants to show me around?"

父ラット、母狐

Serena nodded her thanks as Yoshi poured her a cup of tea. "Thank you." She smiled at the familiar scent. "I didn't know you still drink jasmine."

"Well, it is my favorite." They chuckled together, sipping the tea. Serena glanced at the memorial on the wall. "Ah, yes. I erected that in memory of Tang Shen and Miwa when we found this place."

"I'm sorry, Shi." Serena reached across the table, squeezing his hand. "That must have been so hard." He nodded, squeezing her hand back. "But… look on the bright side. You have a new family now: four brilliant sons that excel in Ninjutsu." Splinter smiled.

"Yes… and now you have returned to my life as well." His smile became slightly smug at the blush no her cheeks. "My son Leonardo tells me you have some impressive Ninjutsu skills." Serena returned the smirk.

"Well, I learned them from a really good friend of mine." Splinter set his cup down, offering a hand to her. She took it allowing him to lead her to the middle of the dojo. She quirked an eyebrow when he took three steps back, placing his hands on guard.

"Then, perhaps, you wouldn't mind showing me." Serena chuckled, placing her own hands on guard.

"Not at all." Yoshi smirked.

"Hajime!"

父ラット、母狐

Yoshi and Serena walked out together, breathless and laughing. Leonardo smiled, nudging Raphael, who looked up from his magazine. He smiled as well. Mikey was engrossed in his video game, while Donnie and April were walking out of the scientist's lab.

April smiled at the sight of her cousin. For the first time in years, a glow of true happiness was in her jade-colored eyes. 'It's about time she was happy again.' She looked up at Donnie. "Thanks for showing me around, Donnie." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"N-no problem April." He looked up at his sensei's laughter. He and Serena were standing by the turn dials, smiling and laughing. "Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. I don't think I've ever seen Sensei that happy."

"The same can be said for Serena." The purple bandana tilted down as Donnie looked at April. "Never mind." Just then, Serena looked over at April.

"Are you ready to go, April? Aunt Katlyn wants us back by ten."

"Is it that late already?"

"I'm afraid so." The redhead sighed, walking over to her cousin. The turtles joined them. "Thanks for a great day, guys. It was a pleasure to meet you, Master Splinter."

"And you, April." He turned to Serena. The two embraced again, this one lasting a little shorter than the last time. Splinter mumbled something, to which Serena chuckled before answering. They pulled back, Splinter trailing a hand through Serena's hair before stepping back. "I'll see you later then."

"Definitely. See you around, guys." The turtles waved, their goodbyes echoing around the lair. Splinter smiled as he watched them go. Bidding his sons goodnight, he returned to the dojo, still smiling. Leo at the same time as his brothers, all staring at Mikey.

"Don't. Even. Think about it." He groaned in disappointment, his plans on teasing Serena out the window.

Splinter smiled as he lay down, staring at the ceiling. "Finally… I finally know what happened to you, Serena. I promise I'm never letting you go again. You'll never get hurt again."

Unfortunately, fate has a nasty liking for changing promises around.

And there's the first part for Serena's and Splinter's story! I know I called him Yoshi a lot more than Splinter, but eh. *shrugs* Same person.

Tell me what you guys think! Part Two should be out this weekend!