Chapter 10

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Serah

I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes, finding it was useless as I reached for the door, along with Rachel. My mind and body were numb at this point, pushing the left door open and stepping out into the light drizzle outside. Soon, my tears were mixing in with the rain, making it that much harder to see.

How could this be real...

Both Rachel and I moved out of the path of the four boys, Ithiell taking up the rear, as they all carried the casket that held Splinters body inside. The thought, and sight, put a horrible ache in my heart...

Splinter...

His poor old body had given up one night, and no one, not even Rtaia's healing abilities could have done anything. It was just... his time to go...

Or so my mother told me earlier that morning. Yet... even she seemed upset about his... his...

I shook the thought, wiping the tears from my eyes and trying to focus on the four turtles as they hit the bottom of the stairs. Slowly, almost gently, they all turned to the waiting hearse, moving to put the casket inside, watching as the funeral directors moved to stand on either side. When the casket was in, they closed the doors, looking up at the four brothers.

"We will take him down to the burial site" The lady said, bowing respectfully, both of them heading towards the front of the vehicle. As they got in and started the engine, I turned to look at everyone else around me.

The other girls seemed just as upset as I was, and Ithiell and the boys were... well, they all looked torn to put it plainly. Slowly, my eyes trailed towards the kids, who were now bringing up the rear. My eyes landed on Dean first, seeing that in spite his own tears, he was comforting Cassie. Cassie was torn it seemed, and Miah didn't look much better. She was tightly holding hands with Jake, half leaning her head on his shoulder. Jake himself didn't seem to mind the closeness, his other arm half hooked over Eoran's small shoulders.

They were all ten now... and I was so amazed at how well they were taking this. They were... all of them... trying so hard to just be there for their fathers...

"Let's get this thing over with" Raph growled, moving away from the rest of them, with Mikey reaching for his brother.

"Raph..." Came his croaky voice, but I soon saw Kristiana there, her arm around him as tears brimmed his eyes.

"I'll get him" Rachel said, moving off. Jake went to go after them, but Amanda put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait here little buddy, your mom and dad need to have a talk okay? They'll be back"

"But... Aunt Manda..."

"He has to do this on the worst days" Donnie spoke up, sounding surprisingly disgusted for him, shaking his head at where the two were going.

"Let's... just start walking..." Leo grunted "If he's not there by the time we get there..."

"I'm sure he will hun" I told him, going to touch his arm but finding he'd moved before I could. I felt myself start to tear up again, gritting my teeth a little to get some control as I watched him walk off, the others now following him.

"Thanks Leo" I muttered, feeling Kristiana and Jade now put an arm each around my waist, moving me along and after the others.

"He's just upset Ser" Jade muttered so the others couldn't hear "It should pass"

"And if it doesn't?" I asked, trying to hold back the lump in my throat.

"It will... have you ever known Leo to be cold to you? Like this?" Kristiana piped up now.

"Have you ever known Leo to loose his only father figure?" I retorted, feeling like an idiot as soon as I'd said them. I looked down at Kristiana, surprised to see she didn't seem offended.

"Well... you got a point. But... well... Mikey's been a bit clingy with me since..."

She trailed off, and I suddenly felt horrible. How could I be rude to the girls who had been my closest friends for over ten years now?

It was a nightmare, for all of us. Just... in different ways...

"Donnie's standoffish" Jade sighed "He'll be affectionate one minute, then wont want a bar of me or Miah the next"

"That's weird... for him" I frowned.

"I know..."

We all fell silent, knowing all the turtles were suffering in their own ways. Even Ithiell seemed to be struggling a little...

Soon, we reached the burial sight, meeting up with the funeral directors, as well as the others. who opened the doors of the hearse enough for the boys to take the casket back out, then moved to place it on the contraption with the metal bars that puts the bodies down into the graves.

I watched as they all moved back, seeing Mikey wipe his eyes a little. Soon, I saw Donnie put an arm around the youngest brother, looking over to Raph. I noticed the brothers shared a hurt look, before my eyes landed on Leo.

I bit my lip as I saw his fists were clenched, and his eyes narrowed as the casket was lowered into the grave, his teeth clenched like he was ready for a fight. His chest was heaving like he'd just run a marathon, tears slowly streaking down his face again.

The sight made my chest hurt again, wanting so much to just go over and comfort him, but I knew... he'd probably pull away again...

I watched as Ithiell now stepped forward, my mother and Rtaia not far behind him. He lowered his head, spreading his arms out a little.

"Pia watch over you Master Splinter" He said slowly "Let her light and wisdom grace your soul..."

I heard my mother and Rtaia mutter something in Chanaiben, and they stepped away as Ithiell now knelt down in front of the grave, his eyes watering as they started to shovel dirt over the casket.

"I'll miss you, you taught me so much..." He trailed off, handing his head now. I saw his shoulders shaking a little...

"You're not the only one that lost him you know!" Leo snapped, startling all of us. We looked at him as he looked at each of us in turn.

"The hell was that for Leo?!" Raph growled, moving towards Leo but Rachel stopped him.

"Ithiell's selfish little speech!" Leo responded in the same tone "We all lost Splinter... not just him!"

"Leo... what's gotten into you" Donnie muttered, although the fight seemed gone from him.

"Our father is dead! And no one... no one..."

Leo stopped, now looking down at his feet, his chest heaving and his fists clenching and unclenching.

"That's harsh bro..." Mikey muttered, looking about as shocked and worried as the rest of us.

"Leo..." I couldn't stand it any more, I moved to place my hands over one of his, hoping my touch would at least calm him down a little.

Instead, he tensed, but thankfully didn't move away.

Slowly, almost painfully it seemed, he managed to look up and met my eyes.

"I-" To my surprise, he yanked himself from my grasp, starting to move back from me.

"I'll... I'll meet you at home" Was all he said before he walked away.

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I thought after the funeral... after everything that had happened... he might finally start acting like the old Leo again, even just to come and talk to me like he used to.

Yet... during the weeks afterwards... it just seemed to get worse. He missed meals, slept on the couch... when he did sleep... and spent his days in the small dojo we'd built onto the house for him and Dean to train in.

Every time I tried to approach him... for anything... he'd just turn and walk away. We'd barely talk about anything anymore, besides maybe an awkward hi here and there when we crossed paths in the house.

Dean was worried, like me... especially since he wasn't able to train, even on his own, telling me he was worried about bothering his father in the dojo.

I was coming to my wits end... wondering if I'd lost him forever. I was afraid I'd hear the words 'I want a divorce' in the near future, due to his actions, and the fact there had been no affection towards me whatsoever.

Dean, however, was a completely different story.

"Omph!" I grunted a little as I was almost knocked over, righting myself by holding onto the bench as I looked down.

"Sorry ma" Dean looked up at me apologetically, before digging his head into my side "Just thought you needed a hug"

"Thanks sweetheart"I couldn't help but smile a little, turning back to washing the dishes. I think by then all the tears had dried up, and I was starting to go numb. Leo just wasn't Leo anymore...

I finished my task with Dean still holding on to me, patting his hair gently as he moved to look up to me.

"I love you mom, kay?"

I smiled at him, rubbing his chin a little "Love you too my big boy"

"Can... can I go train outside?" He asked a little timidly, making me wrap my arms around him tightly now.

"Of course you can! Just... use the wooden katanas, okay baby?"

"Sure thing ma" He smiled up at me, then surprised me by taking my hand and kissing the top of it, running off before I could say or think anything else.

He was such a little gentleman... just like...

Just like Leo had been... once...

The phone ringing startled me out of my thoughts, and I moved to answer it quickly.

"Hello"

"Oh, hi Serah"

"Hey Donnie... how you doing?"

"Oh... yeah, I'm all right, thanks for asking. Are... um... are you okay?"

I froze for a moment, before composing myself enough to answer "Yeah Donnie, I'll... I guess I'll be all right"

Silence, then "Uh, sorry to be a bother, but... um, is... is Leo there?"

"Yeah... I'll see if he wants to answer the phone. It's... well, he hasn't really spoken to me..."

"He will, he just... I think he needs time. Maybe... maybe Raph and I can help him out, or Mikey... you know?"

I smiled a little, knowing he was trying to make me feel better, but right now...

"I'll try and give the phone to him... okay?"

"All right"

I got up, moving over to the doorway of the dojo, my heart now hammering and hoping he wouldn't just ignore me again...

"Uh, Leo?" I called, seeing the entire room was in darkness. He'd pulled the large blinds down and now I could barely see anything inside..

"Yeah?" Was the almost choked response.

"Um... Donnie's on the phone... he wants to talk to you"

"Oh... okay"

"Um... here" I moved to go into the room, holding the phone out in front of me to where I thought he was.

"Thanks" The phone was instantly gone from my hand, and after a few seconds of silence I realised he didn't want me in the room when he was talking to Donnie.

Inwardly I sighed, turning to walk outside, moving to just stand to the side of the doorway, leaning on the wall.

What was I going to-

"Yeah Donnie?"

Silence. A hum, and then-

"Training?"

More silence, then a deep sigh.

"I think I might pass this time Donnie, I-" He stopped, and it was obvious Donnie was saying something to him, making him grunt a little.

"Look, I'm fine. I just... need ti-"

Again, it sounded like Donnie cut him off.

"Look, I... I have to go" I heard a click, realising Leo had just hung up on his brother.

He really was further gone than-

Thunk!

I shrieked as something hit the wall just near the door, making me duck a little.

"Hey!"

I looked down, seeing what I guessed was parts of the phone he had just thrown, hearing him grunt something from inside.

"Sorry" Was all he got out, as I looked up-

Dean was standing at the doorway to the kitchen, wooden katanas in his hands and staring with his mouth open. Slowly, very slowly, I watched the katanas slip out of his hands, and the look of shock turning from anger faster than I could blink.

"Dean-" I stopped, seeing him move towards me, wondering what he was doing... noticing he wasn't heading for me, he was-

"Dean, don't!" I went to grab him, but he ducked out of my grasp as he moved into the dojo, flicking the light on in the process.

I tried to grab him again, watching in horror as he strode up to Leo, stopping just feet from him. Leo looked...

His mask was off, and there were tear stains down his cheeks as he sat with his legs tucked under him, looking up at his son with confusion.

"You almost hurt mom!" Dean accused, his hands balled into fists. Leo looked down, now rubbing his eyes and sighing.

"Dean, I didn't mean-"

"And you keep hurting mom, and me!"

Now Leo looked up at Dean, his face twisted into something between shock and worry.

To both our surprise, Dean took a deep breath, his eyes closing for a moment, his mood seeming to change from one of an anger to somewhat calm and collected. He sat, the same way Leo was sitting, now bowing his head a little and closing his eyes.

"Father... Sensei..."

Again, Leo seemed taken aback by Dean's posture, opening his mouth to say something but then stopping himself. I myself wanted to say something, finding I couldn't move. It seemed like... in a matter of seconds... Dean had matured into something I'd never seen from him.

"Your Master Splinter... your father... and our grandfather... was a wonderful being, and gave us all love and cared for us. I know you and my uncles respected him greatly, and it hurts us all to know he has finally... passed"

"Dean..." Leo said softly, tears now brimming his eyes.

"I know you're hurting dad... father... and most times I don't know what I can do to make you feel... better..."

Silence now, from Leo and myself. This... he didn't seem ten anymore...

"But shutting the rest of us out isn't helping you dad. Splinter may be gone, but we're still here... the world hasn't ended just yet"

"I..." Leo said again, but it seemed our son just refused to slow down. Not until he finished what he had to say.

"Mom... me... we're here for you, and we love you..."

Dean now lifted his head, and I saw tears now in his own eyes, which somehow made me want to cry now too. I didn't realise how much he'd grown, and how far he had come.

"Dad... please don't shut us out any more"

I saw the moment something sparked in Leo, and his eyes widened as he stared at Dean.

"Oh.. I'm so sorry..." He grabbed Dean then, making him cry out a little as he pulled his son towards him, now holding him as close as he dared. Eventually, Dean's arms went around his father, and I heard him let out a small sob.

"I love you Dean... I'm so sorry"

I couldn't help but let out a small sound, watching as Leo now looked up to me. The look on his face made me tremble a little, letting out another sound and putting a hand to my lips...

"Serah..." I watched as he moved away from Dean, finally getting to his feet and looking at me like it was the first time he'd seen me.

I tried to say something, tears streaking down my face as he moved towards me, his arms now open.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you... I am so... so sorry..." I felt his arms slowly, and almost gingerly, go around me, like he'd break me.

I wasn't sure what to do then, feeling his arms close in now, pulling me close to his chest. I dug my head into his shoulder, letting out my own sob.

"I love you so much... I'm so sorry..."

I could only nod a little, finally able to move enough so I was returning his affection.

He was... he was...

"I...love you too" Was all I could get out, holding him as close as I dared and falling silent.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, Leo kissing my temple and hair from time to time, before something touching my waist made me jerk away a little.

I looked down to see Dean, a smile on his face now, his arms going around both of us.

I held both Leo and Dean as close as I could, finally managing to get the courage to look up at Leo. In turn, he looked down at me. There was so much regret in his eyes...

"Leo?"

He stayed silent, but I knew he was listening.

"We're family, and we stick together... all right?"

He bit his lip, more tears threatening to fall as he leaned down a little, kissing me gently.

"All right then... together"

"Exactly" Came Dean's voice, and I moved to look down at him again. He was so smart now... so resourceful. And...

He had finally managed to get through to his father when I couldn't.

He would definitely be a force to be reckoned with when he was older.

In fact, I think all the kids would be.

In that moment, I realised how big, loving and insane our family really was. And how much we had all gone through... and we'd all survived. Pulled through by fighting together and helping one another when we needed it.

The thought made me smile a little, wrapped safely in Leo's arms by Dean by my side. It had never been easy, but we'd always made it work for us.

And I knew now we always would. No matter what challenges would be ahead.

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Hope you guys all enjoyed! This was the last chapter for the story.

Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you have and what you thought!

Oh, and thank you to those who have been reading :)

Now onto another project, catch you all there!