NOBODY'S P.O.V

Splinter was sitting in the hospital bed waiting for his family to come through the door. It almost didn't feel real to him, he couldn't believe after a long year of hell he was about to see his family's smiling faces again.

A knock came through the door and a nurse opened it letting the turtles, April, and Casey in. They all looked at him with teary eyes and he smiled at them. "Hello, my family."

His voice cracked, failing to control his emotions. His sons immediately ran to him. "Splinter/Sensei/Father/Papa!!!" They all cried and hugged him.

Despite the pain this crushing hug was giving Splinter he said nothing and hugged back. He rubbed their backs as they cried, trying his best to calm them down. Once they finally did they held on for a while longer before finally letting their father go. April then hugged Splinter next with a few tears running down her eyes then surprisingly Casey hugged him too.

Splinter could smell the alcohol on him which reminded him about what Raph had told him and the state Leo was in when he saw him. It's time to fix his broken family. When Casey let go Splinter looked at them all sternly but gently, knowing that this wasn't their fault.

"Raphael has told me what you all have been through and how you have been suffering ever since I died." Splinter started and they all looked at Raph who looked anxious.

Splinter knew he wasn't anxious out of fear, he just wanted his family back. The friendship he had with April, the unbreakable bond he had with his brothers, and he also wanted his best friend back. Hopefully, Splinter would be able to do just that but it will take time.

"Leonardo." Splinter said and Leo turned his attention to him. "First, I forbid you from leaving your home and your family behind." He said sternly and Leo's eyes widened. "How did you-

"It doesn't matter." Splinter interrupted. "I know you have been hurting my son, you have lost your way without me there to guide you and for that I am sorry." He then took Leo's hands into his own. "You need to allow yourself to heal my son, you don't have to act strong anymore...you can let it out."

Leo's eyes started to water, he looked at his brothers then back at his father. Then he burst out into tears. "I'm sorry Otosan! I tried, I really tried to go on without you and be strong like you wanted me to be but-but I couldn't handle it! When you died I felt so lost and alone then when I lost my purpose as leader I-I didn't feel like myself anymore! It felt like I lost another part of you! I'm sorry, I tried, I did!"

Splinter pulled his son in a hug and allowed him to cry in his chest. "I know you did my son, I know you did." He said gently. "I am very proud of you Leonardo for holding on as long as you did, I know it wasn't easy to have all that weight on your shoulders."

Mikey stepped up. "Dude, you weren't the only one who felt alone." He said softly and Leo looked at him. "I did too! Especially when all of you stopped talking and hanging out with me! Wasn't it bad enough I lost Papa, did I really have to lose my big brothers too!" He cried and everyone looked at him brokenhearted.

Leo let go of Splinter and for the first time in a long while he hugged his little brother. "I'm sorry Mikey. I-I didn't know the pain I was causing everyone, I'm sorry that I couldn't keep us all together...I wasn't strong enough."

"Michelangelo, come here my son." Splinter said. Mikey let go of Leo and went to Splinter who took his hands as well. "You have been feeling very lonely since I've been gone, haven't you?"

Mikey sniffed and nodded.

"I'm sorry my son, I'm sorry you felt alone for so long." Mikey looked at him, tears still running down his face. "I tried to keep everyone smiling and laughing Papa but nothing I did worked! They would just yell at me and tell me to leave them alone!"

Splinter smiled at him. "I know my son. You did everything you could, you did nothing to cause your brothers to be angry all the time. It was my death that caused it but I'm back now and I promise you, I'm going to do everything in my power to get you all smiling and laughing again."

Mikey smiled and gave Splinter a quick bear hug then Splinter looked at Donatello. "Donatello, for three weeks I order you to stop working and get a good night's rest!"

"But Dad! I can't, I-

Splinter raised his hand to silence him. "Donatello, we have been over this countless times. You can't stop or change what you can't control. I know you are scared of all the horrible possibilities you play in your mind but that's all they are. You can't control everything Donatello, sometimes you have to let things be in fate's hands. Here's something you can control, though."

Splinter gestured to his brothers and Donnie looked at them sadly. "I'm sorry guys, I'm sorry for pulling myself away from all of you. It's just...ever since Splinter died I've been worried that I might lose you guys too, so I have been making and finding ways to prevent every bad thing that I could think might happen to you. I just...didn't want to lose my brothers but I ended up doing that anyway...I'm sorry."

Splinter nodded with satisfaction and then looked at Casey. "Casey, I know that you have been drinking alcohol. I want you to tell your father everything you have been wanting to tell him for years and then sign yourself into rehab."

"But Splint-

"Do you want your little sister to lose her brother?" Splinter cut him off and Casey sighed knowing he was right. "You think I can do it?"

Splinter nodded. "I know you can." He then looked at April. "April, Raphael has told me about your fight with your father. You need to tell him the truth and how you feel before it hurts you and everyone else around you."

Splinter gestured to Donnie and April looked doubtful but she nodded in agreement. She knows that Splinter was right, they all were, she was just scared that she might lose her father but if she doesn't talk to him she will lose all of her family.

Splinter nodded and turned to Raph. "Rapheal, I know it wasn't easy to control your temper and emotions since I have been gone but I must say you have held up well."

Leo smiled. "He really has Sensei. He hasn't screamed or got into fights as much as he used to." He said and Raph smirked at him. "Well, I had a little bit of help."

Splinter smirked. "Oh? Someone special I presume? Who is she?" He said playfully and Raph blushed. "Come on, Sensei!" He whined.

"Rapheal, as your Sensei and Father, I order you to tell me everything!" Splinter said with a smile. Mikey laughed. "Yeah! Tell him how you and Mona-Lisa make nose kisses!" He teased.

"Mona-Lisa? Is that her name?" Splinter asked with a grin. Raph growled and hit Mikey on the head with a pillow. "Shut up, Mikey!"

Mikey laughed and hit Raph back with a pillow. The two were now in a pillow fight and everyone laughed at them. "Wait boys!" Splinter called but couldn't help the laughter in his tone. "Settle down before you get us kicked out of here!"

"Not until Mikey says it!" Raph yelled with a grin before tackling Mikey on the ground. "Ow! Ok, Ok! Raphael is all wise and powerful and is better than me in every possible way!"

They all laughed. Splinter smiled warmly at the scene, he never thought he would see his children smiling and joking around again but there was one child who was still missing. His ears perked up and he glanced at the door, he smirked before looking back at the others.

"Do you all mind waiting in the waiting room for a while, I need to rest." They all stopped and looked at him.

"Oh, of course Sensei." Leo said before looking at the others. "Come on guys, let's let him rest."

Splinter watched them go and waited a few minutes. "I know you're there. Come out of hiding."

Karai slowly came out from behind the door and kept her head down. She squeezed her arm nervously. Splinter smiled at her. "You've grown your hair out."

Since everything that has happened over the past few weeks, Karai allowed her hair to grow out, it was now an inch above her shoulders. Karai didn't respond to that though. Instead her eyes watered and her lip quivered. She darted towards Splinter and hugged him tightly.

"Mi-

"I'm sorry, Father!" She cried in his chest. Karai wasn't sure if she had ever cried as much as she was right now. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that stuff I said!"

Splinter looked at her worriedly and held her tight. "Miwa." He said softly but she didn't hear him.

"I should have listened to you! It was my fault, if I had listened to you sooner you wouldn't have suffered the way you did!"

Splinter shook his head. "Miwa, no, that's not-

"I'm sorry that I have been a terrible daughter to you! I keep getting you and everyone else hurt! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"Miwa, that is enough!!" Splinter said sternly and pulled himself away, making his daughter look at him. "My death was not your fault and you are not a terrible daughter! I love you, more than you will ever know!"

Karai sniffed and rubbed her nose. She looked at her father and noticed him giving her that look, the look she could never understand. His eyes showed the love that he had for her and his face read understanding.

"Why do you always look at me like that?"

Splinter looked confused. "Like what?"

"The look you just gave me!" Karai exclaimed. "Since the day we've met you've been giving me that look! Why don't you ever look at me like a monster or an evil villain! I've done countless horrible things even after I learned the truth yet you still give me that look! Why?!"

Splinter hesitated and sighed. "Because...I've made the same mistakes you've made."