"𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓾𝓮; 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱, 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓹𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝔂 – 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀."

You stood silently behind him. You knew that he noticed you there, but he still didn't turn from his longing look out into the city.

Leonardo sat on the edge of the roof of the pizzeria, his legs folded, and he was slumped over.

You were hesitant to sit beside him. You didn't know where your boundaries were anymore. Would he reject your attempts to comfort him? And if he did, how would that effect your relationship? You were so worried that you'd ruin it for yourself, that you almost forgot that you were here for him.

You walked forward anyways, taking a seat beside him on the edge of the roof. Your legs dangled off the edge, and you looked out onto the city with him. The stars twinkled above you in their silent dances and the streets were quiet with the exception of the occasional buzz of Kraang droids.

"Why are you here, (Y/N)?" Leonardo asked, not taking his eyes off the darkened horizon.

You thought about your next words carefully. "I'm not gonna tell you that it was alright - losing Karai wasn't alright - but I'm only saying this because if I said anything else, then you would stop listening to me." You said truthfully. "But she's not lost. She's just having a hard time finding her way home. We'll help her Leonardo - I'll help her. Everyone deserves a place to call home."

Leonardo finally turned to you, only to see your solemn expression. You looked as if you were physically pained by the emotional rollercoaster, but he could find nothing to say to console you. He could only think of questions as to why. "Why are you so willing to help her?" He asked. "She helped Shredder deceive you-"

"Because all of you look so broken without her." You confessed. "Because I know you all want her around, even if I... If I don't trust her not to make a fool out of me again."

Leonardo was both speechless and heartbroken. You were willing to help them find Karai, despite that you were afraid of her lying to you again, because you knew she was family. He didn't want you to feel this way - but he couldn't ask you not to - not when he wanted her back so badly.

"I'll be fine, Leonardo." You said, sensing his distress. "I want to help. I said I would help, but first we have to deal with the alien invasion." You placed your hand firmly on his shoulder. "The team needs their fearless leader to be level headed. I promise I'll help you look for Karai... but we need to make sure the family you have here already, doesn't fall apart."

Leonardo's expression shifted left and right, from pained confusion to sad realization to bitter conformity. "Alright, let's deal with the alien invasion first." He muttered, standing up. He didn't even wait for you before he jumped off the roof and headed back inside.

You still sat there at the building's edge, pulling your knees to your chest. Raph was right. You were just causing yourself unnecessary trouble. But even more so, you were right. You weren't ready to take on Leonardo's troubles. You were just a coward anyway.

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It seemed as though Leonardo took your advice. He and the others started to plan their attacks against the Kraang, and tonight they were supposed to get information on where the Kraang were holding the millions of citizens of New York. Although they brought something else home along with them.

"April get me the remaining materials from the first aid kit and a fresh set of bandages. Do we have any aloe vera? How about alcohol?" You were tending to Mr. Kurtzman's wound. He was shot by the Kraang, and his arm was badly seared and scared by the blast. He was alright for now, but you were low on medical supplies. You'd been hit by the Kraang's weapons before, and for someone as old as Kurtzman, it would take longer for him to recover.

"Alcohol? What kind?" Casey asked, earning a glare from you.

"Yes, the drink will do fine as well, but it needs to be something with a high concentration of it - something to clean the wound." You said as you squeezed the bloodied washcloth into a basin of water.

While you were ordering Casey and April to get materials, Mr. Kurtzman began to speak, despite your recommendations not to.

"All the intel I have on this Kraang missile is on this drive. You and the Turtles have to work together." Kurtzman nearly wheezed out from his injured position on the couch. Leonardo and Slash both voiced their resistance to do so, but Kurtzman made his point. "Whatever problem is between you, you both have a common purpose. We're running out of time."

Then he just lost consciousness. Maybe you applied too much pressure when cleaning his wound.

"Is he..?" Raph was unable to finish his sentence.

You felt his pulse, he was still breathing, albeit shallowly. "He's fine." You said. "But I'm gonna need to cauterize the wound if he's gonna make it for much longer. I need alcohol, bandages, pain medication, and anything to help with deep gashes."

"I'm on it. There's a pharmacy down the street I'll hit for supplies." Casey said as he took his leave.

"The rest of us will take care of him. You must unite and stop that missile before it is too late." Splinter said.

And with that, a whole other battle began, yet again, without you.

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Casey eventually came back with the supplies, and keeping Kurtzman alive was a challenge, but eventually he woke up again. It was a battle against time that the turtles and the Mutanimals were fighting, but eventually you could stand it no more.

You left Antonio's against Splinter's will, but you knew he would understand. You couldn't stand around and wait for them to succeed anymore, you had to do something.

But by the time you arrived at the scene, it was too late. They already saved the day without you. Again.

People started popping up left and right. They were teleported back to Earth from Dimension X. Then the Kraang droids disappeared one by one. You were both relieved, and panicking beyond comprehension.

Please let them be safe.

You knew that sometimes, despite that they successfully saved the day, sometimes it wasn't without a price. You engaged your roller skates and you weaved past the cheering citizens. You climbed onto rooftops and jumped across them as you were looking for the turtles. You were looking for your family.

When you all stepped out into the open to see that people were showing up again, April found her father, and with time, you knew Casey would find his sister and father soon. But you? You had no one but Alaric and the turtles left to call family in New York.

"Raph! Mikey! Donnie! Leo!" You called their names each time you hopped from one roof to the next in hopes they would reply.

Finally, you heard a familiar call. "Booyakasha!"

Rushing to the scene, you found the turtles and the Mutanimals. You almost rushed to congratulate them, but... you realized that much alike Casey and April, you needed to find your family. The turtles were fine... They would be fine.

So you snuck away before they could notice you were even there.

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"ALARIC!" You laughed and nearly cried when you finally found him. You tackled the fool into a hug and took him to the ground.

"Oof!- Christ, kid you gained some muscle while I was gone. What happened?" He chuckled, sitting up as the two of you sat on the front steps of your apartment building.

"A lot." You said simply. "I missed you, bro."

"Stop being soft." He ruffled your hair. "How long were we gone?"

"3 months... Almost four."

"And? How'd you survive this whole time?"

"I was with the tu- with my friends." You said. "We left the city... I'm sorry."

"For what?" Alaric asked, noticing that you refused to look him in the eyes.

"For leaving you and your parents behind." You muttered.

He only scoffed. "You think that matters? My parents will probably make their way home in a few hours at most." He then patted your head. "What matters is that you're alright. You and your friends saved us, didn't you?"

You nodded, a proud smile on your face.

"Then that settles it!" He said leaning back. "There's no need to feel bad, and - and you know what, because this time you and your friends saved us - all of New York, and probably the world... I think I'll be saying goodbye to the Purple Dragons..."

You sat up, looking at Alaric with wide eyes. "What? Seriously?"

"Only if your friends will let me into their little cult. I can fight pretty solidly. They'll let the big bad villain play hero too, right?" He asked teasingly.

"Wha- Yes!" You said excitedly. "Yes you can totally help me on patrol! And- and the guys will love you! After what happened at the farmhouse, they're like family- ..." You stopped in your tracks.

You found Alaric, and his parents would be fine... You found this part of your family, but what about your new one? You knew that you were distant from the turtles after you all got back from the countryside, but they were still family.

"Go." Alaric said, shooing you away. "Go find them." He gave you an understanding, but lazy grin. "You see them as family - go check on them. I'd be mad at you if you didn't."

You gave Alaric one last glance before you took off into the night again.