I love this story. Thank you for writing it. Your love for these characters shows through clearly, and your passion for the themes in this story likewise comes through gloriously. Honestly, I was surprised to read in your author's note that you didn't have an actual outline for this when you began writing, because it feels so cohesive and well-balanced when I read it! So letting it flow seems to work for you, and I'm glad you let yourself enjoy this process. Beautiful, beautiful work. Thought provoking, inspiring, it just... made me happy. Except when it made me cry, and you sure know how to wretch those tears. Anyway. Thanks again for taking the time with this one. It'll stick with me for some time to come. 3

~KT

Just... lots of crying over here... that is all.

I still can’t shake the fear of impending doom... but I’m loving every minute. I see both April’s side and Don’s. Maybe April’s a little more, since I’m a mom too. I shall keep reading...

D: I can barely watch!

Georgia is ADORABLE. And not in an annoying way, in the way only someone who knows little kids is. I love that she doesn’t baby talk, and the running out makes, singing Frozen! It’s great. The whole family is adorable, actually. Karai is clearly high maintenance, but hey, if Leo’s good with it, how can I object? ;)

Ok well clearly I was wrong , and Karai is back in the picture, and THIS gorgeous bit has me actually gives me hope it might work out for them...
“His hand left her wrist and he wrapped his good arm firmly around her, cutting off any escape, his fingers sliding through her hair as he kissed her softly and unhurriedly, content to linger, seemingly unaware of the raw, painful way he was ruining everything, quietly destroying her from the inside out and burning the bridge back to the way things used to be, making it impossible to retreat behind a casual veneer of indifference.”

But even if they don’t, as Leo concluded... so what? That’s life. It’s never sure. Never a guarantee. I love the way you portray these guys. Can’t get enough, this story is like crack!

Oh the suspense! Seriously, no need to feel unsure about your action scenes, they’re great!

"A, we haven't run a mission together in over a decade," Leo hissed, testily, "And B, you're unpredictable on a good day. And just a general note for the team, here: I am really, really done explaining myself. This is not a training exercise. These people have Mikey, and I'm not gonna stop and hold a special session of Congress every five feet. From now on, you can follow orders, or go home. Clear?"

I love that Leo reasserted his authority, here. Reminded them what’s at stake. I hav a horrible ball of dread in my stomach. Do I think you would kill off any of the characters? I hope not! But I think you *could*, and I’m terrified. And what about Candy? Wouldn’t Bishop follow up with her too?

Mikey is heartbreakingly brave, here. He knows he will be captured, probably questioned and tortured... but he meets it head-on, never asking why me or wondering if his friend is worth it. His friend might even be DEAD. But he still risks himself. It’s so nobly understated, too. Love it.

Gee-zus. The first parts of this chapter were hella intense. Like hard to read, even. Definitely lived up to the build-up. Raph’s cold words, and you just KNOW how badly he’s hurting inside. Leo... Leo. They needed this confrontation. It doesn’t look like it’s going to work out for them, and if that’s true... I’m glad. I mean it. I’ve felt from the beginning of this story that this isn’t a wound that can be healed for him. For either of them. It doesn’t seem right, seems too “fairytale”, so to speak, for them to be able to set aside all of the damage they’ve done to each other and have a healthy relationship. I’m a big fan of finding the beauty in real life, ugly as it sometimes is. Clearly you are too. So although they needed this... I’m not so sure their happy ending is together. The levity of the ending was the perfect balance to the intensity of the beginning, and as usual, I’m left stunned by your talent.

A tough one. A tough read... and yet soothing. I felt the loss, and ache inside me felt that still hasn’t gone away. And won’t for quite some time. And that is your power as a writer. What more can I say?

Noooooooooooooooo! I should have seen it coming, but you distractred me with Mikey, and Raph, and Don ad Casy, and I just..l didn’t... *wails* I know it was the best possible ending for him, and I know the brothers know it too, but nooooo! You deserve so much praise for the other parts of this long and gorgeous chapter, but my heart is broken right now and I just caaaan’t. D:

JUST. SO. GOOD. Don’s latent feelings of injustice rising to the surface in front of April, and Mikey *almost* really connecting with Leo, but then the wall is back up, and Mona and Raph... I know you’re a good writer. I am completely immersed when I’m reading this story, and your dialogue and character interpretations are spot-on, but the following line is the most *beautiful* bit of writing I’ve seen from you yet:
and suddenly he was kissing her jaw, and then her cheek and she knew it was going to happen, and she still felt the fear but it was too late because she was already in love with him when his mouth found hers and something in her knew it had to be this way. It didn't last long, but his mouth was scorching with pain and need, and she felt her own hunger singing in her blood, all the painful, broken places waking up at once, but through the howling clamor of it all, her heart kept crashing 'him, him, him!'

Both so afraid, and yet both so courageous. I’m flailing and melting at the same time!

Aaaaallll kinda of adorable, SO adorable. I was so happy for Mike I was grinning like a fool! And so true. They see each other. And I love that they decided to “take things slow” with a little side-by-side, instead of perpetuating that sad myth that love has to mean intercourse, and intercourse is the ultimate intimacy. I’m sounding like a broken record, but this is JUST SO GOOD!

Sweet and heartbreaking. I’m glad you showed Leo’s frustration coming through at the end. Being a caretaker is not easy, even for someone you love. Leo wouldn’t be “human” if he never got angry or had to remind himself to be patient. Poor guy... poor ALL of them, when Splinter’s time comes...

There you go, breaking my heart AGAIN with Mikey. Gah, the whole scenario was just, made me feel SO MUCH for Mikey. Guy has a heart of gold, and I just want everyone to love him! And that he felt “like a kid” meeting this blind date... ugh. I felt his humiliation. I hope things start looking up for him.