Leonardo sputtered into consciousness as his brother screamed in his face.

"LEONARDO!"

The eldest turtle blinked, forcing his eyes open. His vision was hazy; he knew it was Raphael above him, but all he could see was a smear of red and gnashing teeth. "How long have I been out?" he groaned.

"Not long, but you're losing a lot of blood," said the turtle in red, his eyes darting to the door he had kicked down only a few moments earlier. "We should go. Can you walk?"

Leonardo tried to nod, but his head flopped forward and he did not have the strength to bring it back.

"I'll take that as a no," his brother said gruffly.

He felt his body being hoisted up by Raphael, who slung him over his shoulder like it was nothing. His brother took a few steps, before halting abruptly. Leonardo's feet were dragging across the floor, through a sea of broken glass. The turtle in blue blinked.

"Glass…?" he murmured in confusion.

"Yeah, that crazy bitch jumped out the window," his brother said, shifting his weight in as he pulled Leonardo up further, away from the glass that littered the carpet.

Leonardo's eyes widened and he lurched forward, wresting himself from his brother's grip. He fell to the floor and struggled to straighten himself. By the time he was able to prop himself up on his arms, the carpet beneath him was turning red.

"Leo! What the hell are you doing?"

Leonardo dragged himself forward, refusing to succumb to how lightheaded he felt. The turtle teetered over the edge of the broken window, which had once stretched from floor to ceiling. As his eyes darted down the face of the building, he felt a wave of nausea come over him. Karai was gone. He drew a sputtering breath. The city was spinning below him.

He felt his brother's hand on his shoulder, yanking him back from the jagged maw of the broken window. d

"Is April alright?" Leonardo gasped, suddenly cognizant of what had transpired before his brother had arrived. The bomb. The gala. Karai. The shameful moment they had shared after he had subdued her.

Raphael glared at his disheveled older brother. "Yeah, no thanks to you," he spat. "Mikey stayed behind to help her while Donnie worked that damn bomb."

The eldest turtle tried to stop himself from shaking, but his body would no longer obey him. "We need to find her. Karai," he stammered deliriously. "I'll take the roof. You keep eyes out the window."

"I don't think so, Leo," Raphael said, his voice alarmingly calm.

"Raph –"

"Don't act like you're in any place to be givin' orders," the turtle in red growled.

The familiar buzz of a shellphone on vibrate cut through the tension between them. Raphael answered it eagerly. "April? Oh thank god," he exhaled in relief. "No, I didn't see your earlier calls." He nodded emphatically. Then his voice became quiet. "I know. I was scared too," he said, turning away from his brother. "Yeah, I found him." The turtle in red paused. "No. Everything is not ok."

Raphael kept talking, but Leonardo could no longer hear what he was saying. He could barely keep his eyes turtle in red hung up the phone and looked back at his brother. The enormous turtle bent and scooped Leonardo in his arms. He squirmed frantically, his eyes darting around the room, though he could no longer see. "My katana!" he protested.

"Fuck your katana, Leo." He heard Raphael say, bitterly. "And fuck you too."

Karai stood in the doorway in her ruined white dress. The room before her was lit only with candles, which sputtered slightly as something moved in the darkness. The Shredder was there, waiting for her.

"Did he believe you?"

"Yes, Master." She bowed her head.

The Shredder nodded, and then he rose. His towering shadow engulfed her, and darkness spread over her white dress. He made his way across the room with only a few long strides. When he passed her in the doorway Karai bowed deeply, though it pained her. She had escaped the wrath of that beast of a turtle, but it had not been without consequence. She only hoped that her father could not see how her face twisted in agony.

"Chunin."

She looked up to her father. His face was swathed in shadow.

"Your retention rates are slipping. If you keep losing this many soldiers on your missions, you will be reporting to Sacks once again when that fool gets out of jail." The Shredder said. And then he asked a question that wasn't a question at all. "Are we clear."

Karai bowed her head once more. "Yes, Master."

When he was gone, the Chunin shut the door behind her. She was able to force herself to take a few steps forward before she crumpled into a heap on the floor. The candles that lit the room flickered as she listened, waiting for the sound of his footsteps to fade.

It was only when she knew she was alone that she let herself succumb to sobbing.

Leonardo awoke to the sound of his own screams. A sharp, pointed pain shot through his shoulder. His eyes opened wide. He was home, in the lair. Splinter stood above him, stitching up the gash above his plastron. The needle went through his skin again, and he grimaced in pain. He closed his eyes. He waited.

When Splinter was done, Leonardo tried to open his eyes again. "Father," he began.

But Splinter only shook his head. He took a cotton ball, soaked with some disinfecting agent from the first aid kit, and he gently dabbed at the place where he had sewn his son back together. With that, Splinter turned from his son and left the room. The lights dimmed. Leonardo was alone.

The turtle laid there on his back, staring at the ceiling. Something hot and wet ran down his face. Blood? No. He was home, safe. He took a shaking breath, and slowly forced his good arm up so he could wipe it from his face. Yes, he was home safe. But he still wept.