Karai was very upset. Her spirit was crushed. She had done so much for him through the years. She had come to love him so much. Why couldn't he love her back the way she needed him to?

She racked her brain as she walked, trying to think of a way that would allow her to show Leo just how much she loved him. She thought to herself, what if she wasn't the Shredder's daughter...? Would Leo look at her differently? Truly it was her father who had shattered Leo to this point, not her. She thought of the consequences that would come with her going against Oroku Saki... She would to the least be disinherited. She would lose her name and financial backing. She thought for a moment... She thought hard, and the more she realized how deep her unhappiness ran, the more she made up her mind it was time to make a change and break free.

With a new found stride in her step, she walked until she saw a cab approaching. Hopping in, she instructed him to take her to a certain place near Central Park.

 

Raph ran faster than he had ever ran before. Part of him wanted Leo to catch up to him, to stop him and make it all go away... But he knew.... He knew everything was true. Donnie wouldn't spat out stuff like that if it wasn't. Raph kept running, tears sliding down his face. His chest felt tight, it hurt to breathe... He didn't care. He just continued to run. His feet moved on their own, taking his body by pure instinct somewhere where he could calm himself. Before he knew it he was unboarding the subway near Central Park.

He walked towards the park. There was still sunlight out thanks to the longer summer days. When he reached the street crossing to enter it, he stood still. His feet wouldn't move in that direction any more... Instead he turned around, his eyes glassy and nonpresent, he started to walk up one of the streets. As he reached his destination, he began to cry again. He wasn't angry anymore... He didn't even know what he was feeling, all he knew was he felt empty inside. An empty shell, he thought.

Raphael stopped in front of the door. His eyes locked onto the small piece of paper marking the name and number of Leonardo's father's home. He bit his lip. He thought he was an idiot, why would he come all the way over here?

"What are YOU doing here...?" He heard a voice behind him. He still felt nothing. Slowly he turned, and standing there was Karai, her eye makeup running down her face as hick tears refused to stop.

He looked at her inquisitively. "Why are ya crying...?" His question came out soft and kind, taking her by surprise.

She couldn't help an embarrassed smile crawl on her face. "Probably the same reason you are..." Her voice sounded pained. Raph couldn't find any anger to throw her way.

"Doubt it..." He whispered.

"Really? Cause you look as heart broken as I am..." She looked down, shoulders slumped forward. "Listen, I really don't want to stand in no one's way anymore... I just need to talk to Splinter-Sama for a quick moment and then I'll be off. I'm returning to Japan tomorrow morning." She straightened up, hoping to sound convincing enough to Raph so he would allow her the intrusion.

"I-I don't even know why I'm here... Do whateva' ya want... I'm leaving." Just as Raph turned to leave, the door flew open.

"Raphael! Oh, and if it isn't miss Karai! What a pleasant surprise! Please, children, come in... I'm making tea." Splinter was smiling kindly at them, his eyes urging both to accept the invitation. The old rat had listened in from his balcony, and purposely chose to ignore the evident tears on both youths.

They both bowed lightly and let themselves in. So much for Raph trying to leave... His feet once again guided him to where his heart ached to be.

"Splinter-Sama... It has been a long time. How is your health?" Karai took a seat in the living room, her back straight as a good traditional Japanese woman's posture should always be.

The old rat smiled. "I have seen better days, my dear. But then again, age doesn't come on its own." He walked to the kitchen and poured boiling water into separate cups.

Karai's heart ached again. She truly did cherish the old rat as much as she would a parent since he had always been very kind and loving towards her. She knew of his lost daughter who passed long ago together with his beloved wife, and he had mentioned many times how much she reminded him of her in spirit. "Splinter-Sama, I will be leaving back to Japan tomorrow, but before I went I needed to see you, and seek your advice..."

Splinter placed a few tea leaves into two of the cups, and what looked like rosemary leaves into the third. He then covered them slowly and turned to Karai, prompting her with his kind beady eyes to continue.

"My father, he has been getting involved in certain, illicit activities... I'm fearful he will bring Leonardo too close to them, and get him into unfortunate troubles." She carefully picked her words as to not let the elder know his son was in fact already involved and very much in danger. "I wanted to request of you to speak to your son and advice him to distance himself from my father... For good." She clenched her fists over her knees. Raphael stared at her as he listened to her words, the blood starting to boil again inside him at the thought of her despicable father having his way with Leonardo. He knew she was being careful to not upset Splinter and mentally commended her for being able to keep her composure, something he would probably never master.

Splinter placed the tea cups onto a tray and walked towards the youths, placing them on the coffee table. He then sat and crossed his bony fingers under his muzzle. "I have sensed my son's spirit to be in turmoil for some time now, but Leonardo is not one to open up easily... I must say I feel as a failure of a parent to have him have to care for this old man when in fact I should be the one to care for him..." He took a deep breath. "It is my shame to know I robbed him of his youth at such an early age."

"He loves you very much." Raph interjected. "And even though he might not share stuff with ya, he always comes here when he's upset." His words came out in a hurry, unsure if he was being disrespectful or interrupting.

"If what you say is in fact true, then where is he right now...?" Splinter's eyes became slits as he leaned forward to pick up his cup. He blew into it and took a long sip while looking between Raphael and Karai.

 

When Leo stormed after Raph, his legs froze as he saw his tall figure run away. He couldn't follow him, as much as he wanted to. He didn't have the courage to do so. The way Raph looked at him, with almost disgust, hatred... It broke him. If he had doubts before about how he felt for the hothead, they went out the window. He truly did LOVE the emerald turtle. And he would NOT let anything happen to him.

Leo walked on shaky legs towards the nearby liquor store, wrapping his bleeding arm with his hand so the store owner wouldn't notice it, he purchased a bottle of Jack Daniels and caught the first cab after he stepped out of there. His destination: The Foot Productions' headquarters. Once in the cab he twisted the cap of the bottle and took a long swig. The amber liquid burned his throat and stomach as it made its way down his body. He pulled out his cellphone and sent a text out. 'I've missed you. See you in HQ soon...' The recipient, none other than Shredder. He knew he wouldn't receive a response, but he also knew the evil man wouldn't resist the invitation.

 

Donatello ran out the door, he looked around but couldn't see anyone. His hands were shaking. Maybe Mikey was right, maybe his delivery could have been better thought out. He bit his lip, worried for the others. He started to walk aimlessly, pulling his phone out of his pocket he touched his favorite contacts screen and called the last incoming call. "We have a problem..."

 

Mikey was cleaning up the mess, trying to make sense of what had happened. He suddenly felt a chill go down his spine, something screaming in his head that his friends were in danger. He hurriedly grabbed for his phone and called Usagi. "Yo... We have a situation. I need your help."

 

Raph looked at Karai who had suddenly lost her words in her throat. She kept fidgeting with the tea cup, not being able to drink it, the cluster of words fighting to break free in her to scream the truth didn't even allow her to gulp her own spit down without effort. He then looked at Splinter, the old rat seemed a little shaky. Did he maybe already know what was really going on? Raph gathered his courage. "Mister, I guarantee he will end up at yer doorstep in no time. So please, listen to the girl and please help her talk some sense inta him..."

Splinter felt a throb in his chest, he sipped some more tea.

"Splinter-Sama...?" Karai placed the cup down and moved forward in her seat.

Raph looked at the old man again. Something was not right. "Mister...? Are ya alright? Yer nose looks kinda dry." Karai shot him an annoyed look, but then noticed that Raphael was in fact right. Splinter looked very ill.

All of a sudden his thin body frame curved forward, sending him into a cough frenzy. Both Raphael and Karai immediately went to his aide. "Splinter-Sama! What's wrong?"

The rat humanoid continued to cough, blood starting to blotch out on the floor. "Blood! His bleeding! Call 911!" Karai nodded at Raph and pulled her phone out quickly dialing for help. "Hang on, mister. Ya're gonna be fine." Raph thought of calling Leo, but didn't want to leave Splinter unattended. They would contact him as soon as they got him stabilized. "Ya're gonna be fine..."

Karai was on the phone with the operator answering as many questions as she could. "Yes, he was just having some tea... I'm not sure what kind." She gave Raph a puzzled look.

"Mister, what was in your tea?" Raph tried to find out.

"S-Sa-k...." The coughing wouldn't subside.

Karai however heard him loud and clear. Her blood went cold, her phone slipped out of her hand. "Oh no..." She whispered as she ran to look into the tea cup he had been holding. She smelled the contents. "This isn't rosemary! It's Japanese yew!" Raph looked at her quizzically, but she didn't notice. Immediately she grabbed her phone and yelled into the auricular. "He's been poisoned! It's Japanese yew! Japanese yew! Hurry! Send an ambulance!"

Japanese yew is an extremely toxic shrub. One mouthful is enough to kill anyone due to cardiac and respiratory failure.

The ambulance took what seemed like an eternity as they both did they're best to keep Splinter conscious. Once he was being strapped on the stretcher, Karai jumped into the back of the emergency vehicle, Raph was planning on going as well, but was met with her palm to his plastron. "You need to find Leo! This was NOT an accident. This was my father's doing." Raph's eyes grew wide, his pupils so small Karai felt the fire from his golden irises. "He has been blackmailing Leonardo for years by keeping his father sick, but I never thought he would actually try to kill him. You need to find him, before my father does. If he was planning on getting rid of Splinter, my guess is Leo is next." She handed him a business card, on the front it read 'The Foot Productions'. Raph felt a fire ignite within him. He stepped back to let the EMT's load Splinter in.

The old man raised a hand to Raph. "M-m.... S-...n....." More cough came. "S-s-ve.... H-h-m...."

Raph's face went serious. He kissed Splinter in his forehead and whispered, "don't worry Splinter. I'll save Leo. I promise." He stepped back and watched the ambulance take off.

 

Leo had reached the massive building near Times Square that housed Oroku Saki's empire. He felt numb. He was not scared, he was not sad, he was not angry... He was just... numb. He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, lazily he took it out and looked at the screen. It was Usagi. He rejected the call and made it go to voicemail. He was numb. A moment later his phone started to vibrate again. This time it was Karai. The hell he didn't want to talk to her either. His numbness faltered a little towards anger, but after he rejected that call the emotion soon faded again.

He took a steady breath through his nose. His mind resigned to what was to come. He knew what he needed to do, and he was there to get it done. Suddenly, another incoming call started to shake his pocket again. Leo reached the device, but he didn't even dared to look at the screen again... Instead he chucked his arm with all his strength and threw his mobile towards the street and the incoming traffic. When it hit the ground he screen flickered with Raph's name on it right before it got ran over by a taxi. Moments later that to Leo felt like an eternity, Oroku Saki's black Lexus pulled up in front of the building.