Ninja Mutant Turtle Teenagers in New York

Just the Beginning

{A/N: Play video at the end}

Tara's POV:

We huddle around Splinter as Donnie injects the mutagen into his system.

Donnie: "Ok, the mutagen is now entering his bloodstream."

Mikey: "Master Splinter?"

Raph: "Nothing's happening."

Mikey: "Why isn't it working yet?"

Splinter: *whispered* "Mikey, come closer."

Splinter whispers something into Mikey's ear before they both turn to us.

Leo: "What'd he say? What'd he say?"

Mikey: "He said, 'Please get your knee off my chest."

We all sigh in relief that he's gonna be ok.

Leo: "Sensei!"

Mikey: "You're alive."

Raph: "It worked."

Leo: "I'm sorry. This was all my fault."

Raph: "You were right. We weren't ready."

Splinter: "No, it was I who was not ready to let you go. All you needed was to discover that your true power lies in believing in one another."

The brothers look at each other as Mikey imitates his mind being blown. I smile before letting it falter as I walk towards the dojo to meditate for a while. I last two minutes before a familiar voice interrupts my focus.

Leo: "You did good."

I smile, keeping my eyes closed to regain my concentration.

Me: "Not so bad yourself."

Leo: "We couldn't have done this without your help. No doubt it was harder on you than you'd let us believe."

Me: "It was worth the sacrifice if you still have your father."

Leo: "Hey, we're family. We stick together. And I know your mom would be as proud of you as I am right now to call you part of that family."

I open my eyes with a laugh.

Me: "Leonardo the charmer. Always with the right thing to say."

Leo: "What happened to 'Chief'?"

Me: "Oh, that's not going anywhere, and neither am I."

Leo smiles, and I do the same before a thought enters my mind.

Leo: "What is it?"

Me: "If he gets out of prison-"

Leo: "He won't."

Me: "But if he does, he won't stop until he has all four of your shells hanging on a wall, Splinter in the same place as my mother, and me back in his cage."

Leo places his thumb and forefinger under my chin.

Leo: "I won't let that happen. He's not getting out of prison, Splinter's safe here, and I won't let anything happen to you. I won't lose the woman I love this much at the drop of a hat."