TMNT - Worlds Change

Seven

Venus POV:

I took a deep breath. I knew I was being dragged under by the spell. I tried to call out to Athena to hurry. She couldn't hear me. The world went dark.

Athena POV:

"Leo?" I found him standing on the roof, alone. He seemed quiet and broken. "Leo, are you alright?" He looked up at me.

"When did I become so out of control?" He seemed so unlike the turtle I had grown to know. But is understood what he was going through.

"You're afraid you are becoming hot-tempered like Raph?" I said softly. He looked away. Bellona had told me about Raph and Leo's fight. "I promise you have nothing to worry about."

"How are you so sure?" He looked me in the eyes, pain filling them. I glanced out over the skyline, toward the bright lights of Stanton Island and the Statue of Liberty.

"When we were little, Venus and Bellona would spare often. I worked with my staff alone while Iris watched the others. One day, they got into it. Bellona threw her psi and cut a gash in Venus' arm. They got into a fist fight and I moved to stop it. But before I could get there, Iris had already jumped in between them. The two stopped, almost immediately. Almost. Iris got a couple of bruises. I started bandaging everyone up, and I was furious at the two of them. Then Iris starts laughing." I smiled at the memory. "She looked up at the three of us, all staring blankly back at her. She said 'that was fun! Can I do it again?' And from that point forward, all of us tried to teach her so that one day, she could defend herself. Eventually, it got to the point she could stop us with a word, and heal us with a few more. But we all still look at her like the baby sister. And Venus was always the protector when it came to Shredder. " I looked at him, seeing him watching me.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because. The night that Venus ran out, I was beyond anger. I was so lost in rage, I ran at Bellona. When she said she had done it for Iris, I kept fighting. Iris wasn't there to stop me. Venus was gone. The one who had always protected us from Shredder, from each other, was walking away. I hit her. She just stood there and took it. Donnie pulled me off of her and I went off at him. He tried to hold me until you came back. I was storming out, going after her like you did. But seeing how sad, how pained you were... I knew it was no use." I took a breath. His eyes seemed a little more hopeful. "You aren't the only one, who loves her Leo. You aren't the only one who lost their temper. I just got my control back. Now you just have to." He smiled a little, the first time in a while. I don't know what about it made me think of it, but it gave me an idea.

"Athena? You have that look in your eyes." He watched me hopeful. I took off back toward the lair, Leo hot on my heels.

Leo POV:

"Donnie, can you translate please?" I watched Athena as she grabbed the Utrom tech piece from the mantle and began disassembling it.

"The tech can be used by itself, you just have to... I'll need... Donnie bring me the nanites!" She turned on the computer system and started drawing on the screen. The lines began to glow as if her fingers were on fire.

"I think she has a plan. Nanites?" He called back to her as he began searching his shelves.

"Yes Nanites! And your Sagan converter!" She was still drawing on the screen, but then began to build onto the Utrom piece. Donnie stopped dead in his tracks, box on nanites in hand.

"That's an experimental converter, Athena. Are you sure?" She turned and walked over to him. She quickly kissed him, but with more force than usual.

"I'm positive." She took the nanites from Donnie's hand and went back to work. Donnie stood very still for a moment, blushing and then turned to me. "I'll let you know once I have figured it out."

I turned and walked into the living room, where Bellona stood abruptly.

"Does Athena have a plan?" Raph's hand was wrapped into hers. I smirked a little at him.

"She's working on one, yes." I looked over at Raph, hope filling me for the first time since Venus took off.

"Bellona, could you come help me in here?" Athena called from the other room, not even breaking eye contact with her computer. Bellona jumped at the opportunity. Raph headed out of the room, but I caught his arm in the hall.

"Hey. Can we... talk?" It felt so strange to repeat the words he had said not hours earlier.

"What about? Thought you were -"

"Look I know what I said. That's what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to apologize. You were right about me being angry. Wanting to stop her. But not for why you think." He looked at me confused, but the lights came on quickly.

"You love her."

"Yes."

"And you haven't told her because?"

"Because I couldn't risk being blind to my team. To my brothers. And yet, in losing her, I lost myself. Raph you have to believe me, I never wanted this. Any of this, to stop us from being brothers." I looked away, ashamed. Raph chuckled and I looked up at him. He stood grinning.

"We never stopped being brothers Leo. You just lost sight of who you were for a while. And you loving her? That makes you stronger, dude. She is their Anchor. And though I hate to admit it, like you are ours. She wanted to protect her sister. The way you once wanted to protect me."

I looked up at Raph, a grin forming for the first time in ages.

"So. While we are on the topic of love, what's up with you and Bellona?" I smiled as he dropped his eyes, grinning. But he never got around to telling me.

"Leo! She did it!" Donnie called from the other room, and Raph took off. I paused only for a moment.

"Just hang on, Venus. We're coming for you."