A/N: Well, it's done. Enjoy the last stretch of this crazy ride.

Breaking Point

The apartment was quiet when Kimberly finally got home from work. It was a long day. She yawned, her feet carrying her the short distance to her kitchenette. She snatched a spoon out of the dish rack as she passed it and opened the freezer with her other hand. Frozen air blasted her face as she pulled out an ice cream tub. Closing the door behind her with her elbow, she snapped off the lid and scooped out her first heavenly bite of Cookies and Cream deliciousness.

As she navigated towards her couch, her thoughts drifted to her dogs. Normally, they would be under her feet right now. A lump formed in her gut as she froze. "Juniper?" She glanced around her dark apartment, each shadow now a threat. "Bully? Here, boy!" She set her ice cream on the pockmarked coffee table and slowly moved about the room with hesitant steps. Her hands loosely formed fists as they barely raised before her. "…Junebug?"

She never saw the hit coming. Her world swayed around her until she collapsed into the arms of a stranger. Her wide eyes stared at the brown leather sleeves of her assailant. She couldn't move as she watched her bare feet drag along her carpeted floor. Before she could make her voice work, the stranger dumped her unceremoniously on her couch.

"Finally. Do yo' know how long I've been waiting fo' you to come home?" The woman's Jersey accent drew Kimberly's gaze. "Yo' don't even look worth my effert. I expected more from someone involved wit' murderers."

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Kimberly took in the taller woman's fit form before stopping at the long staff strapped to her back.

"You don't know?" The rage in her face turned to scorn. "Then you should run while you have the chance. Before they kill someone yo' love, too."

"Who are you talking about?" Kimberly moved to sit up only to find she couldn't. "What did you do to me?!"

"Pressure point. Unlike your boyfriend, yo' don't deserve a hit from my staff. You are an innocent, as far as I can tell."

Kimberly felt heat rise in her cheeks, quickly denying the 'boyfriend' bit. Then her eyes widened. "It was you! You attacked Raph two days ago!"

The stranger smiled. "Congratulations. Yo' figured it out." She whipped out her staff and pointed at her.

Kimberly flinched as the hidden blade rang out before her eyes. "Can we talk about this? I don't want to die. There are so many things I still have to do before that happens. So how about you undo what you did to me and we can have a normal conversation that doesn't involve you pointing that sharp blade at my face, okay?"

"You tawk too much." She retracted the blade and holstered the weapon. "But so did someone else I knew, so I won't kill you fo' it. It's the rat I really want, anyway."

"Splinter?" Kimberly blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Is that its name? My bosses didn't know it had one. Or they dinnit tell me, which could also be true. Maybe yo'll be more useful than I thought." She closed the distance between them. "Why did this 'Splinner' kill my sister?"

"He wouldn't! Splinter doesn't kill innocents. He's better than that."

"Is that so? Maybe your boyfriend will have better answers when your life's in its hands." She dug into Kimberly's pocket and pulled out her shellcell. "Let's call'm, shall we?"

Raphael made good time on his well-worn path. Rage carried his feet in breakneck speeds across the rooftops. Adrenaline worked overtime to keep him going. It was a feeling he knew well, if he could think past his racing heart. The dread in his gut spurred him on. Nothing could get in his way. Not after Kimberly's frightened phone call.

Nobody touches her! Nobody! The thought breezed past his walls. She bettah not be hurt or that bitch is dead!

Kimberly's apartment complex came into view, allowing Raphael sight of the raven-haired woman holding his girl with a dagger pressed against her neck. He touched down on the roof in a full run, stopping only at the sight of blood dripping down from the blade's point of contact. "Let 'er go!"

"After what Splinner did to my sister? No." The woman said. "I will get my revenge one way or anodder. All I need t'know now is who will fall first fo' his crime."

"Yer insane!"

"Don't call me that! Do yo' want me to kill 'er?"

"Don't worry about me, Raph." Kimberly shifted in her capture's hold. "Just go. Get out of here."

"Shut your trap," She hissed. "Yo' don't get to talk."

Raphael was frozen with indecision. A strong desire to throw caution to the wind and rush her right now washed over him. The only thing that kept him in place was fear that Kimberly could get hurt in the process. He had to do something, but what? His fingers itched for a weapon, but his previous battle with the stranger proved that was a risk if she caught him reaching for one.

"Alright, listen." Raphael spoke, cautiously, "I don't even know yer sister. Why don'tcha fill me in on what I'm missin' here."

"Her name was Carol." She paused as if saying the name was difficult for her. "My damn bedder half, and that fuckin' monsser slaughtered her in cold blood! She did nothing wrong. Not once in her short, perfect, life."

"I can't even imagine how I'd feel if one of my brothers died." Kimberly's shoulders dropped with emotion. Even as a hostage, she could feel pity for her captor. It was a fact Raphael couldn't understand.

"He ain't no monster! He don't kill innocent people!" He clenched his fist. "You've got yer facts all wrong, lady."

"I know it happened!" The taller woman was adamant. "Just like I know someone will die tonight. And maybe it'll me, but I'm done with your damn denial. So, who's it goin' to be?"

"No!" Kimberly burst out as the dagger cut deeper. She found her captor's foot and stomped down, hard. Her twisting body sent her elbow straight into the straner's chin. With a little more effort, she pulled free, her body crumpling to a heap on the hard concrete.

As soon as she was clear, Raphael charged forward, taking the dark-haired woman down with ease. "You've messed with us fer tha last time, bitch!" Rage blurred his vision as he held her against the ground. Everything he was holding back came out all at once.

"Raph! Don't!" Kimberly's voice gave him pause. "She's hurting. Whatever really happened to her sister… Look at what you're doing. You can't…"

His fist hung over the bloodied face of the woman who dared hurt his girl. The hard, almost righteous, stare gazed back at him. "Why should I care? After what she was going to do to you…"

"Don't…don't kill her."

This time, he heard the choked quality of her voice. His tensed shoulders dropped as he turned his face towards her. "Did she hurt you?"

"I'm okay." She pushed herself off the ground, her hand firmly pressed against her neck.

"No. Yer not." He shifted to get a better look at the blood slipping between her fingers. "How bad did she cut you?"

"It's just a nick." She moved over to him in clumsy movements. "You're not going to kill her."

"I ain't jus' lettin' her get away wit' this."

"Ya, be the mons'er yo' freaks are." The stranger hissed. "Go ahead. Kill me. Like that rat did to my sister."

"Shut up." Raphael hissed back. "You don't get a say in this."

"What are you going to do?" Kimberly asked him as she collapsed beside him.

He turned to her as she gripped his shoulder. The rage warred within him, but his father's teachings kept his bloodied fist still. "Dammit." He pulled zip-ties out of a pouch in his belt and secured the dark-haired woman's wrists. "It would be so damn easier if I didn't hafta worry 'bout her fuckin' vendetta makin' a mess a' things." He muttered. "This bettah not come back and bite me in tha ass."

He stood in a huff, pulling the stranger with him. "I'll take care of her. You are going to a hospital." Kimberly just nodded in response.

"Let me go, freak!" The stranger snapped at him as she pulled away, but Raphael's grip was stronger.

"I told you ta shut up, didn't I? Yer lucky I'm lettin' ya live."

"Fuck you."

It was quiet in April's apartment. The only sound that broke the still air was the brief ruffling of paper. A small desk lamp offered the barest of light, but it was enough for the only occupant. She turned another page of the photo album, her breath hitching as her green eyes caught sight of one of the pictures. It was taken during better times. They were laughing. April couldn't remember why, but seeing herself pressed up against Casey; so happy, so…in love. A lone tear drop fell, hitting the plastic cover protecting the photograph. What's wrong with me? She squeezed her eyes tight against a memory invading her reverie. She could still hear the squeal of Casey's roaring motorcycle racing away. The last hope that this could ever be remedied went with him. And it was all her fault.

No, it's better this way. She snapped the book closed, her other hand drifting to her gut. He's reckless and immature. What hope could he… She stood in a burst of movement, the chair bouncing against the floor. It would never have worked out. I know that. He can't change. I was only fooling myself, anyway.

She could feel the wetness of her cheeks and angrily rubbed it away. "Why?" Why does it have to hurt? I did the right thing…right? It was bound to happen again. Even if… Her tears came faster as she folded her arms over her belly. The emotion overcoming her forced her onto the end of her bed. Her mind was taken by memories she didn't want to think about – couldn't think about. All her fear and pain from the last three months bombarded her senses. She was practically drowning in it. "I…I can't…"

No, it's over. I don't need to remember. I just need to forget. "Let me forget!"She vehemently shook her head. I can do this. He's gone. He doesn't ever need to know.

Like that would change anything, anyway. A fierce look crossed her face. He'd never win father of the year. "Hear that, Casey?! I'm glad you're gone!" She stood and stormed over to her desk. Yanking open the drawer, she glared down at the medical papers that changed her life. "At least you never got a chance to ruin this kid's life." It a fit of uncharacteristic rage, she tore the papers, sending the shredded pieces flying. This is all your fault! How could you put me through this?! I never even wanted a baby! Now I'll never get the chance! A sob escaped her throat. "Why me? Why-?

"Why did you leave me?"

A/N: ... That last scene. It was so hard to write... But now you know what's up with April. As for the stranger? Get ready to officially meet her in the next book, Riverstone.