Are you done forgiving?
Or can you look past my pretending?
Lord, I'm so tired of defending
What I've become
What have I become?

Times – Tenth Avenue North

"Prove yourself, girl," Tiger Claw urges her forward with the point of his sword, pressing it into her armour covered back. "Make him bleed."

The words bring an unwanted to shiver down her spine as she inches just out of his reach, closer to the edge of the rooftop. Leonardo promised, he promised. Perhaps if she speaks to Raphael, convinces him to play along and pretend to best her then get away quickly, she may still have a chance...

"Go."

She does, Karai leaps off the rooftop onto another and another until she winds up only two buildings away from a very clearly agitated Raphael. His Sai's are in his large hands, clenching and unclenching around the hilts as he mutters something to himself, in an obvious rage.

Taking her tanto, she reveals herself to the turtle by pouncing in front of him, landing in a crouch with a warning glance directed his way. "Play along, we're being watched."

His eyes are wide and accusing as he gets into a defensive position and she has the distinct feeling it is not because she asked him to.

"By who, princess? Daddy?" Raphael's words are bitter as they circle each other like prey, competing for who gets to be the predator.

"I know you don't like me, Raphael. To be honest, I am not that fond of you either but can you please just do what I say for the next five minutes?" Her words are rushed and persistent. If Tiger Claw gets even the slightest indication that something is wrong, he will come down and haul her ass back to Shredder without a second thought.

He hesitates as his eyes rake over her, looking for any sign that she may be lying. She wills him – almost begs him – with her amber eyes to believe her.

"Not a chance," Raphael finally utters, repositioning his Sai's to get a more comfortable grip.

And just like that, all the decisions Karai had made prior to this came back and slapped her in the face.

The trip back to the Lair comes with no hitches. Master Splinter and April were training in the Dojo when they arrived and Donnie went to his lap, talking about a better mutagen tracking system for the retro-mutagen he still needed to make.

Mikey settles himself at the pinball machine. "Want to play, Leo?"

Leo purses his lips as he sees no sign of Raphael.

He ignores Mikey as he goes to the Dojo, hoping Raphael decided to help April but coming up short, only get curious glances from his Sensei and surrogate sister.

Maybe he went to see Casey.

"Hey guys," Casey rounds the corner with two boxes of pizza, "where's Raph?"

Leo locks eyes with Master Splinter whom drops his position of defence with April and comes to his oldest son, eyes downcast and knowing. The two share an understanding look as April watches on, slowly realising the situation as she moves closer, hands wringing together at her abdomen.

Either his rebellious brother was still fuming from their fight and is staying out to prove a point. Or Leo's worse fears are being recognised and his brother is in the hands of Karai and Tiger Claw.

An onslaught of emotions capture Leonardo as anger, worry and sickening realisation courses through his veins. Of course Raphael would get bested to try and make a point – that he didn't need to be told what to do or when to do it. He might just lose his life for that silly inclination.

Leo's eyes settle on April just as she asks quietly – so the others do not catch on, "let me come with you, please."

"Forget it," he snaps just as quietly, remembering the first time April had insisted to help on a suicide mission. He and his brothers could barely face Tiger Claw and come out unscathed, there was no way in hell that Leo was going to let her attend.

"I can do it, Leo! Splinter's been train-"

"I know he has and you have come a long way, but you are not ready to go up against Tiger Claw."

Master Splinter gingerly places a hand on her shoulder, as to not startle her, "child, Leonardo is right. Although you have been forged into a very trusting and reliable Kunoich, you are not quite there yet."

April looks as if she wants to protest but she doesn't, a weird look takes over as she nods. "Fine, yeah okay." She mumbles, her eyes focused on the ground beneath her.

Leo looks to his Sensei, "keep Casey down here, this isn't his fight either."

Master Splinter nods as Leo quickly rounds up his brothers once more. Mikey gives their Sensei a quick hug as the trio hop over the barriers and back into the sewers.

Leonardo leads them in a sprint, climbs the ladder effortlessly and shoves the manhole cover off just a bit too harshly. All the pent up emotion he has with Raphael is breaking. Yeah, he can't follow the simplest of orders, undermines everything Leo says and overall, is just complete ass... but he's still Leo's brother.

Karai. Forced to fight him. To the death. Exactly what in hell was Leo supposed to do now?

Images of the upcoming battle swarm through his mind as he and his brothers race across rooftop to rooftop to get to Raphael before he ends up killed.

Grunts and shouts fill the air as Karai dodges Raphael's attacks to only half-heartedly sweep her tanto in an arc purposely above his head. He seems to realise she is not really trying and shoves his arm into her chest and she stumbles a few steps back as the back of her legs slam into a vent behind her. The pain is barely felt as her armour takes most of the damage. He wants her to fight and hell, right now she wants to as well. But her selfish reasons keeps him alive for the time being.

Leonardo would never help her if she is the cause of Raphael's death.

A shout brings her attention as Raphael lunges for her, his Sai's aiming for her head which she ducks just in time for, his knees catching the vent as he hovers over it, one hand keeping him upright. His breathing is ragged when he faces her again, eyes blazing a bright green.

"Fight me!" He bellows, lunging for her again.

Her tanto comes between the spikes of his Sai's as she twists herself around and out of reach.

"What do you call this?" She demands through her soft pants.

"You're not even trying!" This time, he chucks his Sai at her and she knocks it to the side with her weapon, the Sai embedding into the brick behind her.

She recovers from her shock of just how hard he through that and responds tauntingly, "how embarrassing for you."

He growls menacingly and hurdles his only remaining Sai at her. She moves but barely in time, the tip grazing the side of her ear. She hisses as her fingers fly to the small cut. His hands shove into her shoulders as he pins her against the building just two stories higher than the rooftop they were currently on.

Raphael's face invades her vision as his harsh breathing wafts over her. "What's your angle? Why won't you fight?"

Karai looks into his eyes, determining just how distracted he is as she raises her tanto up above him. His shell will protect him from suffering major damage, she assures herself and positions the tanto into the side of his shell. Just before she plunges it in, Raphael twists her arm to the edge of breaking. She cries out, dropping the blade automatically and cradles the arm into her side.

"Answer me."

Her eyes fly back up to his reluctantly, lips parted as quick pants escape her mouth. "I have to know the truth." She admits bitterly.

"It's true," Raphael tells her in a harsh whisper. She gets the feeling he doesn't want it to be true, it may be the only reason she is still alive right now.

"Raph! Karai!"

Both of their heads whip to the side, watching as Donnie and Mikey stop just a few feet away but not Leo, he continues until his hands seize his brother's arm and yanks him away, holding the top of his plastron at arms length. In the middle of doing this, Leo ended up between them.

"Stop," Karai tells him, her hand outstretched to stop Leo in case he went too far. "He didn't hurt me." In a way, Karai thinks that maybe Raphael had been playing along the entire time. Her eyes fall onto the two Sai's that lay near each other on the ground and her chest falls, no, he had every intention to kill her.

Leo only continues to stare at Raphael, clear rage reflecting in his eyes as the brothers stare each other down. It is only until Karai rests her hand on Leo's upper arm that he falters and cautiously releases his brother only to cast an equally worried glance that mirrors her own towards Karai. "Are you ok?"

She sighs and nods, eyes slipping shut in relief.

"Just as I thought."

Karai's eyes snap open in time to see the turtles staring behind her, different emotions on each of their faces. Raphael looks pissed, to say the least and Donatello seems to be in shock, never actually seeing Tiger Claw before. Michelangelo looks afraid as Leonardo seems pensive and his arm moves in front of Karai, shielding her the best he can.

Karai twists around, eyes landing on Tiger Claw as is one eye burns a hole through her.

Leonardo watches hopelessly as Karai leaves his side to stand by Tiger Claw. He does not feel betrayed by her action, only hope that she can still get out of this awful position with a minuscule fight. Leo would retreat, he would take himself and his brothers away from the battle that is currently brewing.

"This is your final chance, girl." Tiger Claw says to Karai without looking at her. She bends to retrieve her tanto and when she turns around to face the turtles, a look of wild confusion swirls in her eyes.

"Get ready team," Leo wields his Niten Ryu.

Just as the turtles are about to lunge, to take all their anger out on Tiger Claw, they hesitate as a new form drops in beside Karai. Rahzar. Followed by Fishface as Baxter hovers above, spitting acid aimlessly.

With a cruel smirk, Tiger Claw growls and lunges forward, his sword clashing with Leo's. As Leo fends off his attacks, he is aware of the fight around him. Donnie is climbing to higher ground, prepared to take care of Baxter as Mikey and Rahzar resume their unfinished battle. Raphael is taking care of Fishface with remarks and taunts thrown into the air at any given time.

Momentarily distracted when Leo sees Karai staring down at the tanto in her hands, clearly battling with herself, one of his Katanas is knocked out of reach and to the ground.

"Still a cub, I see," Tiger Claw taunts and knocks away Leo's remaining katana effortlessly, watching in something that resembled pity as Leonardo takes out Karai's tanto from his wrist wraps, the one she saved him with all those months ago and successfully fends off another of Tiger Claw's attacks.

With a painful kick straight into his plastron, Leo is hurled backwards and slams into the building. His head connects with the solid brick and his head snaps forward forcefully from the impact. His vision blurs and he can just make out Karai standing behind Tiger Claw now, tanto in hand and looking at him desperately.

"Prove yourself, girl," Tiger Claw lowers his sword to look at her. "Kill him."

Leo's eyes slip shut of their own accord as the darkness takes him.

Fear takes hold of Karai in a way she has never experienced. It feels slightly familiar, but distant in her mind – a memory she cannot really recall as it is blurred by the deceit and lies. However, that fear feels all too real now as her tanto weighs heavily in her palm. Decision time, Karai, her subconscious informs her.

"Prove yourself, girl," his words bring her eyes to Leonardo's form slumped against the wall, barely able to hold his own head up. Tiger Claw hisses, "kill him."

Leonardo loses conciousness then, head lulling forward as his body slides down to the side. The echoes of battle around them clearly state that his brothers have no clue. She has to bring their attention or...

She sighs heavily and walks over to Leonardo, her decision resting heavily upon her shoulders.

Tiger Claw's laughs in sick glee. Karai stops her progress half-way towards the fallen turtle and turns, facing the man that has so easily made her life hell since he arrived.

"Get away from him." Karai threatens, her voice dangerously low as her tanto is by her side, prepared to be of use.

Tiger Claw takes an equally threatening step towards her when his face is knocked to the side. Karai sees the tessen arc in the air and return to it's owner positioned a rooftop away, eyes locked on her and Leonardo.

"April!" Donatello cries, swatting Baxter in the air with his Bo a last time before propelling himself across to meet her.

"You know what this means, don't you child?" Tiger Claw's menacing voice brings Karai's attention back to him and she lowers her head in acknowledgement.

Yes, she knows that she will have to face her father for this. She knows that her stupid dinner with him that would mean so much was quickly cancelled and that soon enough, when she got the turtles away from here and to safety, her life was going to drastically change. Hell, the doubts swirling in her mind never seemed less important than right now as Leonardo was about to be killed this assassin.

To hell with loyalty. It was time she had some honour.

Twirling her tanto between her fingers, she spins on the spot and connects her foot with his upper arm, knocking him off balance. She quickly follows up with her tanto that he grabs with his paw and flings her to the side, quickly advancing on Leo. Karai rushes to her feet and for the next few minutes, keeps him occupied enough to spare Leo's life for some extra moments, praying that one of the turtles will spot him and realise something is wrong.

"Leo!" Raphael's voice carries to her over the harsh sounds of blade against blade, loud grunts and shouts.

Yes, finally. Karai knocks Tiger Claw's sword out of his hand in a small victory. He quickly adopts his pistols and she dodges both shots, flinging herself into the air and landing just in front of Leonardo. April and Donnie rush to his side as Karai protects them with her body, crouched in her familiar way and waving her tanto tauntingly. Her eyes fly to the tanto resting on the floor, just by her feet. The one she threw at Leo to rescue him...

"Ah!" Her cry pierces the air as icicles trap her foot to the concrete rooftop. The points managed to split through her armour and graze her skin.

She is aware of a hand resting on her back in an attempt to calm her, maybe rescue her but she bats it away, staring at her ankle that is dribbling droplets of blood onto the ice.

"Go!" She shouts as April, once again, leaves a hand on her shoulder.

Donnie has Leonardo in his grasp, Karai sees as she twists her head around at Leo's soft groan. She thought he had been waking, but it was his body being shifted that caused the small protest. Still unconscious.

Mikey, having bested Bradford who joined Xever's fight with Raphael, quickly comes up beside Donnie to help him carry their older brother.

At her warning glare, they retreat over the rooftop above, briefly shouting for Raphael.

He catches her eye and Karai wills him to just leave, get out of here with his life and get Leo to safety. Raphael's eyes flicker back and forth before following his brothers. He stops though, his Sai hurdling straight towards her and she braces herself for impact. He never trusted her. This was it.

A split second of pain and then it's gone, replaced with some type of freedom as her foot can now move.

Raphael's Sai is laying uselessly on the ground. He shattered the ice.

April cries out suddenly as Baxter flies down, ripping her away from the other turtles and hanging her twenty feet above the ground.

Before she even realises what she is doing, Karai snatches the Sai up and flings it towards Baxter. It makes contact with his shoulder and he drops April on instinct, a hiss escaping through his teeth as Raphael catches April before she collides with the ground.

Tiger Claw watches the turtles' escape with no clear plan to chase them down. Xever growls and hurls himself over the rooftop to capture them when Tiger Claw shoots just in front of Xever in warning. The mutant fish flinches backwards and away from the blast as his eyes rest heavily on Tiger Claw.

"Get out of here, your work here is done."

"What do you we tell Shredder?" Bradford demands.

"Go back to the lab, I will face Shredder with the girl." His eye lands back on her, laying on the ground and gripping her ankle to subdue the pain the best she can.

The three leave in a grumbling mess.

Karai watches as Tiger Claw gathers the fallen weapons and tucks them into his belt and other parts of his clothing. The silence that settles between them is thick, full of tension and Karai cannot help but feel a bubble of emotion form in her chest.

Shredder will truly hate her now. If she is his daughter, he is going to wish she wasn't.

Karai cannot decide what would hurt more.

In a last effort of desperateness, she retrieves three ninja stars from her sash and flings them towards Tiger Claw when his back is turned. He turns in time, having hearing them fly through the air and his paw closes around them. He hisses slightly at the impact but in an extraordinary moment, he crushes them in his paw. The shuriken, now crumpled and bent fall to the ground at her feet.

"Tiger Claw, wait-"

He hauls Karai to her feet, shoving her into the building and pinning her there with his arm spread across her chest.

"Don't take it personally," he sneers, his large fangs bared at her. "Bygones."

She knows he is referring to the rock she threw. Before she can protest, try and explain her actions any further, the hilt of his pistol is slammed into her temple until all she can she is darkness.

I can't write fight scenes for shit, I apologise. Sorry for so many character swapping but this part of the chapter was very fast paced and had to be like that, I apologise again!

It's currently 1.30 am here in Australia and I've stayed up all night writing this just to get it out! Tomorrow will be the final part of this chapter!

Review responses:

MissCookiiie
It was, wasn't it!? Thank you so much :) And they will be getting some spotlight soonish!

Crystal Violeta
I shall! :)

memmek10k
I haven't got many responses for that, so I may just put a small chapter in for it in Leorai's situation!

StarTraveler
Leorai for life ;) Haha, yes! All those ships 3 I am so glad for the new episodes!