"Meet them?" Donnie repeated Mikey's words. "Incase you've forgotten, people tend to freak out when they meet us."

"Akila didn't," Mikey reasoned.

"Well, that was a very different situation, Mikey," Leo reminded. He then turned to Akila and went on with a smile, "probably best we don't scare off Ki's new friend."

Mikey frowned in disappointment. "Well, can we at least know their name?"

Akila hesitated; surely just giving them a name wouldn't hurt. "Her name's Karai," she told them, then added, "I think the two of us have a lot in common."

• • •

Later that night, all of the turtles were getting ready for patrol. Leo entered his room to find Akila sitting at their desk, not looking ready to leave at all. "Everything alright?" He asked her.

Akila sighed as she continued drawing in her sketch pad. "If I had a dollar for every time you've asked me if I'm okay," she teased, "I could probably buy all six of us a much nicer home."

Leo smiled at her joke and came up behind her. After giving her a sweet kiss on the top of her head, he peered over to see what she was drawing. His smile widened when he saw that it was a picture of all of their entire family. Splinter stood in the back of the group, a hand each on Raph's and Leo's shoulder. Donnie had his arm slung around Raph, and Mikey had a slice of pizza hanging from his mouth. And on Leo's side was Akila, her hands wrapped firmly around his arm, a loving smile drawn on her face.

"Do you like it?" Akila asked, twisting around in her seat to meet Leo's handsome gaze.

"I love it," he cooed before leaning down and kissing her softly. Akila reached a hand up to his cheek as the kiss lengthened. And when they pulled away, all seemed right in the world. For the first time since the reappearance of the Foot Clan, Akila seemed completely centered. "I take it you're staying in tonight?"

Akila smiled and stood up. "I thought about what you said," she admitted, "maybe I am over-working myself a bit. Just..with Shredder returning..."

"I know," Leo assured her, taking her hand and squeezing it comfortingly. "We're all a little on edge."

"It's not just that, though," Akila went on. Her eyebrows were drawn down in concern. "This started...way before my father became a problem again...this just makes it worse," she told him, meeting his eyes with a serious look. "My energy, and my temper, have just been growing and growing, and I'm afraid--"

Akila cut herself off as she watched Leo's smile fade. She sighed deeply before continuing on. "I just..don't want to hurt any of you," she finished.

Leo frowned. "Of course you won't hurt us, Akila, why would you think that," he insisted, bringing her into a hug.

But as Akila hugged back, she wasn't so sure. She thought of Karai again, and her heart felt heavy. I have a sister. "I know," she lied in order to save his feelings. "But if you ever get the feeling I'm pushing it, if I ever start going too far again," she paused, images of Karai flashing in her mind as she held Leo tight, "...promise you'll stop me."

Leo pulled away, giving his love a suspicious look. "Just in case, Leo," Akila assured him with a kind grin. Finally, the leader gave in. He returned her smile and leaned his forehead down against hers.

"Okay," he responded, "I doubt that you'll ever need to be 'stopped', but okay...I promise."

Akila mentally sighed in relief. She felt bad for having to make him promise something like that. But she had to...because she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop herself.

• • •

Akila went out by herself again a few days later. She told herself that she was just going for some fresh air, but she secretly had hoped that Karai would show up. And sure enough, she did. Akila was lying calmly on a rooftop, enjoying the cool air when Karai's voice rang out. "Fancy meeting you here."

Akila didn't move. With her eyes closed still in relaxation, she responded in an uncaring voice, "don't act like you weren't looking for me."

"Then don't act like you weren't waiting for me," Karai retorted. Finally, Akila sat up. She shot Karai a suspicious look. "Did you tell the turtles about me?" She asked. When Akila didn't answer, Karai smirked. "Didn't think so."

"You think I'm just gonna flat out tell them I have an evil sister?" Akila asked rhetorically.

"Well, why not?" Karai asked deviously as she came over to sit across from Akila. "They're your friends, right? Don't you trust them?"

Akila glared. "You know, if you're trying to get me to like you," she mocked, "you're doing an awful job."

Karai held her hands up in defense. "Hey, just making conversation," she replied with false innocence.

Akila rolled her eyes. After a few silent moments, she decided to ask, "..how long have you known I exsist?"

"My whole life," Karai answered with a shrug.

Akila blinked in surprise. "Then, how come I've never heard of you before?" She questioned.

At this, Karai's smug grin faded, and Akila witnessed a look of sorrow in her eyes. "Our father had very different plans for the two of us," she explained, "I was training as soon as I could walk...but you were special. Father insisted that you didn't need training, that you'd just be great on your own."

There was a hint of jealousy in her voice that made Akila feel bad for her. "Well trust me," Akila scoffed, "I'm not great."

Karai cocked her head slightly and smiled crookedly. "I don't know; you seem pretty cool to me," she complimented smoothly.

Akila was caught off guard by this, but couldn't sense any deception in Karai's words. Perhaps Karai wasn't as evil as she thought? "You don't even know me," Akila reminded, trying not to let Karai get to her heart.

"True," Karai agreed with a smirk. "But I've been waiting seventeen years to meet my little sister," she admitted. And although her tone was cool as ever, there was a hint of genuine joy in her eyes. "I think it's about time we get to know each other, wouldn't you agree?"