In celebration of Taylor's freedom, they decide to have a movie night in the lair with everyone present. They argue over the movies for a bit—Casey and Raphael want an action flick, Leonardo and some of the girls want sci-fi—but they eventually settle on a superhero movie.

The lair is dark, punctuated only by the changing light of the TV screen. The couples are scattered about, wrapped in blankets and each other's arms. As time ticks by, they start to drift off to sleep. This ends up meaning that most of them, since they're sitting up, fall asleep on each other's shoulders. Casey is laid flat out on his back, mouth hanging open, and April sleeps with her back to his side, cuddling the arm he still has around her.

When the credits roll, not a single one of them is still awake save for Splinter himself. He rises to his feet and goes around the room, tucking the blankets closer to the sleeping couples before shutting off the TV, whispering goodnight, and gliding off to the dojo to get some rest.

----------

The next day, after breakfast, after everyone has left to do an early morning patrol and see their friends home, Splinter sits in the kitchen. He takes gentle sips of his tea, mulling over the silence that the lair exudes when his children aren't around.

Splinter is used to it, or has been used to it, for most of his new life and yet today, he feels lonely. Maybe it's because his sons are all in happy relationships and tend to be out of the lair more and more often, mostly in the case of Raphael and Michelangelo.

The freezer door creaks open and Ice Cream Kitty pokes her head out, letting out a tiny, questioning mew. Splinter smiles a little.

"I apologize, my frozen friend," he says. "It seems my mood is affecting you too."

Ice Cream Kitty meows again and Splinter stares at her. Michelangelo often talks to Ice Cream Kitty like she knows what he's saying and, in turn, he replies to her. They have full conversations sometimes.

Now, Splinter is seriously considering talking to a mutant cat if it means his loneliness dissipates for a while. He supposes she is a pretty clever creature...

Ice Cream Kitty grabs a cheesicle, hops from the freezer onto the table, and crawls over to him. She purrs, nuzzling her head into his hand, and he smiles a little. When she pulls away, he reaches for the snack in her paw, but she yanks it back and shakes her head.

He tilts his head in confusion and Ice Cream Kitty lifts the cheese to her ear and meows a few times. He arches an eyebrow and she stares up at him, expectant.

"The cheese phone?" he suggests.

She nods.

"Are you suggesting that I call someone?"

Another nod.

He strokes his goatee. While he has interacted with many mutants who are closer to his own age, and they are certainly his friends, they are not the kind of friends he would spend long amounts of time with. Most of them don't even have phones.

He perks up, eyes widening as an idea pops into his head. Ice Cream Kitty meows and hands him the cheesicle, making him smile.

"Thank you," he says. "I will return shortly."

Now, to call, and if all goes well, he will just have to find where Donatello keeps the human patches.

----------

About ten minutes later, Splinter walks down the street, more than a little put off at how no one gives him a second glance. To everyone else, he looks like a tall Japanese man, just out for a walk.

He reaches the townhouse and walks up the front steps, taking a breath before reaching up and knocking three times. He steps back, arms folded behind his back. There's a click before the door swings open and Leanne Hughes appears. She doesn't open the door enough to see much more than half her face and, at her knees, Splinter notices Pepper's excited wiggling snout.

She startles a little. "Ah...Splinter?" she asks, eyes wide. Splinter can really see where Annalise gets her looks from right now.

He rests his hand on his chest and bows his head. "I know, I look a little different than the last time we met," he says.

She exhales, batting her hands about. "Oh, it's no trouble! Michael told me about those...patches? I...ah...won't you please come in? I was just making coffee." As he steps inside, she gasps. "Or do you prefer tea?"

"Coffee is fine."

"Alright..." She pauses, grimaces, then shakes her head and dashes off to the kitchen. "Oh, I'll put the kettle on anyway."

Splinter closes the door behind him and follows her, Pepper bouncing along at his heels as she desperately tries to sniff his kimono. Leanne quickly fills an electric kettle with water and switches it on, then immediately turns and starts searching for tea. Splinter watches for a few seconds before he clears his throat.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asks.

"No, no, it's fine. Please, just make yourself at home."

Splinter decides to take her word for it and backtracks from the kitchen into the dining room. There are stairs leading up to what he guesses are bedrooms and past the dining room is a quaint living room with a TV, gaming system, and comfy chairs.

Splinter kneels down to pet Pepper, earning sloppy dog kisses on his palms before she trots off to lie down on the couch. He stands up, looking around again, and notices a picture hanging just outside the kitchen. He leans closer, taking in the image of Annalise and Michelangelo on her sixteenth birthday, sitting on the half-pipe, side by side.

"I...snuck that one," Leanne admits, making Splinter look up at her. She smiles, faintly, and gazes at the picture. "She looked so happy. I couldn't help it."

"They are very content with each other."

She nods and sets a tray of finger foods—slices of cheese, fruit, etcetera—on the table. When she steps back, her smile falls a little. He looks away from the picture.

"I'm...sorry to say, but this has all been a bit of an adjustment. First, there were the aliens, then I found out mutants are real, that one of them kidnapped my daughter and others were trying to save her." She pinwheels her fingers around each other. "And now she's dating one. It's...not what I imagined for her."

He smiles a little. "I find that, no matter what you imagine for your children, you cannot guarantee what happens."

"That's true."

She slides into her chair and, seeing that, Splinter moves over to take the one next to her. He brings his mug close, thanking her, and she grips hers.

"Do you worry?" she asks. "I mean, about your sons. I know they're trained ninjas but...do you worry?"

"Of course. A parent is always going to worry about their children."

She exhales. "I just feel like I worry too much. Annalise is growing up before my eyes and...it's hard." Her smile is sorrowful. "She's all I have left."

Splinter has only heard passing details abut Annalise's home life from Michelangelo and now, looking down at the wedding ring still clinging to Leanne's finger, he feels a wave of empathy crash over him. They have not talked much and even then, it was only small talk about work and the struggles of parenting.

"If I may ask..." he starts. "Your husband is no longer with us, is he?"

She nods. "Afghanistan. He was a medic." Her lip twinges at the side, eyes lost to nostalgia. "He was a brave man, kind...he was the love of my life. I doubt I will find someone like him ever again." Splinter nods a little and she blinks, as if startling herself from the past. "Oh, I...I'm sorry for just...dumping that."

"I understand," he murmurs. "My late wife was also my soulmate. I miss her every day." He sighs. "She...was killed too."

Her expression furrows with sympathy and she reaches over, gently touching his palm. "I...I'm sorry. I'm sure she was a wonderful woman."

"And your husband, a wonderful man."

They both drink.

"Could you...tell me more?" Leanne asks, hesitant. When Splinter meets her eyes, she releases a nervous chuckle. "I...I do not have many others who understand what it's like, to...to be widowed, with children. You don't have to—"

"It's fine. I would appreciate an understanding ear."

They talk.

----------

When Splinter returns to the lair later that evening, he comes face to face with a very annoyed Michelangelo. His youngest has his arms crossed over his chest, lips pouted.

"Michelangelo, what is wrong?" Splinter asks.

"You were with Mrs. Hughes?" Michelangelo asks.

"I was. I see you got my note."

Michelangelo's lip quivers a little. "You're not dating her, are you?!" Splinter's eyes widen and he continues, "Because if you're dating and you fall in love and you get married, then that will make Lisey and I siblings and I can't date my sister!"

"Michelangelo—"

"I mean, if she was my sister that would be cool but also totally not because that would mean breaking up with her and trying to find someone new! And I mean I could try Renet but she's not the same!"

"Michelangelo, I am not dating Leanne," Splinter says, reaching out and grasping his son's shoulder. "She is my friend. We understand each other and I enjoy talking to her."

"You're not gonna marry her?"

Splinter laughs. "That is highly unlikely."

"Okay...just making sure."

Michelangelo returns to his video games. Splinter goes back to the dojo, passing a glance over his family portrait. He smiles a little and moves closer, ghosting his fingers over her face.

"I am making friends, Shen," he murmurs. "I hope that you are proud."