Grieving

Splinter – their father and sensei – was gone.

The four turtles lay their beloved father on his bed, covering him with a white sheet. Until they could have a proper funeral, he’d remain in his own bed. For now, they sat around him, mourning their loss.


Alvin hadn’t understood at first what had happened to their father. He’d gently shaken his daddy’s shoulder, trying to wake him up. It had taken a while before he finally realized the horrible truth. While his brothers had carried their father into the van, Alvin had simply sobbed into April’s shoulder, who did her best to comfort him, despite her own despair.

Once they’d gotten home, Alvin had climbed onto the couch and curled into a small ball. He hadn’t moved or spoken since. April had spent the last few hours trying to comfort the young chipmunk without any success. The child hadn’t responded.

Casey came out of the kitchen with some water. “Anything?”

“No…” April sighed. “It’s like he doesn’t even realize I’m here.” Noticing the cup of water in Casey’s hand, she raised an eyebrow. “If you’re thinking of pouring it on him, forget it.”

Plopping onto the couch next to her, Casey gave a half-hearted grin. “Come on, Red. He’s been like this for hours. Maybe it’ll snap him out of it.”

“No, Casey,” April insisted, stroking the chipmunk’s back. “Maybe we need to give him some space.”

Casey frowned. “I checked on the guys a few minutes ago. They’re still in Splinter’s room…with him.”

Holding in a sob, April glanced towards the dojo, where the entrance to Splinter’s room was.

Splinter had been a second father to her. Losing him was worse than when her father had been abducted or mutated. She had hope of getting her father back, but Splinter wasn’t coming back.

She couldn’t imagine how the guys felt. They were only fifteen, and Alvin was only eight. They were orphans now.

Hearing a small snore, the two teens glanced at the ball of fur on the couch. Alvin had cried himself to sleep.

April wondered if his brothers had done the same.


When the turtle brothers woke up, they were all devastated to see their father so still. It hadn’t been a dream, after all.

“What do we do now…?” Mikey whimpered, causing Raph to protectively put an arm around his younger brother’s shoulders.

Leo looked over their beloved Sensei. “Shredder has to pay for this.”

“And he will.” Raph growled, already reaching for his weapons.

Glancing around the room, Donnie noticed someone was missing. “Guys…where’s Alvin?”

Before they could even start to worry, Casey poked his head inside. “I heard voices. Are you guys…coming out?”

“Casey, do you know where Alvin is?” Raph asked his friend. Alvin was known to run off when he was upset, often ending up lost in the sewers.

To their relief, Casey nodded. “He’s on the couch. April’s tried to get him to talk, but it’s not working.”

Mikey hurried towards the living room, while the older brothers looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing – they’d been so caught up in their own grief, they’d forgotten about their baby brother.

“We stink.” Raph mumbled. Alvin shouldn’t even fully understand death yet, and they’d left him to deal with it alone.

Hurrying after Mikey, the oldest brothers found him cradling their still sleeping brother. “Poor little guy…” he mumbled.

Leo glanced at April and Casey. “Did you two get any sleep?”

Shaking her head, April forced a smile. “I thought someone should be awake when he woke up, in case he wanted to talk.”

“Get some sleep,” Leo instructed the two humans, despite being a year younger than them. “We’ll stay with him.”

Knowing they needed to be alone, April and Casey headed home.

Mikey continued to cradle their sleeping brother. “Are we…dads now…?”

Despite the situation, Leo couldn’t help but smile at his brother’s question. “I guess so, Mikey.”

As if he had realized his brothers were talking about him, the tiny chipmunk slowly opened his eyes, letting out a long yawn.

“Hey, buddy…” Leo murmured, stroking the child’s head fur. “You OK?”

Alvin blinked sleepily. “Bad dream…” he murmured. “Shredder hurt Daddy…”

His older brothers looked at each other. How could they tell their baby brother that his nightmare had been real?

“Alvin…we have to tell you something…”


A whole hour passed before Alvin finally stopped crying. Even now, he was still sniffling, his face buried in Leo’s plastron. His oldest brother was gently rubbing his back, trying his best to comfort him.

It had been one of the hardest things they had ever done, telling their baby brother their father wasn’t going to wake up. Raph had suggested letting Alvin see Splinter, but both Leo and Donnie had shot the idea down immediately – the poor kid had already seen his dad fall to his death. That was more than a child his age should see.

“It’s gonna be OK, Alvin…” Leo whispered, gently rocking his brother. “I promise.”

Alvin sniffled, still clinging to his eldest sibling.

Sighing, Leo handed Alvin to Mikey. “Me and Raph are going to plan Sensei’s…funeral.” He nearly choked on the last word, before looking into both Mikey and Donnie’s eyes. “You two take care of him, OK?”

“We could burry him at the farmhouse…” Donnie softly suggested. “It’s peaceful there…and everyone could come.”

Leo nodded before leaving the room with Raph, leaving the three youngest alone.

“Donnie…” a tiny voice whimpered.

The turtle looked down at the small chipmunk in Mikey’s arms. “Yes, Alvin?”

Alvin let out yet another sniffle. “Is Daddy…in Heaven now…?”

Tears started to fill Donnie’s eyes at that comment. How had none of them realized that before? ‘We were probably too busy blaming Shredder to even think of that.’ “Yes, Alvin…he’s in Heaven.” He noticed that Mikey was already crying again.

The small chipmunk smiled for the first time since they’d lost their father. “So he’s with Mommy?”

Donnie tried not to laugh. Even though Tang Shen had died before any of them were even born, Alvin had always referred to her as his mommy. When they’d been sent back in time and actually met her, it had been difficult to keep Alvin from exposing their identities.

And now, Hamato Yoshi was finally reunited with his wife.

“Yes, Alvin…and I’m sure they’re watching over us right now.”


When Leo and Raph returned to the room an hour later, they found all three of their younger brothers huddled together. What surprised them, however, was that instead of the looks of despair they’d had earlier, they each had a peaceful smile on their sleeping faces.

Looking closer, they found a crayon drawing of a rat, a woman, and a man wearing a white robe, all with wings and halos, in their youngest brother’s hand.