Chapter Text
Cassandra has always been a warrior.
She would always been seen in the front lines, especially with her turtle brothers in arms. Even though in the invasion she was not alongside them, she fought the Krang with all her might and hatred. She was a violent person by nature.
However, she had a heart, and her heart went out for the Hamatos and April.
For someone who was trained in the ways of a warrior ever since she was little, she could recognize the broken look of a soldier in each of their faces. She was older than most of them and even she knew that they shouldn’t have that haunted look on their faces. She would point it out each time they thought she wasn’t looking, and they would brush it off.
Leonardo was the worst of them.
However, she had her own issues to deal with. She wished she had done more during the invasion. She felt guilty for not being able to be there for her friends when they needed help. She didn’t even get to meet her own future kid! And now he was back in the new fixed timeline, or so April told her.
Sure, at the end, they had it handled, but not without its consequences.
She glanced at the red-eared slider sitting quietly in the med bay bed. She sighed. There were so many consequences. She had gone to them one by one, to offer her tough love, which was appreciated. But with Leo? She knew she had to take it slow if she wanted to speak with him.
“Hey...” She greeted as she walked in.
“Hi...” He quietly greeted back.
“Get up, loser.”
Leo gave her a shocked look. Cassandra bit her lip. Maybe she went a bit too hard on him. “It was a joke.”
“Oh...” He looked down again.
Cassandra sighed. “Hey, you look like you wanna talk.”
Silence.
“I guess I’ll talk then.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Is that the new knee brace Donnie wouldn’t shut up about?” She pointed at his damaged knee.
The knee brace was black and blue, and it looked quite comfortable, but Leo winced a little. “Yeah, it is.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be using those?” She pointed at the crutches resting next to the bed.
“Yeah...”
“Aren’t you like... going to use them or something?”
“No... Cass, why are you here, exactly?” Leo quietly asked. He sounded so tired.
Cassandra sighed. “To be honest, I kind of wanted to hear one of your jokes.”
Silence.
“Life is a joke.” Leo chuckled darkly, but no smile reached his eyes.
Cassandra recognized that tone. It was one that either meant going down a dark path or spiraling down a hole you couldn’t get out of. “Hey, stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“Being such a dick to yourself.”
Leo stayed quiet. Cassandra shook her head. “Look, I can forgive many things. Like you not introducing me to my kid from the future before he glitched out to the new timeline, the foot betraying me, myself...” She sighed. “But I won’t forgive you for treating yourself like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like garbage.” She was sharp and straight to the point. Leo looked down, she continued. “No one blames you. The only ones to blame were the krang and they are gone.”
Leo turned his face away. “Cass... I caused the apocalypse. I was stupid and full of myself. CJ, your kid, told me that everybody died in the future.” He sighed. “I almost made the same mistake in this timeline and...” His lip quivered. “And...”
Cassandra sighed. “Look, Leo... No one blames you. Did you make some mistakes? Sure. I made mistakes. I almost got your father killed , remember? And I know for a fact that you don’t blame me. None of you do, not even your father.”
“That was different.”
“How different exactly? I could have gotten him killed and you guys probably wouldn’t have defeated the Shredder.”
Leo stayed quiet, looking away.
“We both made mistakes that would have probably gotten the world destroyed.”
“The difference is that a timeline existed where everybody died because of me.” Leo snapped. His voice was low and cold, but sharp. Cassandra could play that game.
“Well, there could be a timeline where your dad died, and the Shredder won!” She snapped at him. He wanted someone to fight with, she could do that if it made him feel better. “You want to be blamed? Is that what you want!?” She pointed an accusing finger at him.
“No!”
“Then why are you blaming yourself!? Why are you so insistent on destroying yourself!?”
“BECAUSE I DESERVE IT!” He yelled at her.
Honestly, Cassandra didn’t think Leo would have the nuts to yell at her. She was actually surprised. However, Leo seemed ashamed after realizing what he said and turned away.
“You don’t deserve it.” She said in a calmer voice, a soothing tone. She grabbed her friend’s hand. “You and your brothers didn’t deserve any of it. You want to punish yourself? Don’t. It’s only hurting you and your family.” She patted his hand. “What happened to you... it was awful. I don’t know what my future spawn told you, but that version of Leo doesn’t exist anymore. You changed the course of history and defeated a great evil.” She felt all of this was very uncharacteristic of her. Usually, her way to comfort someone was inviting them to spar with her until one of them had a concussion or something.
It wasn’t this.
“I...” Leo sniffed. “I...”
Cassandra smirked at him. “Hey, come on. Let’s see that classic Leo grin, mnh?”
Leo’s eyes widened in fear.
*** WIPE THAT GRIN OFF YOUR FACE!!! ***
Leo’s face darkened. “Get out.” He whispered.
“What?”
“Get OUT! GET OUT! OUT! OUT!” He pointed at the doorway while glaring angrily at her.
Cassandra’s eyes widened in recognition. “Leo, did I say something wrong?” She backed away a bit.
“Just leave!” He sobbed. “Please, just leave!”
Cassandra stood her ground. Leo simply stared at her with angry, teary eyes.
“I know that crazed look anywhere. I’ve seen it in soldiers coming home from war. Leo, I can help you through this.” She stayed calm.
Leo sobbed. “He... he told me... to...” He cried.
Cassandra was quick to hug him and let him cry on her shoulder. “Ssshh.... It’s ok. You’re not in that place anymore.”
Leo’s body trembled as he hugged her back. “I’m sorry...” He whispered between hiccups. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to yell at you... It’s just...” He sniffed. “I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror again without seeing him there too...”
She sat next to him, still hugging him but mindful of his injuries.
“I have three large scars in my plastron and my knee doesn’t work as it should...” He cried.
Cassandra simply hugged him as he cried. “You know, if you’re too afraid to tell your family about what happened... in that place ... you can always tell me. I’ve seen my fair share of shit. It would help you immensely if you at least got it out of your system, you know?”
Leo tensed in her arms. Cassandra held her breath for a moment and only let it out when Leo started to speak.
He told her everything.