Authoress' Notes : Okay, so to start off with, here's the results of the Poll I had up on my Profile for a week, last week :

OT4(All Four Turtles)xKathy = 4 Votes

LeoxKathy = 1 Vote

LeoxKathyxDonnie = 1 Vote

LeoxKathyxMikey = 0 Vote

LeoxKathyxRaph = 1 Vote

RaphxKathy = 1 Vote

RaphxKathyxDonnie = 0 Vote

RaphxKathyxMikey = 0 Vote

MikeyxKathy = 1 Vote

MikeyxKathyxDonnie = 1 Vote

For each of the single pairings people Voted for (LeoxKathy, RaphxKathy, and MikeyxKathy), I'm doing up a one-shot; for each of the double pairings that were Voted for (LeoxKathyxDonnie, LeoxKathyxRaph, MikeyxKathyxDonnie), I'm gonna do a two-shot. For the OT4xKathy, it's gonna be at least a four shot, since it got the most amount of Votes, with 4. The LeoxKathyxDonnie, LeoxKathyxRaph, MikeyxKathyxDonnie, and OT4xKathy will also have Turtlecest in it - mostly mild - so if you don't agree with that then I suggest you don't read it. The pairings will be put in the Story Summaries, so it makes it easier for you to find the ones you like and avoid the ones you don't. Okay? Okay~!

So, as usual : a huge thanks goes out to all of you reading this, and all of you who take the time to Review, Favourite, and/or Alert my Stories; it means a lot. Also, again, as usual, please, Read, Review, Favourite/Alert, but most of all… please enjoy~!

Dedication : To the person, since it doesn't tell me who, who wanted to read a LeoxKathy story. This is for you! :D

Summary : Leo's been avoiding her lately, and Casey's Cousin and Ward, Kathy, wants to know why. She's determined to get answers from the Turtle she has feelings for, and arranges an intervention. LeoxKathyJones(OC) pairing.

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own any of the characters mentioned or shown below, with the exception of Katherine "Kathy" Jones (no relation to Kat a.k.a. randomlass a.k.a. Neko-chan, before anyone asks); the Ninja Turtles cast belong to Nickelodeon, and the original concept of the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles are the creations of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. I'm just borrowing them to satisfy my Muse, and my Reader's thirst.

I Wanna Be With You - A LeoxKathyJones AU

Seventeen year old Katherine Jones wandered silently into the Dojo, in search of the Blue Bandanad Turtle; there was no one else in the Lair because she'd had a quiet word with Splinter and he'd taken his other three Sons on a training run and they were going to head to the O'Neil-Jones residence afterwards. Leonardo had been going out of his way to avoid her the past week and she was determined to find out why.

She could only stand there, her heart beginning to flutter as she took in the eldest Turtle's meditation-induced, relaxed pose where he was sat in the middle of the floor. For several moments, she almost turned around and bolted, but she gave herself a good shake and straightened in determination. She was a Jones and Joneses didn't back down, no matter how terrified of something they were! She admitted to herself that she was terrified; the only reason she could think of for Leo's sudden avoidance was that he hated her, or she did something wrong. Her heart twisted violently at the thought, as she'd developed a fairly large crush on the serious Ninja Turtle.

Closing her hazel eyes, Kathy pulled herself mentally together and quietly padded across the Dojo floor; crouching behind him, she laid a hand on Leo's upper arm with a quiet, "Leo?"

No sooner than her hand touched his skin, then she found herself sprawled on her back with her hands pinned above her head and the intense gray eyes glaring down at her as he straddled her. The same grey eyes widened as he realized who he had pinned. Inhaling harshly, he let go of her wrists as though they burned him and smoothly stood up from his straddling position. "What the shell were you thinking, Katherine?" He crossed his arms over his plastron in an almost self-conscious manner, "I could have seriously injured you, just now. You know better than to sneak up on me when I'm meditating!"

"I didn't "sneak", Leonardo!" She snapped, sitting up with a grimace as she lightly rubbed her wrists; seeing his eyes become shadowed with guilt, even as he flinched inwardly at the usage of his full name which she hardly used, she huffed, "Oh, get ovah it, Leonardo; it's hardly the first time I've been bruised!"

"It's the first time I've ever marked you, Katherine," he answered so quietly she almost didn't catch it as watched her with sad gray orbs from behind his Blue Mask. He visibly shook himself and asked gruffly, "Why aren't you hanging out with Mikey, Raph, or Don?"

Picking herself up from the floor, Kathy placed her hands behind her back, so she could rub her wrists a bit more without him seeing, "Because Master Splinter took them on a training run."

"What?" Leo was surprised, and a little hurt; knowing this, she gave him a small smile.

"I asked him to give us some space."

"Space? For what?" He was wary when she met his eyes head on, her own sad and hurt; he felt a stab of near-physical pain in his heart, seeing her usually bright and happy eyes so dark with emotional pain and fear. "Kathy…?"

"Why have you been avoiding me, Leo?" Kathy asked, "Did I do something wrong?" Despite her wavering voice, her eyes never wavered from his, "I… what did I do?"

Leo shook his head, his eyes shuttering away his emotions, "No. No, Katherine, you haven't done anything wrong; I haven't been avoiding you."

She took a step forward, "No, Leonardo, you've been avoiding me, and I want to know why." She closed her eyes momentarily, and, when they opened, he was more than a little startled and unnerved as they glistened with the tears she was doing her best to continue holding back, "If it isn't something I've done then why? I thought we were Friends."

He sighed, shifting uncomfortably, "We are Friends, Kathy -"

Kathy swiped the tears from her eyes as much as possible, frowning as she nearly stalked up to him; poking him in the shoulder, she told him, point-blank, "Friends don't ignore Friends, Leo." Quieter, she said, "Friends don't hurt Friends…"

Leo stiffened, his eyes immediately flooding with guilt, "I didn't mean to hurt you, Kathy…"

"But you did, anyway," she accused, staring up into his eyes with her own. They stayed that way for several minutes before she lowered her eyes and turned away; sighing softly to herself, she said over her shoulder with a small, sad smile, "S'alright, Leo; I underst- ah!" She gasped as she was spun around and pinned to a nearby wall, blazing gray eyes searing into her pinkening face.

"You do not understand, Katherine!"

Growing angry at both his attitude and his continued usage of her full name which he knew she detested, Kathy pushed ineffectively at him, as she was being held in place by his body with his arms on either side of her head, "I understand perfectly well, Leonardo!"

"Bullshit," Leo hissed, glaring down at her.

Defiant, she tilted her chin up at him and narrowed her eyes, "Then make me understand!"

The words were barely out of her mouth, before she found it otherwise occupied; he wrapped his arms around her waist as her legs nearly gave out at the knees from the shock, even as he continued caressing her mouth with his own. Several moments later, just as she tentatively began to respond, he pulled back; his gray eyes were nearly a charcoal as he growled, "Now do you understand? I have to stay away -" This time, she cut him off by grasping the tails of his Bandana and tugging him down, to cover his mouth with her own.

Kathy snaked her other arm around his neck as she pulled back, not having given him a chance for a response, eyes bright with emotion, "I'd rather you didn't."

"I - huh?" Leo could barely wrap his mind around what had just happened.

"I'd rather you didn't stay away, Leo; in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly turning tail and running in the other direction." Seeing his confusion, she buried her face in his plastron while moving her arms from his neck and Bandana to wrap around him as best she could, and mumbled, "I like you, Leonardo; judging by your kiss, you like me the same way."

"Katherine, we," he took a deep breath, even as his arms tightened slightly around her waist in an almost unconscious manner. "We can't."

"Why not? 'Cause 'm Human and you're a Mutant Turtle?" Kathy's lips brushed against his plastron as she spoke and she didn't miss the slight shiver that raced through the usually controlled Turtle, "I. Don't. Care. 'S like saying that, just 'cause I practice Karate, and you practice Ninjutsu, we should constantly argue over which one is best."

"… you make absolutely no sense, Kathy," Leo rolled his eyes, huffing a breath of slight irritation which stirred her brunette hair gently.

She gave a unladylike snort, still resting the side of her head on his plastron but looking up at him through her lashes, "Oh, and ignoring my existence because you like me makes sense?"

He frowned down at her, eyes serious, "You're already in enough danger, as is, from simply knowing us. If you were to be hurt because of being romantically involved with one of us… I don't know what I'd do."

Kathy pulled back and, seemingly coming to a decision, grabbed his hand to lead him out of the Dojo; she was pleasantly surprised that he let himself be led, but didn't question it. She rolled her eyes when, as they came to the archway that led to his bedroom, he suddenly stopped; this caused her to stumble backwards into him as her forward movement was halted. "Oh, for…" Turning around to face him, she locked eyes; staring into his, surprisingly, unsure gray eyes with her own hopeful hazel, she told him, "We're just going to talk. And the Dojo's hardly the place for what I have to say."

Feeling distinctly out of his element, Leo nodded and, with a triumphant grin, she turned back around and tugged him after herself. With a wary look at the archway, he sat down beside her on his bed. "What did you want to talk about?" Seeing the determined look on her face as she shifted so one of her legs was tucked underneath her while the other dangled over the edge, he shook his head, "No. Kath -"

"Are you happy?" She cut across him, pursing her lips in thought, eyes watching him.

"Yes?" Even to his own ears, it sounded like a question; inwardly, he cursed himself for letting the Nikyu past his defences.

"Are you happy protecting me, Leo? From yourself?" Kathy crossed her arms over her chest, staring straight at him.

"It's too dangerous! I will not -"

"Just answer the question, please."

Leo's anger at being put into this position caused him to growl out, without thinking, "No. Alright, Katherine? I'm not happy protecting you from myself, but I refuse to put you in a position where I could hurt you!"

"So, you plan on beating me or something?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Of course not! Don't put words into my mouth."

"Well, then tell me, Leo. What is it that you want?" She met his eyes again, face completely serious.

"I want you, Kathy," his fists clenched in his sheets as he glared at her, eyes darkening in his anger. "I want to protect you, to stand by your side. I want to hold you in my arms, and kiss you until I can't remember who, or what, I am! But I can't."

"Why can't you, Leo?" Kathy's tone was soft.

Leo gave her an incredulous look, "Have you looked at me?"

"Quite often, yep; why do you think Raph and Mikey's always teasing me?"

He faltered a bit, "I thought that you and them…"

She made a face, "I have nothing against them, but the two of them would be a bit overwhelming. They've known about my liking you since before I even realised it." She unfolded her arms from over her chest and gave him a tentative smile, "Leo, when I look at you… I see a Leader, a handsome person, someone who is everything that is right with the World. Who pushes themselves to be the best that they can possibly be, who wants nothing more than to protect his loved ones. I see someone who, to be honest, I want to be with. I want you to protect me, stand at my side; I want you to hold me in your arms, to your plastron," one of her hands reached out to rest on said plastron as her smile became softer, adoration clear, "I want you to kiss me, a - and," here, she stumbled, turning pink.

Leo's eyeridges furrowed, anger forgotten as one of his own hands came up to absently cover hers as he moved towards her, "And?" He was surprised at the husk that coated his voice, but not surprised enough to miss the shudder and tiny gasp that escaped her lips or the blush that stained her cheeks darker. He felt his heart pound faster in his plastron as she whispered,

"And… and touch me." Kathy continued, figuring she had nothing to lose and everything to gain, "I won't say that I'm in love with you, Leo. At least, not yet." She felt emboldened as his eyes started blazing down into her own, "But, I think my opinion matters, and that what I want matters. And, what I want is to give us a chance; please? You're the last person I want protection against, Leo. You can protect me against everything else, but never try to protect me from yourself."

He searched her eyes and saw that she was speaking the truth; squeezing her hand, which still rested on his plastron, lightly he gave a small nod and smiled, "If it's really what you want, Kath - Oof!" He grunted when she gave a squeal of pure delight and toppled into his plastron, causing him to fall backwards on his bed even as his arms automatically moved to cradle her to him. "What -"

With a infectious grin, she pressed into him and leaned up brush a kiss over his lips; she pulled back after a moment, eyes searching his. She seemed to find what she was looking for, because she wound her arms around his neck and pressed her lips more insistently to his. When Leo's tongue lightly traced her lips, she willingly parted them to him and his darted into her mouth to taste her. It was at least a minute, possibly more, before they parted and, her fingers tangling in his Blue Bandana, she murmured teasingly, "What were you saying, Leo?"

He chuckled lowly before he pulled her back down to him, murmuring against her lips, "I don't remember."

When his Brothers and Father arrived home later, it was to the sight of a sleeping Kathy curled up against an dozing Leo on the couch with a Jackie Chan movie playing on the televisions. Her head was laid against his plastron, dipping and rising lightly with each of his breaths, one of her arms stretched out across his abdomen to hold his opposite hand; his free arm was curled around her back, holding her to him, and rested on the curve of her hip.

Splinter motioned his three younger Sons to be quiet and they shared a smile before walking off to another part of the Lair. He smiled, walking over to the sleeping pair and draping a nearby blanket over them. At the light weight, Leo's eyes opened slowly, as he sensed no threat, and, seeing Splinter in front of him, asked without actually asking as he became more awake and aware, "Father?"

Splinter simply shook his head, dark eyes warm, "I am happy for you, my Son. Perhaps, you would like to join me for a cup of tea?" Seeing his Son look down at the sleeping girl in his arms and look back at him questioningly, he answered, "You may lay Katherine down in your room, Leonardo."

With a nod and smile, Leo stood up carefully before he scooped Kathy into his arms bridal style. "I'll be right back, Father," he said quietly, mindful of the girl in his embrace who shifted closer to him and cuddled into him, mumbling incomprehensively. Feeling lighter than he could remember feeling in a while, he walked up the stairs to his bedroom. When he reached it, he shifted her so he could cradle her with one arm while he used his newly freed hand to pull back his bedcovers; he carefully laid Kathy onto his bed, her head resting on his pillow as her arms wrapped around it. Bending down, he brushed a butterfly-soft kiss over her forehead as he pulled the covers over her, "Sleep well, Koi." With one last look, he turned around and exited his room, heading to the kitchen where he knew a cup of tea and a wealth of wisdom awaited him with his Father.

Finite.

Authoress' Notes : *falls over, exhausted* Okay, so that's probably the hardest story I've done yet. I decided to get the hardest-to-write pairing (LeoxKathy) out of the way first. Hopefully, it's satisfactory, since Leo's not exactly my favourite Turtle (actually, to be honest… he's my least favourite. *shrugs* ), so I find him extremely hard to write. I sent this to Neko-chan for Betaing, and she assured me I had him as close to In-Character as one could get in this type of situation. So… I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this. ;) A labour of love was put into this the last few days, along with a lot of figurative blood, and real sweat and tears (I started to write this on Friday, when I checked the Poll and saw someone voted for LeoxKathy, since I knew it'd be my hardest to write; it took me until today - Tuesday - to finish it). So, I'd really appreciate it if you took the time to let me know how I did on it. :3

Huge thank you (as always) to you, Neko-chan! Thanks for Betaing this for me, to make sure I had the Characters In-Character! Wuv!

Thank you to everyone for Reading, Alerting, and Favouriting myself and my Stories, but most especially to those who take the time to Review; it means a lot. I think everyone else who is also an Author/ess knows this as well as I do.

Please Read and Review; the more reviews an Author/ess receives on a story, the more and quicker s/he is spurred to write. I accept all reviews: Comment, Compliment, and Criticism (preferably Constructive Criticism); I accept Flames, but nothing with swearing in it, since the Default Profanity Filter is on my reviews.

Cowabunga,

Lor a.k.a. uncutetomboy