Hello and welcome! I'm excited to share this story with you. I am aiming to update weekly.

And so, it begins.

…

Prologue

I was alone. It was the most frightening thing I've ever felt. I looked up and my brothers were not beside me. I could not hear my father's assuring voice. And the ground I was standing on was falling away. This is how I usually pictured my final days playing out; me, a lone survivor, not because I was stronger or faster, but because it is the worst scenario … that I should suffer the rest of my life burdened with the mistakes I've made, imbedding my regrets into my heart like a daily injection of shame, because I failed my family.

I thought I had reached that dreadful day four years ago. The Shredder and the Kraang had readied such an abrasive battalion I was preparing myself to not walk away from. I looked into my brothers' eyes, my words lacking confidence and my heart saying goodbye. And in the midst of war… with my brethren nowhere in sight, my isolated destiny lay before me in the eyes of our enemy. I felt it coming, like icy fangs teasing at my throat. The moment I privately prepared for found me unprepared and I was unable to lift my sword. I had failed.

But then I looked around and my brothers were beside me, and I could hear my father urging me to go on. My friends flanked me. And Karai helped me raise my katana. We rose together as one mighty force… and when the final strike was dealt, the enemy that bellowed before us fell away and the light of our true future finally shown bright, no longer eclipsed by the ghosts of our past. And we walked into that light together.

After, things started to go back to normal, normal for us anyway. Since Splinter did decide to take the retro-mutagen and become human, he has been very happy because of it. He still comes by the lair and stays with us from time to time. He understands that his teenagers are now young men and he gives us our space. This gives him the ability to live out his dream by running a dojo of his own. And he and Karai's relationship is doing well. Seeing the two together, smiling at each other, it's amazing.

Dr. and Mrs. O'Neil were rescued from the Kraang stronghold. April's family was finally whole, after all of these years. Kirby opens up his lab again with his dear wife, May at his side. It was a pretty hilarious When May O'Neil noticed Donatello's intentions with her daughter, but soon cam to realize, as Kirby had, that stranger things have happened in their lives.

Casey, although he needed an extra year, graduated high school and is now the co-owner of a coffee shop called Kick-Ass Koffee in Manhattan. The other owner is Irma, the REAL Irma, Casey and I found and rescued from a Kraang mind control facility, not the crazy Kraang Bot imposter After the initial shock of discovering mutant turtles as April's secret friends, and April apologizing for the second time for keep such secrets, Irma became part of the gang rather quickly. Casey ad Irma have been together for three years now, share a humble apartment, and a goldfish named Puck. It used to be weird that they're a 'thing'. It's not so much anymore.

So now it is just my brothers and I in our subterranean bachelor pad. It's less bachelor-like when April the college student, or Mona the lizard woman/ international Species Journalist, or Kala, making the Kraang Army drop like flies back in Dimension X, come in and make our Lair feel more like a home. And my brothers are lucky to have them even if Donatello can't believe it, or Raphael can't admit it, or Mikey can't stop talking about it.

And as for Karai and me… I have found her to be, to my life, a blessing.

And a curse.

…

CHAPTER 1- Old Habits

She doesn't waste much time. Leonardo barely enters the lofty skyscraper of the Oroku Corporation, travels up the private elevator and walks through the heavy doors of the opulent executive office, before Karai climbs all over him.

It had only been two days ago, Sunday evening, when the whole clan got together for dinner in the Lair. It's something that just became tradition when Michelangelo found a Soul Food cookbook a few years back. Ever since, Mikey's been practicing and succeeding, making savory entrees for his family. Last Sunday he had made baked tilapia and potato salad. After, Leonardo and Karai shared a cupcake in the dojo and made out behind the punching bag.

So, for Karai to be impolite enough not even to say 'hello' to Leonardo and instead grab the tails of his bandana and kiss him, makes his thoughts scramble a bit.

Leonardo likes this closeness. He WANTS it, but not like this. It bothers him that she keeps ignoring his concerns and forces these actions upon him. With his hands still out in the air, not committing to wrap them around her waist or let them fall at his sides, his hesitation is quickly noticed.

"Don't be shy, Leonardo. You know what I like." She smirks and continues to pat kisses on his lips, wanting to slowly break him down.

"I do… want to… but…" He says between her advances.

Karai pulls at Leonardo's banana roughly, grunting slightly in frustration. She stares into his eyes. "Leo, why can't you just be happy with what we have? Look around! I'm sure you've noticed that I am a young, rich and powerful woman. I can go anywhere, do anything and be with anyone I want to. I'm not bad to look at either." Leo turns his head and lowers his eyes. Karai quickly nudges his attention back with one slender finger under his chin. "I'm not trying boast but I am trying to get some reasoning into your thick skull… I accept you as you are. We come from the same place. We're not kids anymore. It's been years since we first crossed blades as enemies. We aren't enemies anymore. We're more like…"

"Friends?" Leo whispers.

Karai arches a brow and curls her lips. "I was going to say, consenting adults." She makes her point by slowing wrapping her arms around his neck and presses a purposefully wet kiss on his lips. This warms his face and he almost gives in. He allows the heat to wash over him just a moment more. She thinks she's finally shut him up but he pulls away before her tongue pierces through his lips.

"Karai… I want more than that. You may not see me as a 'friend' but I believe that we are more than what you're letting yourself believe. There's a part of me that trusts you. We didn't always agree on what was right or just but when push came to shove, we've had each other's back. I know you trust me too."

She swallows as she listens to him. She's a little put off by him breaking the kiss but she keeps her arms around him. She looks into his eyes giving him her full attention.

"I know my brothers and I are different." Leo goes on. "Just because there is a slim chance of me finding what I'm looking for doesn't mean I have to settle."

Settle.

Karai doesn't like that word much, especially when the word is being used to describe her. She tucks that bit of insecurity in the back of her mind and allows him to continue.

"Donatello and April, even though they are taking things slow while she's at university, something strong and special is being nurtured between them. Raphael may try to deny it with every breath he takes, but he's shell-over-heels for Mona… and if Michelangelo can win the heart of an alien freedom fighter from a different dimension then I know you and I…" Leo trails off at the ever- smoldering expression on Karai's face.

"Dammit Leonardo, it's just sex! I'm not asking you to marry me! Why does it have to be all or nothing with you?" She calms and holds tightly to his shoulders when she feels him back away. She sighs. "Are you that determined to be the 'righteous one' that you cut off even your most natural desires? Aren't you tired of scratching your own itches?" Leo's muscles stiffen as Karai leans in once more and brushes her lips against his. "I know I am. I want someone else to scratch me. And I don't mind that person being you." She pecks him softly and giggles "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm more than a little curious about what you've got hiding in there. I wasn't able to get a good look the first time." She knocks on his plastron and the vibration lingers a bit too long, making Leonardo's nerves flare.

He feels his strength spiraling as he watches Karai unbutton her silk shirt. He sees the soft valley between her breasts rise and fall as she breathes; his hands ache for one more touch. Maybe it won't be so bad to have this. Just once more. Once more to get it out of his system and then he can move on. They both can move on. As she guides his hands to pass through the veil of her light garment his thumb brushes across her warm belly and a lump grows in his throat. He screws his eyes closed at the realization that he cannot do this. He remembers that pleasure and guilt mixed together make a bitter drink he dreads to partake in any time soon. He has to say what is in his heart, even if it kills the mood.

"I don't want it this way, Karai. Pieces aren't enough for me. I DO want it all because I am willing to give all. I want something I know we both deserve but… I'm sorry to say that we will never find it while playing games with each other." Leo steps back. All he wants to do is wrap his arms around her, give her what she wants, take what he desperately needs… but Karai is only willing to give her body. Her heart is locked away. He wishes she would say 'you're wrong Leo, we CAN find what we deserve with each other'. Instead she stands up straight, buttons her blouse, walks around her large, mahogany desk and plops down in her plush, leather chair. She runs her fingers through her shoulder-length hair and clicks on her keyboard, waking up her computer.

"I don't understand you." She says flatly, not even looking at the turtle she was fondling just seconds ago.

She's made her decision. Leo makes his as well. He too, closes away his heart. "Goodbye, Karai." Leo walks to the door and Karai calls out absently… and with a slight sting of spite. "See you on Sunday for dinner." He only wavers a moment by her words, strides out of the spacious office and takes the private elevator all the way back down to the basement. He makes his way out to the alley and down the manhole from whence he had come.

Why does she always have to have the last word? Leo, supposing it's his fault for wanting a dramatic exit, brushes off her curtness. When he said goodbye, he knew that it wasn't forever. She and April and Mona and, on very rare occasions, Kala would visit the Lair and have Sunday dinner with Splinter and the Turtles. And this upcoming Sunday would be no different. Michelangelo will have his notebook full of prepared and awaiting recipes at his disposal. He outdoes himself every time. Karai's favorite dish is Mikey's desert 'Watermelon Cake' where he carves a whole watermelon into the shape of a cake and decorates it with whipped cream for 'icing' and tops it with a colorful assortment of sliced fruits. Leonardo remembers that Sunday night very well. Her mouth had tasted like watermelon. It was the night he brought up the courage to confess his love for her. She hadn't said it back.

Leonardo had thought he was on his way home but finds himself wandering through the sewers lost in reverie. He doesn't really mind. Every step away from her hurts and heals him. He tells himself that he and Karai will be just fine. He holds on to the hope that there IS someone out there for him… for Karai too. He laughs to himself. "Whoever can tame her, God bless him."

For now, he's securing his throbbing heart. It's beating, it's alive and he can go on. And when Sunday comes he hopes that he can look her in the eye with a genuine smile. He knows that she will keep her cold façade in check without error. She will carry on as if nothing had ever happened between them. That's ok. He knows her games. He'll let her play, if only to amuse herself.

He has one fear though… that she won't let him go. She may treat his words as a sign of being too cowardly to make a move. She seems to thrive on his emotional short-comings, has used it to her advantage many times. Perhaps she'll not ignoring him, but drop hints, 'accidently' touch him, find themselves alone, and continue to try to coax out what she wants from him. He can't allow her to do that. Yet, he knows that his heart won't be immune to her in only a few days.

He stops at a split in the pipeline. He heads up the north path towards home. It's almost midnight and he doesn't want his family worrying. God knows they've worried him over the years.

Leonardo's shell cell chirps and buzzes from his belt holster. He grabs the device and sees who is calling him.

It's Raphael.

Leo answers. "Hey Raph."

"The flip are ya?" Raphael grunts.

"Don't worry. I'm on my way home. Not even ten minutes away."

"Who said I was worried? Mikey told me to call ya."

Leo rolls his eyes and smiles. "Sure, OK. I'll be in soon."

"Aight." And Raphael ends the call.

…

As Leonardo steps through the threshold of his subterranean home, he's surprised at how dark and quiet it is. Everyone must be asleep or winding down in their own spaces. It's probably better this way. He doesn't feel up to talking, not that he's had many heart-to-heart chats with his brothers in the past about 'girl troubles'.

He's tempted to go straight to his bedroom but heads towards the dojo instead. He needs to work off the frustration of the evening somehow. Only two options come to mind on how to do that… he chooses to train. Upon sliding the paper doors open Leonardo hears someone clear their throat behind him. Someone has been sitting in the dark living area awaiting his return.

"Where you been all night?" Raphael murmurs.

Leonardo doesn't turn to answer, sighing inwardly. "Nowhere special."

"Hmm." Leonardo can hear Raphael's smile from here. "Funny, I thought Karai WAS special to ya."

"The problem is I'm not that special to her so…"

Both brothers know Leo doesn't mean to let that slip. Too late though.

Leonardo turns to his brother seated low on the couch. The red bandana he wears is barley seen in the dimness. "Never mind, Raph." Leo strides inside the dojo.

Raphael leaps over the couch and follows his brother inside. "No, no, no! Ya can't drop it like that. Now ya gotta tell me!" Raphael spins his brother around by the shoulder coming face-to-face with him. "And don't skip over the juicy stuff! Let me guess, you tried to stick your tongue down her throat but she threatened to cut it off with a shurikan?" He smirks.

Leonardo closes his eyes and frowns. Oh, if Raphael knew that it was the other way around. He is not about to tell him that the young woman he loves only wants to be bedfellows. He can just hear his tactless brother's response 'She just wants sex? The hell's wrong with that?' Neither Leo nor Raph have substantial enough experience to give each other advice on this matter, so Leo confiding in Raph would be like the blind leading the blind. Talking isn't what he wants right now. He needs to expend some energy.

Leonardo steps back deeper into the dojo, standing within the sparring circle. He looks to his brother, eyes glinting in the low candlelight. "I'd rather fight about it than cry about it. How about we get some extra practice in? You could always use more."

Raphael easily takes the bait. "What're ya tryin to say, Fearless?"

Leonardo grins. "I'm saying that Mikey, Donnie and I have put the work on you that last few times we've sparred and… I think you're slipping." He adds that last comment with a bit of sneaky judgment.

Raphael quickly forgets his previous concern for his brother. He wants to knock his block off. "I'll show you slippin'!"

Raphael barely finishes to bow, signaling the start of the match, before barreling towards Leonardo. Leonardo knows how to absorb the anger-fueled blows from Raphael and change it into skilled concentration. He could have kept Raphael a raging bull, but that is not Leo's intent. Soon the two young ninjas get into a finely sculpted rhythm. Their bodies begin to react without thinking and this is where Leonardo finds his peace. He vows to himself that he will get stronger. His heart will heal. He will get over Karai. He promises himself that he will never again loose his resolve to her.

Never again.

…

The next morning, the four turtle brothers practice as usual. After, Donnie goes to his lab, Raph and Mikey head to the junkyard for anything useful, leaving Leonardo to spend some much-needed time alone to sulk.

He'd put on a good face during training, not wanting anyone to know how much he's hurting. Now, in the stillness of the dojo, he tries to perform a series of katas, but ends up stopping mid stride, unmotivated, and heads to the living area.

The open space had changed a lot over the years: the couches may not be brand new but they were much more comfortable than the rickety, hard one they had. They still had a boxy television, but it was much bigger that the twelve inch one they had grown up with. There's a soft, gray, area rug and a basket full of blankets bought by April. The area has a homey feel to it now and there is enough room for everyone to gather at one time… in the rare chance that everyone happens to be there.

Leonardo goes to the small bookcase used as the media display and browses through the old VCR tapes they used to watch before Donatello was able to 'acquire' cable. With nothing pulling at his interest, Leonardo aimlessly walks towards the diving pool at the other side of the Lair. He stares at his reflection on the dark, cold water and wonders if he'll forever be alone. It's definitely not what he wants, not for himself or any of his brothers. He sits on the lip of the pool and stares down past the surface of the water. If someone were to see him right now, they'd think he must have lost his only friend in the world at the bottom of this pool and can never go deep enough to get them back. The blue-banded turtle shakes his head, and splashes away his miserable image. Why does a broken heart have to be so painful?

Leonardo blinks once the water stills. He sees himself again but he swears he sees another pair of eyes just below his own. He blinks again and leans down to get a better look.

Just then a nose pokes out and bumps into his, then the eyes and the rest of the face comes up for air. They smile as the water drips down their neck and shoulders.

"Hello, Leo!"

"Well, what do you know?" Leonardo steps back and helps her out of the pool. "Mona, it's good to see you."

"Ahh!" She says and wrings out her ponytail into the water. "That was a refreshing little swim. A bit chilly though. Good thing I'm not completely cold-blooded." She whips her hair back and gracefully walks into the living space.

"So, how have you been? Where have you been?" Leo asks.

"Oh, you know me. Just came back from the jungle, absolutely love it there. The reptilian community is thriving and I have a lot of pictures and footage and writing to send off to National Geographic! And of course that makes me happy. Can you say, Cha-Ching?" She turns to him, placing a hand on her hip and winks.

Though Leonardo does not think of her in a romantic way, he can't help but notice how naturally attractive Mona is, even for a mutant lizard. Still, even if he did like her, it would do him no good. She only has eyes for one turtle.

"Where is… everyone?" Mona asks as she unstraps her waterproof tote from her body.

"Donnie is locked in his lab and Mikey and Raph are out running errands."

"Huh." She looks a little deflated. "Well, then I'm going to go freshen up." She strides towards the bathrooms. "Would you be a dear and make me something to eat while I'm taking a shower? I'm freaking starving! It's not like there's an IHOP around every tree in the Amazon."

Before Leo gets to answer, Mona closes the bathroom door and turns on the hot water. Leo smiles. Does Mona forget that Leo can hardly boil water, let alone make a meal? He goes to the kitchen anyway and looks for something he can heat up or is easy to make. He finds some bread. He'll try to make some toast. That should be easy enough. "It's just toast." He says to himself.

After about thirty minutes, Leonardo sets the table and puts out the jam, mustard, mayo and butter. He is able to boil some water for tea. He also finds some cheese and deli slices. It's the best he can do without Michelangelo in the house. He pops the bread in the toaster as he hears Mona scream. He jogs over to the bathroom and knocks on the door. "Mona! Are you OK in there?"

There is no immediate response. Then the door opens and the warm, misty air of the shower she had taken wafts away. Leo finds her standing in front of the sink, wiping the fog from the glass with the palm of her hands.

"What do you think, Leo?" Mona flaps her hands in the relieved turtle's face, displaying her shiny, new polish. Although her claws could be dangerous, she makes sure to keep them trimmed and pretty, just how she likes them. She may be a color-changing, mutant lizard but she doesn't have to be nasty about it.

Leo chuckles at her giddiness. "They're really pretty, Mona."

"I know. You think Raph will like them?" Mona wiggles her fingers in front of her, then running them through her long, brown ponytail, enjoying the contrast.

"You used his favorite color. He'll probably love them."

"That's the plan!" Mona squeals in delight.

Leonardo watches the young reptilian lady blow once more on the ruby-red lacquer. She tufts her pale, pink scarf, playfully draping it around her neck and swoops her bang into place. She is super excited to be back in town and see her friends again, especially Raphael.

"Leo?" Mona says while still checking herself out in the mirror.

"Yes?"

She bites her lip as she gathers her bottle of polish and tote bag. "I couldn't help but notice… how you looked when I first came out of the pool… is everything… hey, do you smell that?"

They both turn to the kitchen. Leonardo's eyes almost pop out of his head. "Oh no!" He runs to the kitchen with Mona keeping in step right behind him. They look in horror as the poor toaster, once again, is being tortured by the evil Leonardo. Black smoke bellows from the top of the doomed appliance.

"I'll pull the plug! You go get a knife!" Leo says to Mona.

Leo pulls the plug and puts on an oven mitt. Mona hands him a… fork… and he takes the toaster over to the sink, turning it over. He runs the water and scrapes away the black remains that were once innocent bread. "Ack! The fork is stuck!" Leo exclaims.

"Here, use another fork to get it out!" Mona yelps.

"OK, wait, no! I can hardly see! We have to get all this smoke out before Donnie…"

"Awe, Shell! Not again, LEO!"

Both Leo and Mona cringe at the sound of Donatello's telltale voice of accusation. They stay quiet as they hear the intelligent turtle walk into the kitchen and find the Lair exhaust switch he 'had' to install because of times like these. The loud whirr of the fans suck the smoke away, leaving Leo completely exposed to Donnie's not-so-happy face.

Donatello sees his big brother standing over the sink, looking very guilty. Donnie's eyes cross when he sees the charred shell of the toaster, two twisted forks jammed inside its slits. "My brother, the toaster serial killer strikes again. What were you thinking? Just when I find my groove working on something important, the unmistakable smell of burning bread shoots up my nostrils. Couldn't you have waited for Mikey to get home?"

"I would have but she was hungry." Leo explains.

"Who?" Donnie asks in confusion.

"Her." Leo looks to his left at an empty space. "Mona, she was just…"

"Mona's here?" Donnie asks.

"Yes, right here." Mona steps away from the brick wall of the kitchen letting the dark burgundy fade away, revealing her true emerald color. "Hi, Don." She says sheepishly.

"Mona Lisa." Donnie smiles. "Wow, what a surprise. Come to grace us with your presence?"

"Something like that." She grins. "This is sort of a pit stop. I would have come by later in the year when it's warmer up here but I kind of need you to check on the T-Copter for me."

"Oh? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing too bad. It just got struck by lightening."

"It what?!" Both turtles say.

"No big deal, it still flies. It's how I got here, of course. The blast knocked out the cloaking system so I had to fly above the clouds or by night the entire way here. It took a really long time." She pouts.

"OK." Donnie drops his head in his hands. "Where is it?"

"At the end of the pool's tunnel."

Donnie rubs his temples with mild frustration. He walks over to Leo and takes the toaster. "I'll try to bring this back to life… again. And I'll add the T-Copter to my to-do list as well. It'll take a while, Mona. You may as well get comfortable. I won't be able to look at it for the next day or two." Donnie says as he heads back to his lab.

"I'm not in any rush. Thank you, Don!"

"Yeah, yeah." Donnie says and closes his door.

Leonardo sighs and washes his hands. He looks around the room and grabs a cereal box from atop the fridge. "We can snack on Cheerios until the others get back."

"That's fine with me." Mona says.

They take a seat at the table and grab a handful of the honey oats. As they munch silently, Mona looks over at Leo… that sad face sneaks in for a moment, then quickly disappears, reminding her of what she had tried to bring up before. Leo sees her looking at him and hurriedly tries to think of something else to start talking about.

"Leo…"

"Mona, while we wait for the others to get back, why don't we watch some anime? I was looking at the old tapes we used to watch and I know how much you like them. Come on." Leo gets up and goes out the archway towards the sunken living room area.

Mona notices a brush-off when she hears one. She doesn't like it. She follows him in and plops down on the couch. Leo turns on the TV, pushes play on the VCR and sits beside her. Once the nostalgic, spastic music starts to play, he feels he is in the clear and begins to relax.

Mona tilts her head and admires her nails. "I share my problems with you, Leo. So I think it's very rude when you try to snub me."

He tenses right back up. "I… I'm not trying to snubbing you."

"So you'll tell me what wrong?"

Leonardo purses his lips. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just… a little sore." He absent-mindedly rubs a hand over his plastron where is heart currently aches.

Mona blinks, noticing the gesture. He looks away, realizing how transparent he's acting. She looks at her friend with concern. She understands if it is hard for him to talk about right now, whatever is going on. And she understands that she and Leo are two different people. Just because she can pour her heart out to Leonardo when she's whining about how clueless Raphael is, doesn't mean Leonardo can do the same about Karai, she assumes.

She pats his leg in comfort, then folds her arms, crosses her legs and goes back to watching the video. "Well, whatever is making you 'sore' I hope you feel better real soon... and if you can't talk to me about it cause it's 'guy stuff' or something, maybe talking to your brothers would help."

Leo looks back at the TV and grins. "How do you know I haven't already?"

"Because you never seem to have any problems. If you can't admit that to yourself, then you definitely wouldn't talk to someone else about them."

"Wow… do you think I'm that pious?" He says with a bit of humor.

"No, but I think you'd rather be strong for everyone else… you were strong for me when I first came here."

Leonardo remembers. It was during her first week living with them, when Mona was having an identity crisis. Mona can laugh about it now but at the time, it was the calming strength of Leonardo that brought her mind back. After that moment, Mona felt like she could tell him anything. Leo is the big brother she never had, and that makes him super special to her.

Seeing Leonardo with a thorn in his shell is disheartening to Mona. And if it has anything to do with that 'Krazy Karai', Mona would have some choice words for her.

A moment later, "I just have one question and then I'll drop it." Mona says.

"OK." Leo says, a bit unsure.

"Do I need to go to Oroku Corp. and pimp-slap Karai? 'Cause, I'll do it."

This makes him laugh. "No, I don't think that's necessary."

She smiles back at him, proud of herself for changing his mood. They go back to watching the TV in comfortable silence.

…

Two videos and an empty box of Cheerios later, Mona and Leonardo look towards the sounds of the turnstiles clatter, seeing both Michelangelo and Raphael enter the Lair. They are handling two large boxes of random stuff they had found at the junkyard.

"Hey guys!" Leo calls to them.

"What's up, Leo!" Mikey says.

Leo gets up from his spot on the couch and stretches. He goes over to his brothers to sneak a peek into the boxes. "Do you need any help? Did you find anything interesting?"

"No and No." Raphael huffs. "Just the stuff on Donnie's list. You can open the garage door for us so we can dump it in there."

"Sure." Leo unhitches the latch and sets the cereal box down before lifting up the door.

"Leo, you ate half a box of cereal all by yourself?" Raphael asks.

"Which cereal? I hope it wasn't my favorite!" Mikey protests.

"I don't think Leo would scarf down your seizure-prone 'Sugar Blizzard Choco-Puffs'." Raph says.

"Awe, Leo was hungry! I'll start din-din as soon as I'm done here." Mikey says.

Leo shakes his head and points back at the couch. "No, I didn't…" he looks around and sees that Mona has 'disappeared' again.

"What you say?" Raphael asks as he empties his box in the corner of the garage.

Leonardo tries to hide the goofy grin on his face. They'll find out soon enough. "Nothing. I think I'm going to take a nap before dinner." And he quickly leaves.

"Hmph. Don't know why he's all of a sudden tired. It ain't like he did anything today. Just putts around the house." Raph kicks his box into the corner and lowers the garage door.

Mikey shrugs. "I'll go thaw out some wings." Mikey goes into the kitchen to prep. He looks at the mess on the table and wonders what in the world Leo was up to while they were gone. The jam and mustard and cheese had been left out. He picks them up to put them away when he notices a bottle of red nail polish on the counter and a familiar looking tote bag slung around a chair.

He throws the condiments in the fridge and races to Leonardo's room. He bursts in to see his brother leaned back on his bed with an open book in his hands.

The freckled turtle gapes at his big brother and they both share a knowing smile. "I know who's here!" Mikey sings.

…

Raphael closes his bedroom door. He turns on his dim lamplight and looks around. He thought he saw something. He shrugs and rolls into bed. Hell, if Leo can take a nap in the middle of the day, then surely Raph can. He takes out his cell and plugs in his earbuds. He lounges back, closes his eyes, and lets the music rock through his head.

But just before the chorus comes in, his music shuts off. He opens his eyes and sees that the track is paused. He pushes play again, thinking that he accidentally brushed the screen with his finger. A few seconds later his music stops again. He looks at his phone, confused. He pushes play again and stares at it. And right before his eyes, it pauses. He pushes play; it pauses again. He goes to the next track. This time his phone goes back to the original track.

He groans. "Damn touch screen must be broken… what the…" The skeptical turtle watches as his smartphone seems to have an actual mind of its own. It closes his music app and goes to his contact list. It scrolls down and stops at Mona's name. It opens up the chat and then types the word, "BOO."

Raphael has two choices; He can jump up and run out of his room, flailing his arms like a sissy, screaming about his haunted cell phone, or he could realize that his stupid-acting brother hadn't told him who helped him eat the cereal.

Raphael decides to play it cool. He sighs. "I guess this is confirmation. I'd been meaning to erase Mona's number from my phone for a long time. Might as well do it now. She's actually scarier than a ghost."

Mona clicks her tongue. "I am not!"

"Gotcha!" Raph reaches out to grab her arm, but grasps onto something a bit thinner, which makes her yelp.

"Raph, no!" Mona's camouflage fades. He sees the mischievous mutant appear, kneeling beside his bed, his hand wrapped around the end of her tail. "Let go, Raph!"

"Your tail gettin' you into trouble again?"

"I had to use the tip of my tail on your cell or you would have seen my nails!" She holds up her red, painted digits. "See? Aren't they pretty?"

"You really are a pain!" He wriggles and points the tail at her.

She grabs hold of his sheets and whimpers. "OH, Raph! Stop!"

He looks at her, wide-eyed, her face is completely flushed, and his face starts to warm once he comprehends what he is doing to her. To make absolutely sure he's doing what he thinks he is doing, he gives her sensitive tail a firm squeeze, making Mona plant her face into the mattress.

"Heh, serves you right." He says smugly, letting go of her tail.

She looks over at him and slowly allows her long appendage slide down and away from his palm. She stands and looks away, trying to compose herself. "You're a jerk."

"And you're a creep, breaking and entering into someone else's space."

"I didn't break in. Your door was unlocked."

"Well, you sure as hell are givin' me a reason to get a lock!"

"Ugh! You can stop acting like you're not happy to see me now." She says, somewhat annoyed.

"I ain't actin'." He says and lies back again on his shell, hands folded behind his head, just looking at her.

She looks back at him. His expression is blank. He's not saying it's ok for her to stay, nor is his demanding that she go. She hates that he never says what's on his mind. She also hates how delicious he looks lying on his bed. Those muscled arms are torturing her. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I'd been happier if youda knocked first."

Geez, Raph! A yes or no would be helpful! "OK." She shrugs. "Sooo." She shifts back and forth, still not sure if she should walk out the door or sit on his bed… and he's not budging. She just wants to get a little closer to him, but she supposes her prank ruined her chance for now. "How have you been?"

"…Peachy." And that's the end of this conversation.

A knock at the door draws their attention.

"What!" Raph yells.

"It's Mikey!"

"Mikey!" Mona cheers up instantly. She opens wide the door.

"Mona! I knew it! I knew you were here!"

Oh, my gosh! Long time, no see!" Mona bounces on her toes. "You been good?"

"Good like a turtle should!" Mikey returns her excitement, then looks over at his brother. "I see you found Raph." Mikey says.

"More like I found her, the snoop." Raph grumbles.

Mona pouts but Raph turns over, not seeing her.

"Hey, Mona, you want to help me in the kitchen? I'm making buffalo wings and fries."

"I think she'd much rather eat buffalo wings ON FLIES, am I right, Mikey?" Raphael jeers.

"Raph!" Mona whines. She hates it when he brings up that ONE time when she, new to her lizard instinct abilities, caught a fly right out of the air with her sticky tongue. Super embarrassing.

Mikey chuckles. "Good one, Raph."

"Yeah, I'll help you, Mikey." Mona sighs.

"You coming, Raph?" Mikey asks.

"Naw, I'm gonna try and do what I came in here to do in the first place, take a damn nap."

"Sweet dreams, grumpy dumps." Mikey closes the door and he and Mona go start dinner.

Once Raphael is sure he's alone he breathes a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, my God! I can't believe Mona's here. MONA…" He takes a pillow and covers his face. "Calm down, just calm down, stay cool." He tells himself. He sits up in his bed and starts thinking at a million miles an hour. What is he going to do? He had thought he was alone in his room. But when Mona's prank fell through and he saw her kneeling beside his bed, it took everything in him not to grab her and kiss her. That's all he's wanted to do since she left last December.

Because she chose to stay a mutant all those years ago, something Raphael still doesn't understand, Mona couldn't go to college to become a herpetologist. So, she decided to move to the jungle and teach herself about all the exotic species of reptiles that live in the Amazon. He hadn't voiced his desire for her to stay with him, because he didn't want to get in the way of her dream. And it's not like she is his girlfriend or anything.

He knows Mona has a thing for him, something else he doesn't understand, but he's not going to entertain that thought either. It's much easier for him to treat her like a pest than grovel lovingly at her feet. He's afraid that he wouldn't be able to find a middle ground with his feelings for her. Seeing her beside his bed, looking at him with those big brown eyes, swinging that long, silky hair, being aroused by his hand wrapped around her tail, letting it slip sensually out of his hold, just sent him to a whole other place. If she had moved an inch closer, asked him not to stop, he would have dived all the way in and never looked back. He would cling to Mona, the way Donatello clings to April. And his brothers would tease him about how 'whipped' he has become, and he'd have to kick his brothers' asses every single time. So one could understand how dysfunctional his family would become if Raphael fell in love.

He sighs louder. The last time Mona was here, Raph said very little to her. He thought that she'd get the point when he kept giving her one-word responses. She would back away for a while but something in her wanted to bug the hell out of him. So she'd start talking to him all over again as if nothing happened. Then, after Christmas, right before she was about to leave, Raphael found himself alone with her in the garage. She had dangled a sprig of mistletoe over their heads. She wanted to kiss him before she left for South America again. She wanted another reason to come back to New York. But Raphael lost his nerve and turned his cheek to her and said. "C'mon, Lisa. Don't give me any of your germs before you go."

She laughed it off and said goodbye. He knows that she hates being called by her 'human' name.

Raphael is no good at this emotional stuff. He knows the way he treats her hurts her feelings but he'd rather hurt her than break her. He'd better come up with a battle plan. However long she's staying this time, he's got to find a way to survive her presence without making her hate him… but maybe she should hate him. He sighs again and drums his fingers on his plastron. "Her nails did look nice." He mumbles.

…

OK first chapter down and thank you for reading! Any thoughts so far? Please review if you like.