There was going to be a wedding on the horizon in a few months. Leonardo and his girlfriend, Marla, were wanting to get married.

Marla was a 26 year old woman with a 5'5 thin build, kind of like April. She had dark brown hair, with the length being just past the shoulders. She had sky blue eyes. She was a business woman, as in a lawyer type. She was busy a lot of the time, but she cherished her time with Leo.

Leonardo and his brothers had met her on the streets when she had been ambushed by some Purple Dragons a few years back. Just the usual with the punks trying to either steal a purse or try to rape a poor girl. The guys had stopped it.

Marla might have been a tough talker, but she couldn't defend herself against those big strong men. She wasn't exactly a martial artist at the time.

Now that Marla had been friends with the turtles for about 3 years, she had developed feelings mostly for Leo, as he had helped her to learn how to defend herself. She had done much better on the streets now when she was topside and not at home. She did have an apartment topside. Often, it was the perfect place for her and Leo to spend their time together, away from Leo's prying brothers.

She was fond of Leo's whole family too.

Master Splinter was a father figure for her, as she had grown up without a dad. Her mom had been her main role model, and she had an older brother too. Her bro had always looked out for her.

She loved Don's science talk and how he helped his brothers when they were injured or sick. He had even treated her a few times.

Mikey was the one she would go to if she needed some fun time. Movies, video games, comics, many of the things he liked, she would seek out for fun. She did want her own family one day if it was possible, so she did want to be prepared for stuff that kids might like to do.

Raph was still the hotheaded one and she did know how to stand up to him. She didn't back down to him, and often, Raph found himself backing down to her at times. Leo was amazed she could get him to do that.

But also in her past, especially because of her brother being so protective of her all the time, she had had limited opportunities to meet men and try to get in a committed relationship. Her mom had been that way too.

Marla's mom had been a wacky social type, but hadn't believed in a marriage commitment. Marla and her brother were only half siblings, as they had different dads, and they didn't even know who they were. Their mom would never tell them.

But one night, when Marla's brother, Carlos, had been over at her apartment, Leo had surprisingly stopped by and her brother saw him. Carlos had brown hair, almost a touch of blonde, green eyes, and stood about 5'8. He was 30 years old.

Leo was usually careful, but this had been unexpected when Carlos did see him and Marla made her brother understand that Leo wasn't dangerous to her or to him and he was her friend. He had saved her.

Carlos had learned to accept it and in time, met Leo's brothers as well. Though he still wondered what his little sister was getting herself into. He promised to remain an ally and keep the turtles' secret.

At home, Leo did what he always did: watch over his younger brothers, train, meditate, go on patrol, keep his bros in line, though it was hard to with Raph. He would watch a movie from time to time with them, and when he wouldn't do anything else, he would be up in his room, studying Japanese culture and writing, or reading a good book.

Most of Marla's training was done there at the lair. She knew the neighbors in her apartment complex probably wouldn't tolerate a lot of jumping around on the floors. But when Leo came over, once he was inside her home, they would both make sure the curtains were closed so they could have their private time.

What drew Leo to this girl had been her devotion to them right away. She knew how to stick up for herself mostly, and she had a serious manner most of the time. She took her martial arts studies seriously. And she had a motherly way about her around his brothers too. She had become like another adopted sister, but she wasn't dating any human men.

Over all the men she had dated in her life, most of them had all been jerks and afraid of commitment. Marla wanted commitment. Leo seemed to be willing to give it to her. He knew how to be responsible. He would make a good dad, she saw in her eyes. He already knew enough about discipline with his brothers and from his own father.

Over anyone in the family, Marla was the one person that Leo did let his guard down with a lot more. He did tell some of his biggest secrets to her so it would help her understand him better. And she would do the same likewise with him.

But of all things, there was one line that she hadn't crossed yet, and she really wanted it with Leo. She loved him so much, and she knew he loved her. He told her nearly all the time.

After knowing each other for over a year was when they officially began noticing each other. And their feelings were ultimately strong now. They had been dating for over two years and were willing to tie the knot.

When it was just the two of them in her apartment, they would have dinners together at the table and then curl up on her couch for a movie or just watch TV, which eventually, they would both lose interest in.

Marla would always cuddle up next to Leo and he would put his arm around her. She would hug him and loved to breathe in his scent. It had a big turn on for her. She would start rubbing on his plastron, getting his attention.

He smiled and chuckled. He would kiss her head and start rubbing her back and shoulders. But it was when she would try going lower than his belt that he began to get uncomfortable. That's when he would make her stop.

"I'm sorry, Marla. I'm not ready to go that far yet." Leo said.

"Leo, we've known each other for a long time now. And we do have a commitment to each other. Don't you want to, with me?" Marla asked.

"Yes, I want to, but I just feel that I want to be married to you first. And the wedding is only a few months away. It'll make it all the more fun for the wedding night." Leo tried to encourage on that. "We can do anything else but that until that night."

Marla did believe him, but it just disappointed her. She settled down again in his presence and went back to watching TV.

This happened many more times over the next few months. Leo loved Marla very much, but this he was standing his ground on. He would compromise many things with her, such as how a date would go for example, but he was not budging on this one rule: they were not having sex before marriage.

Leo had proposed to Marla on their 13th date. He had gotten to know her well by that time and felt he didn't want spend his life without her. He had had April buy an engagement ring for her, since he couldn't buy one himself.

Marla had been surprised he had even asked her. But she instantly said yes after the beautiful diamond was on her ring finger. His soft brown eyes and handsome looks always lured her in.

He had been extremely nervous the whole time before asking her, and hoping she wouldn't reject him. He felt bad when he failed at something, and especially if he couldn't please her.

Even though he was sticking to that one rule, he hated that he would make her feel bad, but this was a rule that he wasn't going to break.

Marla really hated that rule. She didn't really see a difference, just as long as a couple was committed to each other was what mattered in her eyes. She decided to come up with a plan, even if it meant hurting his feelings just a little bit, but she would never betray him with another man.

Marla went to her brother and talked to him about advising something.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Marla?" Carlos asked her.

"Yes. I will still marry him first, but this must be done." Marla said. "Find something."

"Ok." he said reluctantly. What his sister was wanting to do just wasn't ordinarily done.

Carlos would arrange something for what she wanted.