Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT or X-Men, the only thing that's mine is Aella herself.

A/N: Some quick point of reference.

1. This is set in '03 Turtle-verse and the '92 X-Men TAS-verse. But it is actually taking place in 2009, so the guys are twenty-one.

2. Oh, and I might get off canon at times, but for the most part I will attempt to stay within the 92-verse. (Another words I might get my 92, 09 and comics X-Men mixed up in my head. Gah! There are way too many versions of X-Men!) So, I ask for your forgiveness ahead of time if this happens.

Chapter 1 – To Act or Not to Act

Raph flipped through the channels and growled. "There has been more mutant unrest." A disembodied voice spoke as a mob protesting mutants was throwing garbage at an apartment building where mutants were hiding inside.

Channel flip. "Your argument is illogical. Mutants are human. They are just more evolved." A man argued with another on a news set.

"You're wrong! They're abominations! Freaks! They have no place in human society!" The second man wore a FOH logo on his shirt.

Channel flip. A view of the house of representatives. A bald man was sitting at the podium. "Mutants simply wish to live in peace with our human brothers. We have no desire to cause you fear. Mutants are simply a step on the evolutionary ladder. We ask only for the same rights as everyone else - to send our children to school, to work, and to have families."

"Why are you watching that?" Leo stepped up to the couch, his practice sword on his shoulder.

Raphael frowned at his brother. "A better question is why ain't you? I mean, come on Leo. Things are changin' up there. We should be involved."

"No. That is not our fight. They are all human. We aren't. We are turtles and we are ninja. That means we are not going to expose ourselves by putting ourselves in their fight. We've stayed safe down here for more than twenty years. There's no reason to endanger ourselves unnecessarily now."

Raph came off the couch. "You have got to be kiddin'! They're mutants, we're mutants! We should be out there helpin' 'em."

"Raphael." Splinter interrupted the argument. "Regardless of whether this is a human issue or a mutant issue, we are still ninja. We exist in the shadows."

"But Master, look." Raph flipped the channel back to the one with the mob. "These people need our help. We can't just ignore 'em."

"You may help, but only if you do so without exposing yourselves."

Raph's frown deepened, effectively shut down, because there was no way to help without exposing themselves. Growling, he tossed down the remote and stormed off.

Leo sighed. He knew how his brother felt. He wanted to be a part of the outside world as much as he did, but that was impossible. They were different and they always would be.

Donatello looked up from the new Battleshell when the door opened into the garage area. It was obvious that Raph was not in a good mood as he slammed the door behind him. "Something up, Raph?"

Raph glared at the closed door and huffed. Leo might not be on his side, but surely Don would see reason. "What do you think about all this mutant talk, Don?"

Donnie frowned. So, that was it. Raph had been watching the news again. He'd purposely been avoiding it himself. "It is an interesting conundrum. The mutants are both human and yet not. Biologically speaking they still carry the genetic traits of homo sapiens. But certain aspects are enhanced and drawn to the surface."

"That's not what I mean. Don't you think we should be out there helpin'? If they get rights, we could probably live topside in the open too."

Don shook his head a little. "I don't know, Raph. They are still human and we have never been human. We're turtles."

"But they're mutants and we're mutants."

"But if you look at those mutants, they still in some form resemble humans. Many can pass as normal." Raph's shoulders slumped and Donnie sighed. "Look, I know where you're coming from, bro. Could you imagine how much good I could do, if we lived on the surface? I could do things that would benefit all of humanity. Right now all I can do is build stuff out of junk."

Raph leaned on one of the catwalk railings, looking away from his brother. "It would be nice to walk out in the daylight and stroll down the street. Live a normal life. And…"

"Find love?" Donnie was beside him now, though he didn't look at him. "Yeah, I know. That's the hardest part, isn't it? But even if we could go topside, there is no guarantee that they would accept us. We are still turtles and they are still human, just a bit more advanced genetically."

Raph groaned. "Yeah, well, I'd at least like to find out. It's better than sittin' here guessin'."

The door opened and Mikey trotted in with his gameguy in hand. "Hey, Don, could you fix this for me?" He handed the injured device to his brother.

Donnie frowned. "Really, Mikey? This is the third time this month I've had to fix this thing. What happened this time?"

"It was Leo's fault. He yelled for me and when I came to see what he wanted, I dropped it off the catwalk."

Raph snorted and Donnie made a face. "What did Leo want?"

"He said we were going on patrol." Mikey eyed his gameguy with longing. "Do you think you can fix it, Donnie?"

"Don't worry, Mikey. I'll get it fixed."

Raph had latched onto what Mikey had said. "We're goin' out? When?"

Mikey glanced at him. "Tonight." His attention went right back to Donatello though. "When do you think you can fix it? I was about to beat my best score!"

Donnie started to walk off. "When I'm done upgrading the Battleshell."

Raph tuned them out as Mikey proceeded to whine about needing it now. He sighed inwardly. The restlessness he'd been feeling lately was getting harder and harder to control. Maybe his brothers were right that they weren't the same as the mutants that now roamed the streets above. And he knew that really wasn't the reason he was feeling the way he was, it was more of an excuse. Their continued isolation as they matured was becoming harder on them. Their bodies continued to develop and need the things that all living creatures need – companionship on a physical level.

Perhaps that had been why he hadn't been spending time with Casey lately. Some part of him was jealous of his relationship with April. He didn't want April that way, she was like a sister to him, but she was a female. And the scent his best friend carried on him sometimes was all too…alluring. The last time he'd shown up smelling like that, Raph had told him he needed to take more showers. Casey had simply retorted, "This from a guy that lives in a sewer." Raph hadn't bothered to elaborate and so, he'd simply avoided him. And he was still avoiding him.

The large turtle sighed, rolling his shoulders. Maybe a good rooftop run and busting a few heads would get some of the pent up stress out.

They had spent most of the night patrolling as a team. But with dawn only two hours away, Leo had decided to let them split off and do one more quick sweep before they headed home. Raph leapt between two buildings and caught the telltale signs of a mugging below him. He turned quickly back to look over the edge of the roof.

Below, four men backed a small dark haired woman into the alley. She shook her head at them. "You really don't want to do this."

The closest man sneered. "Oh, yes we do. We can't let a delicious thing like you walk by without a taste."

Raph watched her continue to back into the alley, which would only worsen her situation. But she moved slowly, almost methodically backwards. "Really? Does that line actually work on anyone?"

"Who cares? We still get what we want." A second thug grinned wickedly.

She stopped her backwards progression. "Very well, you were warned." She swept off her long coat, allowing it to fall to the grungy alley floor. Beneath the coat she wore a black tank-top with tight fitting black pants. The tips of her leather boots shined in the darkness displaying their metal toes. Raph had started down the fire-escape when he saw something else metallic shimmer in her hands.

The woman clenched her fist around the tekko-kagi and sprang to the side to avoid the first cretin as he barreled towards her. She spun low, sweeping the second man's feet from beneath him. He fell face first into the unforgiving cement. She jumped back to her feet in time to swipe at the third attacker with her four-clawed weapon. He gave a cry as he stumbled away, clutching his shredded arm.

Raphael was a little surprised by the small woman's abilities and almost missed the fourth man sneaking up behind her. The thug wrapped his bare arms around hers, pressing flesh to flesh. "No! No! Let go!" She shrieked and it was the first time Raph had actually seen her panic. But he didn't have to wonder why as her eyes suddenly turned yellow, blazing in the dark alley. The man holding her gasped and fell to the ground behind her. She clutched her head. "No! Get out!"

Raph sat on the last level of the fire-escape staring in utter astonishment. What had just happened?

The first man had regained his bearings and stared wide eyed at the woman. Then his eyes narrowed. "She's one of those mutant freaks!" He raised a gun at her with a shaky hand. But the woman seemed oblivious to the action, still holding her head.

The second man scrambled to the man crumpled on the ground. "He's dead! The slut killed him!"

"I warned you!" She growled, opening her glowing yellow eyes. "You didn't want to listen!"

The three remaining men backed towards the entrance of the alley. "You-you stay away! You freak!"

The woman didn't move. In fact, she closed her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Why is it always the same?"

Raph watched the man warily as he held the trembling pistol pointed at her. When she started to reach for her coat laying on the ground, he jumped and pulled the trigger. Her petite body flew backwards into the wall and Raph descended on the man with a vengeance. He was certain the man had just killed the woman and for no more reason than she was different. She'd warned them and they hadn't listened. "Human filth!" He snatched away the pistol and the man didn't even attempt to stay and fight. He immediately tucked tail and ran, shouting colorful phrases as he went.

Raphael turned and walked towards the back of the alley, pausing to look at the man on the ground. Outwardly there seemed to be nothing wrong with him, but he could tell the guy wasn't breathing. Frowning, he took the last few steps to the little brunet. He squatted in front of her, eyeing the blood dripping down her chest. He felt guilty for not intervening earlier or she might have survived. She looked to be about his age. And up close he could see how lovely she was with long lashes and high cheekbones.

He would call the police anonymously and let them know she was here. With a heavy heart he stood, but froze when the woman took in a sharp breath. She's alive! He knelt back down quickly, hesitating only momentarily as he reached for her. Would she hurt him or kill him like she had the thug? Steeling his nerve, he reached out and took her shoulders in his hands. Nothing happened. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and swiftly lifted her into his arms.

An ambulance would take too long. She needed help and she needed it now. He was barely three buildings from the rendezvous point with his brothers. Donnie could help her. Besides he didn't want her paying for the man she'd accidently killed, when he was the one that had attacked her. Her body was slight in his arms, weighting nearly nothing. He noted her breathing was becoming more regular as he climbed to the appointed site. When he reached the place, his brothers were already there.

"Raph, what are you doing!" Leo sputtered.

"She's been shot! Donnie, you got to help her!" Raph fell to his knees still half cradling her in his arms.

His brother pushed past the others to kneel next to them. "What happened Raph?"

"It was my fault. I should have taken the guy down when he pulled the gun. But she was so…." He couldn't find the right word. "He shot her in the chest."

Don started to rip open the front of her tank-top and frowned. "I don't see anything, Raph. Just a lot of blood."

Raph shook his head dubiously. "No, I saw him shoot her. She took a bullet."

"Raph, if she'd taken a bullet right where this bloody patch is, she would have died. That is right over her heart." Don laid a finger to her throat. "And her pulse is fine, maybe a bit elevated but fine." He paused listening to her breathing which was becoming rapid as she climbed closer to consciousness. "And she seems to be breathing. I don't think she's injured at all."

Raph continued to shake his head, caramel colored eyes full of disbelief. "I saw what I saw!"

In his arms the woman stirred. Her eyes slowly drifted open and then shot wide. "No! Don't touch me!" She tried to pull away from Raph, but she was still weak. "I could hurt you!"

"You ain't hurt me yet. And I've been holdin' you for at least ten minutes." Raph told her calmly.

She blinked up at him, wonderment in her gaze. "I….I haven't?"

"No." He watched her face pale. "I know what you did to that guy, but you haven't done it to me."

Tears filled her eyes. "I'm dangerous. You shouldn't touch me." The tears slipped free. "I'm a monster."

Raph frowned at her. "No, you ain't. Look." He lifted one of her trembling hands in his and she instinctively tried to pull it away. But he held on. "See?"

Her face scrunched in puzzlement and she lifted her other hand to wrap it around his. "How is this possible? I haven't been able to touch anyone since I was fifteen."

Leo frowned. "What is she talking about, Raph?"

"One of the thugs that attacked her grabbed her and she…" He looked down at her. "What did you do?"

"I'm a mutant." She said softly, not looking at anyone. "But my power is a curse. I absorb the life force of others when we touch." She looked down at Raph's hand still held between hers. "Well, normally I do."

"Dude, that is creepy." Mikey mumbled. "So, you're like some kind of soul sucker."

Raph glared. "Mikey!"

The woman pulled away from Raph and stood, wrapping her arms around herself. "No, he's right. That is what I am." She looked down at her blood soaked clothes. "I'm a monster on many levels." She wiped at the tears trickling down her cheeks.

Raph came to his feet with a growl. "No, you're not! If you were a monster, you wouldn't be cryin' over the jerk that attacked you! That you killed by pure accident! You were even gonna let the slime-ball go that shot you!"

Don took a step towards her. "Which brings up a question. Raphael said you were shot, but I can't find any evidence of a wound except for the blood on your shirt."

She bit her lip, not meeting their eyes again. "My body used the life force I'd taken to heal me."

Donnie's eye ridges rose. "Fascinating. Nearly instantaneous healing powers. Can you control the amount of life force you take? And does that factor into how much or how long it takes you to heal? And-"

"Enough Donnie." Leo could see the woman was already distressed, her whole body shaking. "Let's start with something a lot easier. What's your name?"

"You may call me Aella." She tried desperately to meet Leo's gaze but kept failing.

"I'm Leonardo, this is Donatello, that's Michelangelo and you've already met Raphael." Leo gestured to each brother.

She gave them each a nod, pausing to meet Raph's steady gaze. "Thank you for helping me. Not many people would have done that after what you saw."

"I saw you kickin' some real butt before that creep tried to get behind you." Raph graced her with a half-smile.

Leo frowned a little. "I don't mean to be forward. But you don't seem to be disturbed by our appearance."

She shrugged. "Like I said I'm a mutant and I've been around. You aren't that strange compared to what I've seen." Her expression turned curious. "But I've never seen your sort of mutation before. I've never seen such a dominant gene that it effects an entire family. Most mutants with families have varying mutations within the same line."

"We're not that kind of mutants." Don explained. "We aren't homo sapien superior. We were never human. We were ordinary turtles, prior to our jump on the evolutionary charts."

She frowned. "Really?" She slowly reached out to touch Raph's arm, where he stood beside her and a slow smile spread across her lips. "That may explain why I can touch you. My powers have never affected other living things like plants or animals."

"We ain't animals." Raph grumbled.

She let her hand fall. "No, you certainly aren't. But maybe you're just far enough removed from humans that my power doesn't affect you. And that's a very good thing for you." She added with a raised brow. She suddenly swayed and sat heavily on the roof, rubbing her head.

Don squatted in front of her with concern. "Are you alright, Aella?"

"No." She said softly. "I can hear him screaming inside my head."

He frowned in puzzlement. "Who? The guy you killed?"

She nodded, rocking slightly. "It's so loud. It always hurts so much afterwards. There's no way to silence the screams."

The others noticed she was speaking mainly to herself. "So, what do we do now?" Mikey stepped a little closer now that he knew she couldn't hurt him.

Leo looked at his brother. "What do you think, Donnie?"

The genius looked up at him. "It seems that these incidents are very traumatic to her, both physically and mentally. If we leave her here, she could hurt herself or someone else. She's in a very vulnerable state at the moment."

Leo frowned again. "You're not suggesting we take her home with us, are you?"

Raph snorted. "That's exactly what he's suggestin', Fearless. And I got to agree. She don't look like she can handle herself right now." He moved to help Aella to her feet.

"Wait, Raph." Leo wasn't sure this was a good idea.

Aella was very disoriented and she held fast to Raph's arm. "My coat? My weapons?"

Raph frowned. "I'm sorry. I left 'em. I didn't know if you were gonna live or die, so I didn't bother gettin' 'em."

Aella shook her head, trying to think around the cries inside her mind. "No, I can't leave them. He'll find me."

Leo stiffened. "Who'll find you?"

She whimpered. The shrieks were just too loud. They were ripping her skull apart. "Won't go back…die first…find Logan…help…." She started to collapse and Raph caught her, lifting her again into his arms.

Donnie frowned, finding her pulse again. She was obviously in shock. "Leo, we can't leave her here."

Raph growled. "We ain't." He turned and started for home, her small body cradled protectively in his arms again. His brothers exchanged a worried look, but followed after him, descending silently into the sewers.

This is my first X-Men/TMNT crossover. I hope you all like it so far! Don't forget to leave a review...