Disclaimer: I don't own the original characters of TMNT.

A/N: i so hope you guys enjoy this one! So far it's been a real ride to write! Just a little forewarning, you might want to keep some tissue handy for the first few chapters.

A few quick points.

1. The time frame is 1997 thru 1998

2. This is the fourth in a series. Book 1 "The Monster's Sister." Book 2 "Breaking Chains." Book 3 "Courage." But as most of my stories go, they are good stand-alones too. Another words, you don't have to read the others to follow this one. (You just won't know a few characters.) Of course, you're always welcome to do some catch-up reading! ;D

Previously

Footsteps splashing in the water ahead of him alerted him to the person running in his direction. They were hidden in deep shadows and a dark cloak. The person tripped and scrambled back to their feet. They glanced behind them and that's when Raph noticed several shadows moving farther up the tunnel. Their voices echoed off the brick wall.

"I think it went this way!"

"Hurry up! We can't let it get away!"

"There it is!"

"I've got it!" A dart flew through the air to strike the cloaked stranger in the back.

The way these people kept calling this person an "it" didn't sit well with him. In fact, it made his blood boil, making his bad mood even worse. He raced forward as the person stumbled and began to collapse. He caught them. "Hey, are you alright?"

The hood fell back and he gasped. In his arms, lay Mona Lisa unconscious.

"Did you get it?"

"I think so." The voices and shadows grew closer.

Raphael felt a fire unlike any other spring to life inside him. He growled, lifting her slender body into his arms. For a moment he considered beating the crud out of her pursuers. But her slight weight in his arms made him think twice. If he was hit with one of those dart things, then these people would have both him and her. Her well being was more important at the moment than pounding these guys into the ground.

So, instead he hurried into a side tunnel. Taking several twists and turns to ensure he wasn't followed; he made his way back to the lair. Everyone turned to stare at him standing in the entrance panting with Mona Lisa cradled against his chest. "She's in trouble."

Chapter 1 - Found

Mona Lisa heard the voices and felt the panic run through her. She didn't even try to understand what they were saying. It was never good. All she knew was that they'd caught her. She'd felt the sting of the dart in her back and the all-encompassing blackness that always followed. She had gotten much farther away this time. Maybe next time she could make it. But she knew what was going to happen in the meantime. It was always the same. She'd be punished for her escape attempt. They would probably put the restraint collar back on her or starve her or drug her up so bad she couldn't think straight. Whatever it was, she had to fight it. It was all she could do anymore. Though most of the time it didn't do much good. They'd just tranq her again.

As she climbed to consciousness the voices became louder. They were close - too close. She scrambled blindly away from them, until she hit a wall. She curled up into a ball, clutching her knees to her chest and buried her face in them. "Please! No more! Please!"

Normally such a plea was pointless. Her handlers thought of her as an asset - a piece of property. To them she wasn't a living thinking being, just an animal - a mutant. Something that needed to be studied. Any moment the pain would start - the hands would grab at her and pin her to a gurney.

The turtles gasped as Mona Lisa had sprang off the couch and hastily clambered away from them. When she met the wall, she hadn't tried to run around it or anything, she'd simply sank to the floor clutching her legs and pleading in half incoherent sobs.

Raph could have sworn his heart was being ripped out of his chest. "Mona..." He turned to Splinter, who had been seated on the edge of the couch checking over their long-lost friend. "Master, what's wrong with 'er?"

Splinter frowned. "I am not entirely certain. But she seems extremely frightened."

"I'd say she's experienced a traumatic event." Don and Katherine had returned to the lair as soon as Leo had called them.

Mikey crouched down near her. "Dudette, it's us. We're your friends, remember?"

Mona didn't seem to hear him as she continued to sob and shake. Raph moved past him to kneel right in front of her. He placed a hand on her arm and she tensed beneath it. "Mona, can ya hear me? It's me, Raphael. You're safe."

When Mona felt the hand touch her arm, she clenched her eyes tight waiting for the inevitable. But then something strange happened - nothing. The hand remained still, gentle and... familiar? And then a voice came with it and it too was familiar - like a distant memory - a dream. Slowly she lifted her head. Warm caramel eyes looked back at her set in a green face wrapped in red with deep concern. Could it really be?

"Mona Lisa..." Raph said softly.

Recognition finally flashed in her eyes. "Raphael!" She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder.

Raph couldn't resist wrapping his own arms around her and pulling her close. Her sobs tore at his heart. What had happened to her? "It's alright." He said softly. "You're safe." She continued to sob as he stroked her brown hair gently.

The group waited until her weeping had died down. Finally, she lifted her head to look at Raph. "How? How did I get here?" More tears trickled down her cheeks. "I thought they'd caught me. I thought I was back in..." She pressed her eyes tightly shut.

Raph squeezed her shoulders. "I found ya. I saw those guys shoot ya with some kinda dart. Who were they? Why were they chasing ya?"

Her arms were suddenly around his neck again. "You saved me! Thank you! Oh, thank you!" She turned to bury her face in his neck this time and he shivered.

"Saved you from who?" Leo asked.

She lifted her head again and stared at him as if she hadn't known he was there. Wiping at her face, she took in several deep breaths. "IPRC."

"Who?" Mikey asked as Raph helped her to her feet and back to the sofa to sit beside Splinter.

"IPRC. They are a private research corporation." She clutched at Raph's hand when he started to step away. He frowned, settling on the coffee table in front of her instead.

"Perhaps, it would be better, if you started at the beginning." Splinter suggested.

Samantha appeared beside him and offered her a cup of water. "Here."

Mona Lisa stared up at her, but slowly took the cup. "Thank you."

"It's okay, this is Sams." Leo put a hand on her shoulder. Then, he gestured to where Katherine stood beside Don. "And this is Katherine. They're family."

Mona gave a slow nod. She drank the whole cup of water before speaking again. "Family?"

Leo smiled. "Sams is my wife."

"And Katherine is mine." Don slipped his arm around her, pulling her close and kissing her brow.

A small smile finally appeared on Mona's face as she watched them. "Where have ya been?" Raph's voice drew her attention back to him. His expression was a mixture of sadness, concern, and hurt. "I - we looked for ya for a long time. It's been nearly eight years since the last time we saw ya."

She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "A few months after we met, I discovered Captain Filch had retrofitted a new submarine. I didn't want anyone else to be hurt, so I went after him. But he was ready for me this time. He captured me and sold me to the highest bidder."

Anger flashed in Raph's eyes. "Sold ya!"

She gave a small nod, her own eyes downcast. "Infinite Possibilities Research Corp had the highest bid. I was taken to one of their labs and locked away."

Katherine felt horror grip her heart. She took a few steps forward. "Did they...hurt you?"

Again, Mona gave a small shaky nod. Beside her, Raph growled and his grip tightened on her hand. She took in a deep breath. "I've tried to escape at least a dozen times or more." A tear trickled down her cheek. "But they kept catching me. And when they took me back, they'd make it so I couldn't try again for a long, long time." Her head came back up slowly to meet Raph's eyes. "And then you found me."

Raph's breath caught in his throat at the amount of pain in her eyes. He couldn't prevent his voice from cracking when he finally got it back. "Ya were there all this time? All these years?" This time she held his gaze as she gave one slow nod. Guilt washed over him. If he'd only tried harder to find her? If he'd only known? He'd thought she'd taken off or moved away. He'd never even suspected this - this horrific and terrifying prospect of being captured, tortured, and experimented on. He pulled her to him, wrapping her tightly in his arms. "Oh, Mona, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If I'd known..."

She swallowed hard, her arms coming up to clutch at him, and bury her face in his shoulder again.

"You must be very tired." Splinter said softly. He could feel the pain imbedded deep in her soul. "Raphael, would you show her where she may rest."

Raph gave his father a nod and allowed her to sit back. "Come on." Taking her by the hand, he led her into the bedroom area. Without hesitation, he took her up the small steps into his alcove. "Ya can sleep here." He pulled back the covers and settled her on the bedside. Then he turned to leave.

She caught his hand with a trembling one of her own. When he looked back, there was fear in her dark brown eyes. "Raphael, will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

He promptly turned back to her, smiling softly. "Sure."

She laid down, making sure he had enough room. Tucking her in, he joined her. She immediately buried her face in his chest, her smaller body shaking.

Raph frowned, encompassing her in his arms. "You're safe. And I swear, no one will ever hurt ya again." His words elicited a small sob.

It took some time before she finally fell into a restless sleep. Raph gently unwound himself from her and sat up on the side of the bed. He frowned again at her tense and contorted features. Even in her sleep, she seemed so frightened. It broke his heart to see her like this. It was hard to see the spunky girl he'd known all those years ago in the traumatized woman before him. But she was there. He could see her in those dark brown eyes, hidden behind the fear and pain.

He took a moment to really look at her. Her green skin, which he recalled as nearly flawless, was slashed with thin scars and her neck freckled with old burn marks. Her face was thinner than he remembered and there were more lines in it. Dark circles loomed beneath her eyes. One thing he had noticed right away was that her hair was much longer. It nearly reached her waist. His gaze fell on the hand she had clutching the covers. The ends of her nails were broken and chipped liked she'd been trying to dig her way out of -wherever she'd been kept. To him, however, she was still beautiful. Even in this damaged and frail form, her essence still glowed below the surface.

Sighing, he rose and returned to the living room. It had been more than twenty minutes since he'd escorted Mona Lisa to his bed and his family was still gathered, speaking in low voices. They looked up as he entered. Sams lifted her head from where Leo was holding her, her eyes red. Katherine didn't look much better. She was biting her lip and swiping at her cheeks. Don rubbed her back warmly, his expression just as sad.

"Is she okay?" Mikey asked softly.

"I don't..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't know. She's terrified. She didn't even wanna go to sleep alone."

"We must give her time, my son. Once she has regained her strength, she may yet be able to tell us more of her captivity."

Leo clutched Sams against him, anger burning in his chest. And not just for the treatment Mona Lisa had received, but also for his brother. Although Raphael had kept it to himself, it had been obvious how devastating her sudden absence had been on him. Thinking back, he realized that Raph had been much like he had when he thought he'd lost Sams for good. Even just the memory of that pain was enough to take his breath away. "We'll find them, Raphael." His brother lifted his eyes to meet his gaze. "And we will make them pay."

The lost look in Raph's eyes faded to one of determination and vengeance. "Yes, we will."

"I think I'll do some research on this IPRC, find out as much as we can about them. But any little bit of information she can give us would still be very helpful." Don glanced towards the bedroom area. "Do you think she'll be able to tell you any more when she wakes up?"

Raph let out a heavy breath, looking off in the same direction. "I don't know, maybe. I can ask 'er. But I don't think it's a good idea to push 'er right now."

"I agree." Splinter stood from the couch. "Her healing is the most important priority at the moment. Your vengeance will have to wait until then."

Raph clenched his fists, that fire burning in his chest again. "I can wait." It didn't matter when he got his hands on these people, they were inevitably going to suffer.

"Doctor, it's waking up. Should I sedate it again?"

"Not unless it starts to struggle. Otherwise don't waste the meds."

Pain. Incredible, excruciating pain! It radiated from her lower abdomen like waves of fire. She tried to move away from it, but couldn't. Something held her immobile - straps, cuffs. She tried to breath, but couldn't. It only seemed to make the pain worse.

She pried her eyes open only to see a blinding white light.

Another wave of pain shot through her and a scream ripped its way out of her throat as she thrashed.

A fist struck her face. "Stop that, freak!"

She blinked trying to see their faces past the scorching light. "Please, stop!"

More pain and another scream. Suddenly a gasmask was forced over her face. She tried again to fight it, but couldn't. Her muscles seized, but her mind remained alert. "No! Stop!" It cried silently.

"No!" Someone was gripping her wrists.

"Mona! Wake up! Open your eyes!" Raph continued to hold her wrists in a firm but gentle grasp as she thrashed. "Mona!"

Slow realization dawned on her that the hands holding hers were three fingered. And the voice that spoke to her was familiar. Her eyes opened and she lifted her head to meet his eyes. "Raphael..." Tears poured down her cheeks and he gathered her against him.

The others looked on from outside the alcove. They'd all came running when she'd started screaming. She'd only slept for two hours. Katherine clung to Don's arm, worry thick in her eyes. "Maybe we should give her something to help her sleep?" She suggested quietly.

Mona's head came up. "No! No medicine! No drugs!"

She began to shake uncontrollably in Raph's arms. Frowning, he held her a bit tighter. "Shh, it's alright. No one's gonna hurt ya here."

"We just want to help you?" Leo stepped forward, his own concern evident in his features. "Is there anything we can do?"

Mona peeked at him out of one eye, her face half buried in Raph's chest. She just shook her head. "It was a nightmare. That's all."

Leo frowned and Raph gave him a dubious look over the girl's head. "It's alright, guys. I'll stay with 'er."

The group left the bedroom for the living room. Leo turned to Don. "What have you found out about this research company?"

"Well, they seem pretty legit on the surface. Their main lab is based here in the city, but they do have several more facilities in upstate. They perform all kinds of research from medical to technological. Basically, they are the go-to people for any type of research needs. But when I hacked their mainframe, I found all kinds of covert projects." Don glanced at the bedroom area. "But I haven't found anything on her yet."

"Well, keep digging. We need to find out what those people did to her."

Don nodded, and he and Katherine disappeared back into his lab. Sams laid her hand on Leo's arm. She could feel how distraught he was over the situation. He looked down at her, placing his hand over hers. He squeezed it and touched her cheek. "I need to talk to Splinter."

She nodded and watched him walk off to his father's room. She turned to Mikey, who was staring back into the bedroom. "Michelangelo? Are you okay?"

He frowned at her. "I don't know. I just feel kind of useless. I wish there was more I could do."

She folded her arms. "I know what you mean."

Then an idea struck him. "Hey, maybe she's hungry. I know pizza always cheers me up."

Sams gave him a small smile. "She's probably is. There's no telling when the last time she had a good meal was."

He smiled at her. "Wanna help?"

Her smile grew. "Sure." Mikey grinned, wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders as they headed for the kitchen.

In the bedroom, Raph continued to hold Mona Lisa as her crying slowly died away. "Do ya wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head against him. "No, I can't. Not yet."

"Okay." He rubbed her back. "Take as long as ya need. I'll be ready to listen, when you're ready to talk."

"Thank you, Raphael." She shifted a little closer to him. "Will you hold me a little longer?"

"Yeah." He pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "As long as ya want." And so, they sat in his bed for a long time. Mona didn't sleep, but she was slowly beginning to relax. The longer he held her, the more she began to feel like herself again. She wondered if this is where their relationship would have gone, if she hadn't been captured by Filch. They had barely gotten to spend any time together before she was taken.

"I'm sorry."

Raph lifted his head and frowned in confusion. "For what?"

"For being caught. For being gone for so long."

"Mona, how can ya even begin to think any of that was your fault? Ya didn't choose any of that or any of the things that happened to ya after that." He pressed her tight to his plastron. "You're alive and ya came back. What else could I ask for?"

"But we were... I was gone for so long. We lost so much time."

He sighed. "I have missed ya. But the way I see it, I can dwell on the past or focus on the future." He leaned back to look down at her. "I mean, if ya still wanna have one with me."

She blushed and nodded. "I'd like to try."

He smiled warmly. "I would too."

A/N: Off to a bumpy start for these cuties, but Raphie will make it all better. He's so sweet in this one!

Don't forget to leave a review!