Author's little note: this is my first attempt at writting a fanfiction so please respect it. It's a Mona Lisa/Raph story, written by a fan, for the fans. Even though there will be references to the TMNT FF and TMNT BTTS seasons, I had the 2003 cartoon in mind when i wrote this story. I'll makefoot notes anyway, so you won't be lost ! I think the hardest part was to find how they would meet. Now, without waiting any further, let's get on to the story.

Chapter 1: Danger

It was hunger that woke her up.

Mona Lisa opened her eyes and stretched her limbs to get rid of the pain. Once again she had slept on the hard ground of the sewers, and her back was killing her. But it was better than the night before, when she had to sleep outside and nearly froze to death. Just because of a group of junkies decided to dog guard the manhole. Gosh, she missed her room. A heated room with wall-to-wall carpet on the floor, curtains on the windows and a comfy bed with clean sheets.

She shook her head. No, no more thinking about home she told herself. Best to be focused on the present. Giving her limbs one final stretch, she sat and reached for her bag.

A piece of almost not stale bread, two apples and a bottle of water was all she had left. But she had seen worse. A few months in the streets disciplined her body to the tough life of the homeless, and sometimes, she could go a whole week without eating. But Mona Lisa also suspected her mutated body to have something to do with it. She vaguely remembered a science class back in elementary school where her teacher told her that animals would stock up food in their bodies for winter. Maybe her body suspected that Mona Lisa was facing a particular harsh winter and relied on her "stock" rather than real food.

Biting into an apple, Mona Lisa mentally made a to-do list; first, make sure that it was almost night time before going out. Then, dig in the trashcans for possible food. Finally, make sure to return here before 3am, before those guys show up again. Just thinking about it was enough to make her feel uneasy.

"Stupid punks," she growled between her teeth, "they didn't have to scream like that."

But what other reaction could one have when facing a green, 5.2 feet mutant lizard? Not to mention that her tail wasn't really helping. And that it was ages since she took a bath. Any normal human being would have been scared to death.

No. Not everyone.

There was this girl.

What was her name again? Ariel ? April ? Something like that…

She didn't scream when she saw Mona Lisa. She just looked surprised. Yeah, that was it; surprised. But not terrified, like the others. She treated Mona Lisa kindly. She talked with her, gave her a warm coat, even offered her to stay for the night. How long has it been since she met someone like that?

Mona Lisa often wondered if the ginger-haired woman was sincere, or if she did all this out of pity. Bit of both perhaps. Or maybe she was just being nosey.

Shut up Mona Lisa. She was nice to you, and you're not really returning the favor. You're becoming mean girl.

She chuckled.

That's what mom and dad always told me; "you're becoming mean, Mona Lisa. Where did learn to behave like that? Is it at school? I'm warning you young lady: keep going like this and you'll be sorry." That's funny. A total stranger helped me when my family wouldn't, and I'M the one who's mean.

Before she could react, tears began to stroll down her face. It always happened when she thought about her family.

Do they miss me now I'm gone? Do they think about me sometimes? Mom…dad…Jason…

The tears were coming down now. Like a river. Hard. Uncontrollable. Mona Lisa put her head on knees and allowed herself to cry for once.

Ignoring her spleen, a passing rat approached her. Probably hoping to get a bit of her breakfast. But just as she handed the apple core, she froze. The rat had stopped. It lifted its head up. Focused. Worried. The rat fled, giving up the food she was offering.

For Mona Lisa, there was only one instinct stronger than eating: to survive.

Danger.

That's all she could think about. The rat had sensed it. Someone was coming.

They're back.