Author's Note: Alright. I was originally gonna wait until I had this story finished before I posted it but...I got impatient. Eh-heh. :B So, I'll upload a little...just for a taste. This story will only be 5 chapters long, counting the prologue. I dunno if i'll add an epilogue...I may if I chicken out of my original idea.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Eastmanand Laird do. But boy howdy...I'd be the happiest person alive ifI did. :P

Chapter Rating: PG-13, for a mild sensual scene. That's about it.


WARNING: THIS STORY IS NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED, AND PLEASE TRY TO BE OPEN-MINDED WHEN READING THIS. THIS IS NOT MEANT FOR EVERYBODY, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE ANYTHING REALLY ANGSTY, OR THE HORROR GENRE, DONT READ THIS. (Okay, I need to do that. If I don't, ppl will read this and get pissed off.)


Prologue

She was a college student. And she was beautiful.

From his lounging position on the couch adjacent to her, he studied her meticulously. The TV was on, buzzing quietly across the room, but it did not interest him. Whenever she was with him, nothing really seemed to interest him.

Nothing but her.

Sitting in her cushioned office chair in a beige-colored, silk nightie, she was reading over her notes for tomorrow's morning exam. Slowly, her mouth moved mutely while her eyes skimmed over the papers, memorizing the pages and pages of biology notes. Absently one of her hands rose to tuck several loose locks of hair behind her ear, her fingers combing through the thick, sandy blonde strands for a moment before dropping back into her lap. Her other hand hovered above her papers, traveling along the lines of scribbled letters as she read. Faintly, through her now closed lips, he could hear her humming something, and with a widening grin he turned off the television that was trying to distract him, tossing the remote to the floor.

"You're doing it again."

The humming stopped abruptly and she sighed a small smile, still reading.

"Doing what?"

He answered with a chuckle. Even though she had mastered the English language, he could still hear her origins in her words. The 'what' of her question had a Ukrainian inflection, and after 5 years of living in the U.S., she still spoke with a slight accent.

"You're humming."

Idly pushing his thick body into the sitting position, he leaned back and rested his arms over the top of the couch, watching her swivel in her wobbly office chair. She peered at him suspiciously, a smile threatening to curl her red-glossed lips.

"I was not."

God. Her accent was so lovely.

"Ida. Hun. You were. You always hum when you're concentrating."

Before she could dispute it further, the smile that she had been fighting broke free. She laughed softly, and covered her now-rosy cheeks with her open palms.

"I forget I am doing it. Was I annoying?"

He loved that smile. He adored it. It made his day if he could make her smile just once.

"Annoying? Please, Ida. It takes more than that."

With a devious grin he stood up, long enough to reach over and pull her chair back with him to the couch, ignoring her laugh-filled protests. He stopped her chair just inches from the couch, and sat back down, her knees between his.

"You're monster, Leonardo. Pulling me away from my studies to harass me. I should be mad."

To antagonize her more, he feigned a frightful shudder, holding his fingers to his mouth.

"No…!"

His over exaggeration earned him a low giggle from her. He was playing. He knew he didn't normally behave this way, but tonight he felt so good. She made him so comfortable. On impulse Leonardo snaked his arms out around her waist to pull her close, burying his broad mouth and nose into her neck to nuzzle affectionately.

"Leo!"

With another giggle she relaxed in his arms, adjusting herself into a comfortable position in his lap, allowing him to touch her. He leaned in to her more, angling his head so his mouth could find the soft cartilage of her right ear, slipping his tongue out to tease it gently. He felt her skin prickle under his hands that were wandering across her bare back and he smiled against her soft skin, smelling the vanilla-scented body-wash on her skin that she had used hours earlier. Ida's hands trailed along his biceps as he cradled her body affectionately, and soon her hand came up to cup his cheek, guiding his head closer to hers, so their lips could meet. They lingered in the soft kiss for several moments before Ida pulled away. She ran her palm across the back of his cheek and head and gave him a loving smile.

"It's late. Your family worries."

Leonardo caressed her back gently through her silk nightgown, well aware of the time. It had only been a few hours since he had left, but the clock on the far wall was clicking closer and closer to eleven o'clock. Although several years had passed since he had a curfew, Leonardo still did not like to stay out late. Being the leader has its' disadvantages. He had to set a good example, even though it may interfere with his plans. He had to be responsible, and make sure his family was okay and taken care of. Unfortunately, this meant his love life could not be his first priority.

Smiling up at his Ukrainian lover, he sighed. That didn't mean he wanted to go home, however. He had spent almost a year with this woman. And he was still infatuated.

"I know. And I'm assuming your sister comes home soon, huh?"

Ida nodded solemnly, sliding off his lap and to her feet.

"In one hour. When the museum closes."

The tone in Ida's voice reminded Leonardo of how well the two sisters got along. Idania and Marika. He knew they only shared an apartment because of money troubles, and for the museum two streets down that their father recently bought; they both worked there. Ida and her sister were fraternal twins, but twins or not, Ida couldn't stand her sister. And the feeling was mutual.

Now on his feet and strapping on his sheathed katanas, the Turtle ambled out of the living room and into her darkened bedroom, heading toward the window with Ida following behind him. He paused and turned around, catching Ida in his arms and hugging her. The smell of her shampoo greeted his nostrils slowly, and he kissed her hair.

"I'll be back this weekend, alright? Just call when you're ready, and I'll be over before you can hang-up the phone."

Leonardo's thick fingers gingerly pulled up Ida's chin, letting her hazel

eyes find his. She gazed at him warily, and through the darkness of the room he could see sadness hidden behind her pupils.

"What's wrong?"

"…Perhaps you should not come."

Ida's accent thickened slightly when she whispered to him, and she dropped her eyes shamefully. The suggestion caught the Turtle off guard and he creased his brow in concern, grazing the pad of his thumb down her cheek.

"Whatta you mean?"

The first answer he got from her was a short sigh, illustrating her frustration. She stepped out of his embrace and sat on the sill of the window, gazing out stoically. Leonardo's eyes followed her silhouette in the darkened room carefully, his alarm growing.

"Idania. Please. Tell me."

"She is suspicious of you, Leonardo."

Ida moved her elbows to her knees and leaned on them, hiding her face.

"Marika has been asking many questions about you. She believes I have not allowed her to meet you because I am hiding something. I do not trust her."

Approaching her cautiously, Leonardo rested a hand on her shoulder when he neared her side, squeezing it in reassurance. His eyes idly skimmed the room until they found a portrait of the two sisters in a picture frame, hanging on the wall opposite him.

Idania was in the right side, smiling her gorgeous smile with her hay-colored hair and hazel eyes. Marika was on the left. She had dark hair, like the color of chestnut, and her eyes were a piercing ice blue. She was smiling too, but Leonardo knew it was fake. Out of all the things Ida told him about her sister, kindness and sincerity was not in her nature.

"Ida…I'm a ninja. You know that. Marika will never see me unless I let her."

Leonardo knelt down to her level and rubbed her back, sweeping her shoulder-length hair to the side with his other hand so he could see her face. She shot him a sideways glance and straightened up, reaching her warm palm out to touch the side of his face.

"You do not know her, Leonardo. You don't know what she's capable of."

"And she doesn't know what I'm capable of."

Ida held his gaze steadily, and Leonardo could tell she was debating something. He had a feeling he knew what that something was.

"I won't come over…if it makes you uncomfortable."

After he spoke, the Turtle stood up. Ida rose with him and leaned into him weakly, her arms covering her face. Leonardo knew she didn't like to cry in front of him.

"No Leo…you make me safe. You make me happy. Don't go."

Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her small frame, pressing his cheek into her temple.

"I won't, Ida. But I need to you to have faith in me. Nothing will happen to us."

Ida pulled away from him just enough to raise her head and kiss him tenderly, her hands traveling up his body to pull him closer, her arms around his neck. Before the kiss became too heated Leonardo pulled away, kissing her cheek. They walked to the window and with a small grunt Leonardo opened it, slipping out into the darkness of the night. Just as he turned to leave Ida stopped him with a touch to his arm, making him pause and look back.

"Be careful. Be safe."


Okay, that's it. This is the last of the nice-ness. The next chapter will be much worse. I'm not giving anything away...but...be warned. If you wanna walk away feeling good, then don't continue on.