You Are My Heroine

By Donny's Girl

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Enjoy this um…..kind of late chappie. And don't forget to review after you're done!!!!!

MICHELANGELO:

So because of my fantastic performance at the pizzeria…I didn't go back to that place for like, a year.

Ok…so it was 24 hours. But it was a WHOLE 24 hours! I mean seriously, pizza was vital to my existence! Without it I'd…have seizures something! Well…I hadn't had a seizure yet, but I was definitely waiting for one. Since I figured I could collapse onto the ground at any second, I tried to get out of my grounding that was in place for the next 5 or 6 days. I figured I'd get to the root of the problem…Master Splinter. I could have begged Leo to take me topside again, but the others were out doing something. I wasn't sure what, because I stopped paying attention when Sensei said I wasn't allowed to go. I didn't think that me and Leo would actually get in trouble for getting a pizza the other night…I mean seriously, we were providing food for the family! If anything it was generous, right? But of course Sensei wasn't focused on that…he was focused on the fact that Leo gave in and did something besides running. Excuse him for having thoughts that aren't related to training…wayyyy deep down in his head…like way deep down…Sorry, getting a bit off topic. I do that a lot…Don says it has something to do with 'ADD'. He said it means I have 'shell for brains' and I'm hyperactive. Like I haven't heard that before. He's just jealous 'cause I'm more attractive than him. Yep, that's it.

Anyway…so yeah, I wanted to get out of being grounded. Because it sucks right? Yeah. So I went to Sensei's room, a bit nervous I admit. I mean when Sensei says something, you have to be an idiot to question it. I mean, not that I'm an idiot…whatever.

I knocked on Master Splinter's door. He told me to come in, so I slid open the door and stepped inside. Of course, it smelled almost like Leo's room…a crapload of incense. Sensei's was a tad worse than Leo's though. Well not so bad that you want to gag but still bad enough to be distracting.

"What is it Michelangelo?" Sensei asked, giving me a suspicious look. Was I that obvious?

I kneeled in front of him, partly because we were supposed to do that out of respect…and partly because being respectful might get me brownie points. I'm a genius, I know. "Uh…Sensei…I was wondering…well…if maybe I could…not be grounded anymore?"

"Of course not Michelangelo. You must serve your punishment without complaint, or I will lengthen it." It almost looked like he wanted so say 'and I will kill you while you sleep if you mention it again'. But I don't think he would.

"But Sensei, Raph's not even grounded anymore! You let him go with Leo and Don today."

"Of course he is…I simply allowed him to join Leonardo and Donatello because I believed him to be going mildly insane from cabin fever…" He shook his head before continuing. "You would have been allowed to go with your brothers today as well, had you not defied my wishes the other night." He narrowed his eyes on the last part. I mumbled under my breath about Leo being the one to agree to it. It was completely unfair that Leo hadn't even gotten in as much trouble as I had when we came home that night. I bowed my head when Sensei narrowed his eyes a bit further at me. Oops, he heard me. "What was that Michelangelo?"

"Nothing Sensei." I grumbled, glaring at the ground. I hated my life.

There was a long silence, before I heard Sensei sigh. His sigh kind of sounded like Leo's when he's decided he's going to give in just to get me to shut up. But I knew it couldn't be that easy with Sensei. Or could it?

"Michelangelo…I suppose I could lift your confinement to the lair." I opened my mouth to say something, but he gave me a look that told me to zip it. "But if I hear of you doing anything you are not supposed to be doing up there, you will never set foot out of our home again."

"Yes Sensei!" I didn't even really think about what he said. I mean he wouldn't actually keep me in this place forever would he? He was just bluffing. Sensei dismissed me and I got up quickly, headed for freedom. It wasn't until I was out the door with my coat and hat that I remembered I'd forgotten to bow on my way out.

Why did I want to go back there? Why did I want to see her again? Was I insane? Had I completely lost it?

I paced back and forth on the rooftop directly across from the pizzeria, the same one me and Leo had been on last night.

I'd been walking back and forth in the same spot for about five minutes now, debating whether I should go in or not. I didn't even really want pizza (my stomach was feeling like I might be sick actually), but I couldn't make myself go back home! I just kept walking back and forth like an idiot, getting plenty of leg exercise but definitely not making any progress with my decision.

Eventually I came to one. I'd walk in, and if she wasn't working, I'd leave, get on with my life…and try to find a new pizzeria. If she was working…I pushed that out of my head. I mean come on, she was working late last night, she obviously had the night shift.

Apparently that wasn't as obvious as I thought it was…because I found myself pulling my hat down over my face a bit further and making my way down the building to the side alley. I crossed the street and approached the door to the pizzeria, hesitating before the door. I looked inside the glass door, trying to spare myself even having to go inside.

Of course she was working. Why would she only have a nightshift? I mean, that's what I wanted…I'm not allowed to get what I want. Not even when it's probably for the good of my sanity.

My sanity had obviously been effected already…I opened the door and walked in, despite my conscience, who thought it was cool to show up NOW of all days, screaming at me to turn back. I went to the counter, afraid to look up. I knew she'd recognize me.

She turned around after talking to some guy in the kitchen, fake smile on her face as she prepared to greet another customer. Her smile dropped a little, and her eyebrows raised when she saw me. "Oh, it's you."

I seriously think I almost threw up just then. My stomach twisted so bad it felt like I'd been shanked like seven times. "Uh, yeah." I said, trying to hide the hurt in my voice.

She suddenly looked worried. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't…I mean…I don't know why I said that."

I shrugged, pretending I didn't care. "It's cool."

"I really am sorry…it's just…this isn't a good time for me."

I frowned a little. She did look a little upset. "What's up?"

"I…nothing. I've just been…working a lot." She looked at me, seeming to be thinking about something. Then she looked up, as the sound of the bell on door told us that someone was coming in. "Um…you should go."

"What?" I asked, cocking my head a little. I hadn't even gotten my pizza yet! Or her name…

She looked like she wanted to say something, but stopped and put on a fake smile, but a different one than her 'customer' smile. It looked like she was pretending to like someone, pretending to have misty eyes when really they were hard and irritated. That's weird. I looked over my shoulder to see who she was looking at.

A tall guy- close to six foot probably- walked in. He was kind of lanky, any muscles he had were wiry and tiny. Let's just say if we were in a gun show…I'd so win. He also had dark brown hair, and dark eyes that looked black. He looked at my behind-the-counter-angel kind of funny, almost possessively as he made his way behind the counter, and kissed her on the lips.

Aw, hell! She had a boyfriend!

She looked up at him, a wide irritable smile on her lips. He smiled back at her, looking a bit sadistic and creepy, then looked over at me. His face fell immediately into a stony, wide eyed glare. I raised my eye ridges at him. If he had a problem we could settle it outside…I was always game for that.

"Who's this?" He asked, turning his glare towards her.

"Customer, babe." She answered, sounding sheepish and looking at his chest subordinately.

"Hm."

He looked at me again, and I started to get a bit fidgety. Wow, this was awkward.

My angel saved me. "Um, did you need something Jacob?"

His stony glare immediately turned into another one of his sadistic smiles. "Do I need a reason to visit my beautiful girlfriend at work?"

She wasn't flattered; I could tell. She smiled fakely up at him again, her eyes narrowing a little. "I suppose not."

"Good."

She gave him a weird look at that, then a guy in the kitchen told her my pizza was ready. She grabbed it, then turned and handed it to me. I looked at her, and she was looking right into my eyes, the expression on her face meaningful as she said "Come again."

"Uh…will do. Thanks." I answered, trying to sound casual. We both looked down at the box, and neither of us let go for about three seconds. She let go quickly then, looking at me with a confused look. I flashed her a small half smile that I hoped was secretive, then nodded to Jake. "See you around." He said nothing. I tried my hardest not to scowl as I made my way out the door.

GINGER:

Today has possibly been the most confusing day of my life.

A weird guy came into the shop last night. He had on a trench coat and fedora, which hid his appearance. Apparently the guys in the kitchen knew him as soon as I placed his order; he must come here often.

I think his older brother was with him; they acted like it. But the guy kept staring at me instead of placing his order. Normally I would have gotten annoyed, but something inside me just made me giggle instead. It was weird; I wasn't even attracted to him. I couldn't be, I couldn't see what he looked like!

Later when the pizza was ready, his big brother came in and got it for him. He probably thought he'd embarrassed himself and didn't want to come back in. Poor guy.

But today he came back. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. When he came in I didn't act very excited. It wasn't anything against HIM…he just made me very confused. I mean…I really felt attracted to him. It wasn't even realistic; I couldn't see what he looked like, I didn't know him. How could I possibly even look at him twice?

Plus there's Jacob. My boyfriend of almost a year wasn't always the friendliest, but I was sure that I was in love with him. He merely demanded respect from me, which was reasonable. He was smart, and since I'd moved out of my parent's house he'd taken care of me. He'd even gotten me my job at the pizzeria.

I didn't always respect him. I talked too much, and spoke my mind when I shouldn't. He didn't like that, and he let me know it. I knew all he wanted was to take care of me, and I was a terrible person for making it difficult for him. And sometimes I almost hated him! Hated him, even after all he'd done for me. I was ungrateful, and I knew it.

And I shouldn't have made Jacob angry today. He came to see me at work, when the strange guy from last night was talking to me at the counter. He thought I looked upset, and asked me what was wrong. I told him nothing, that I'd just been working hard. Really, I knew that Jacob would be angry that he was here. I knew Jacob was reasonable in his anger. He worried about my faithfulness, and it was valid. Even now, with a boy I couldn't see, my faithfulness was questionable.

And as if my thoughts weren't bad enough, without thinking I asked him to come back. Most people say that to their customers when they leave, but they don't really care if the customer comes back or not. I wanted him to come back. I wanted to see him everyday. I wanted to talk to him. To know him. There was something about him that magnetized me to him.

After he left, I sighed. Jacob had been rude to him, and I felt bad for it. Jacob wasn't the most polite person, and it was embarrassing sometimes. But I knew Jacob was just defensive. He didn't let people walk over him…like me. I wasn't strong, he'd shown me that. My place was to listen to what he said, and do what he said, and I would be alright. He'd told me that many times, and I had come to believe it, knowing it was true. Without him I would be nothing. Without him I'd lose my apartment, my job, my life. I needed him.

Jacob turned on me after the strange guy had left. He looked angry. I could tell because his jaw was clenched and his eyes were on fire. "Who was that, Ginny?"

"I told you , Jacob." I said shortly. I couldn't help it. I knew I was terrible, but I was never good at holding in my feelings, especially irritability and anger. I was annoyed with Jacob. I thought that the strange guy would never come back again. I'd never see him again. I really wanted to.

"You were a bit friendly for just a customer."

"I'm a friendly person."

"So was he."

"Is that a problem?"

"Oh no. Not at all."

His tone made me shiver with fear, but I kept up my defiance like an idiot. "Good. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to work."

I turned back to the register, but then a sharp pull on my wrist made me yelp. I was swung back around, ending up nose to nose with Jacob. "Don't forget who got you this job in the first place, Ginger!"

I stared up at him, wide eyed, and shut myself down. I knew he was angry, and I felt terrible for making him so. I'd been an idiot again, and forgotten my place. I cleared out my emotions, as I usually did when Jacob told me to do something, so that I wouldn't be swayed and would just do as he said.

"That's what I thought." He released my wrist then, and I massaged it. It was red, and I already saw three small places on my wrist bone where bruises would form. He sat down at a chair then, crossing his arms and watching me.

I turned back to the register, and swallowed the large lump in my throat before welcoming the next customer, putting on what I hoped was a genuine smile.

A/N: woo! That's done. Wanted to make it longer but then it would have been like ages long and you'd just get bored. Tell me what you think! Review pleeeeease!