Flirting with the Enemy

Chapter 2: Date from Hell

By: Michelle

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Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT; I just write fanfics about them. Katina, Hana, Kira, Tashina, Kimmico, Zenobia and any other character I create are of my own.

This is a revision of the original Flirting with the Enemy. I never completed it, so I'm starting it over.

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Kat sat at the table picking at her food with his chopsticks. Conversation wise, she wanted to puke up what little bit she ate. So far, this suitor scored no points with her.

It's not that she didn't like the idea of an arranged married. It might actually be nice marrying a handsome rich young Rank warrior, but so far her last three sparked no interest. Ok make it four, but what's the point of counting.

"You are not hungry Princess." Her suitor said flashing her a food filled smiled.

"No." Kat turned away in disgusted. "I had a big lunch."

"Best so." The suitor replied stuffing another helping of chicken in his mouth. "Wouldn't want you to lose your figure now. We'll wait until my sons arrive."

Kat steamed and looked over to her father spying on her. If looks could kill, he would be in an urn by now. She was not happy at all.

Dragon Lord stomped away grumbling under his breath. She was so damn picky. Why couldn't she just choose one and be done with. He was sure she was trying to make him go bald.

"What's wrong with you?" Tashina asked her brother as stomped in the throne room.

"She's doing this on purpose." Dragon Lord gripped. "I think her main goal in life is to make me miserable."

Tashina smirked. "Looks like she's doing a pretty good job."

Dragon Lord's eyes brightened red and he could feel the flames ready to fly out of his mouth. "This isn't funny. She driving me insane." He plopped down on his throne and tapped his claws on the ends. "Her mother wasn't nearly as difficult."

"Her mother didn't want to marry you. Don't you remember?" Tashina reminded him. "Dorei refused until her father forced her. Maybe you should do the same."

Dragon Lord thought about it for a moment. "She'd hate me for it. Kat already blames me for Dorei's death. I suppose this is my punishment."

"Yes, well…" Tashina couldn't argue. "You weren't really there for your children."

"I don't need you to remind me." Dragon Lord griped. "No go."

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Leonardo punched away at the punching bag that hung in the practice room. It was lucky it wasn't a living creature. It wouldn't have been able to take such a beating as this.

Raphael leaned on the wall watching his brother. Leo had been up everyone's butts even more so than usual. It was starting to work their nerves.

Leonardo threw one last punch, then rested. He took off his gloves and placed his hands on his knees. He inhaled and exhaled relaxing his body. He was going to need a nice long shower after this.

"You know Leo." Raphael said coming into the room. "You ought to set up ya bed in here. You don't ever seem to want to leave this place."

"Well excuse me for being a dedicated ninja." Leonardo replied eying him as he walked further in the room. He had actually had a decent day up until this moment. "Maybe the rest of you should learn from my example."

"Learn. Please. Don't flatter yourself." Raphael replied as he bent down picking up the gloves. "I have better things to do besides play perfect brother." He said putting on the gloves.

"Oh, like what?" Leonardo asked folding his arms. "Being with Venus."

"You're just jealous cuz she wanted me and not you." Raphael said hitting the nail on the head.

Leonardo sucked in a deep breath and swallowed. It killed him inside that Venus chose Raphael over him. He actually cared for her and he still did after all these months, but she didn't feel the same.

"She probably wouldn't have been able to put up with all ya nagging anyways." Raphael said deepening the wound. "You would have driven her nuts like you do everyone else."

Leonardo's hands turned to fists and he grinds his teeth. Raphael always knew how to hit his weak spots. Instead of pounding Raphael to a pulp like he wanted to, he turned and walked away. He kept telling himself it was the best way. He always walked away. He always sacrificed his own feelings for his family.

Raphael watched him go. He knew he shouldn't have said what he said, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't like to keep all his feelings inside.

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Kat stared aimlessly out her window. Her face was placid and her arms were folded. She didn't even want to think of what the next day would be like.

She sighed hearing his boots coming up the hallway. With each step, he got closer to her room. She didn't need to be bothered with him right now.

"Kat."

She faced him staring into his red eyes. "What?" She demanded him with her eyes.

"I'm growing a little impatient with you." Dragon Lord said walking around to her bed.

"A little. Is that all?" Kat replied sarcastically. "I'll have to work a little harder then."

"I'm not laughing." Dragon Lord replied to her smart remark.

Kat sat down on her bed. "Why are you making me do this?"

Dragon Lord growled under his breath and sat down next to her. "You are old enough to be out on your own. I can't care for you forever."

Kat shook her head and the tears rolled down. "It's not like you have ever cared for us before."

"I've always cared." Dragon Lord assured her.

"yeah right." Kat replied wiping her cheeks. "You haven't changed. You are still the same as the day we were all thrown in the glass."

"Do you think being the Dragon Lord makes my job easy." Her father argued with her. "I have to ensure our survival. That means making sure this kingdom has water, food, shelter, and supplies." He reminded her. "I have to make sure this kingdom doesn't divide amongst itself. You have no idea how hard it is to be a ruler."

"You rule with an iron fist." Kat replied.

"That I do." Dragon Lord agree. "And if I didn't, we wouldn't be here today. We'd still be stuck in that glass. My job is not easy, Kat. It never was."

Kat closed her eyes and more tears rolled down. "Those men care nothing for me. Alls they see is your crown."

Dragon Lord couldn't argue with her on that note. Who wouldn't want to marry the daughter of the All Mighty Dragon Lord. It entitled them to wealth and a chance to gain power. "Why don't you get some sleep." He suggested. "It'll be good for you to get you mind off of things."

Kat nodded her head and wiped her cheeks.

Dragon Lord got up and walked to the door. As he placed his hand on the doorknob, he turned to her. "Good night." That was all he could say to her.

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Leonardo turned feeling the warm water pour down on him. His shower was technically over, but he couldn't seem to get out. He just wanted to stand there and wait for all his problems to wash away.

BANG BANG BANG

"What?" Leonardo yelled.

"Come on Leo." Michelangelo fussed on the other side of the bathroom door. "I gotta pee."

"Alright. I be out in a minute." Leonardo said shutting off the water. He grabbed his towel hanging on the curtain rod and dried himself off. Then, he put on his belt and a clean set of bands and his bandana.

"Leo."

"I'm done Mikey." Leonardo said opening the door holding his towel and dirty laundry.

"Move." Michaelangelo pushed past him and closed the bathroom door.

Leonardo rolled his eyes and headed into the laundry room. Venus was there bending over to pull sheets out the dryer. He couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful. His eyes couldn't leave her.

Venus stood up and turned around holding an armful of sheets. "Could you close the dryer door for me Leo." She asked trying to keep a pillow case from falling out her arms.

"Yeah." Leonardo threw his dirty laundry into a basket and walked to the dryer. He stared at her as he closed the dryer door. "There you go."

"Thank you." Venus smiled.

"Umm." Leonardo sighed cursing himself for still having feelings for her. "You need any help."

"No." Venus answered softly. "I think I got everything. Thank you though." She said and walked out the room towards the one she and Raphael shared.

Leonardo looked away as she walked into the room. He wished he could just make the pain go away, but every time he saw her it came back to haunt him.

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Kat tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't relax her mind long enough to get some sleep. So, she sat up and climbed out of bed.

She slipped out her room and tiptoed down the hallway as she passed her father's room. He should be asleep by now, but knowing him he was still up with some damn concubine. She wasn't going to take any chances to wake him.

The palace was quiet especially compared to the day. She snuck around the hallways to avoid the few nightguards. Besides, none of them need to see a princess in her white silk nightgown anyways.

Once to the room she was headed to, she pushed open the door only to pause before it was fully open. She hadn't expected to see him here at this time of night.

In his gold silk robe and surrounded by candlelight, Dragon Lord knelt in front on a alter. On the alter, there were six elaborately decorated urns. The large one in the center contains the ashes of his beloved wife. Surrounding her, five smaller ones with the ashes of five of his sons rest. The day the Shinobi's attacked the palace so many thousands of years ago, they left no prisoners. His family was part of their victims.

Why did she have to die?

Why did they have to take his sons?

Was it enough torture to leave him to care for his eldest betraying son, his stubborn insubordinate daughter, his light-headed cloud drifting middle daughter, and his spoiled rotten younger daughter?

Wasn't the punishment of the glass enough?

Was this a curse to always torment him even after everyone else was dead and gone?

Kat's nose tickled and she fought her best not to sneeze, but the small noise was enough to alert her father.

Dragon Lord pulled out a blade from his robe and posed ready to attack. He would fight anyone despite his lack of armor. This was his sanctuary and he was not supposed to be disturbed.

"Father."

Dragon Lord placed his blade back in his robe. "What are you doing up?"

"I came…" Kat said walking slowly over to him. "I came to visit Mother."

"Yes." Dragon Lord looked over to his wife's urn. "You should be in bed."

"I know." Kat replied kneeling beside him. "I'm sorry." She said lowering her head.

Dragon Lord turned back to his daughter. "For what?"

"For upsetting you." Kat glanced up with her eyes. "I didn't mean to."

"You are hardheaded and stubborn." Dragon Lord replied. "Much like I was at your age. You are more like me than your brother or sisters."

Kat smirked. As much as she resented him, she was always Daddy's Little Girl…His First Baby Girl.

"I suppose forcing you to marry is not one of my best parenting moves." Dragon Lord admitted. "I'm not exactly good at it."

"I know you mean well Father." Kat replied looking up. "I will find a man to call husband. Those men are not…"

"I know." Dragon Lord cut her off. "I'll try to be more patient. I want you to be happy."

"I know." Kat replied and leaned over kissing him on the cheek. "I love you Father."

"Yes." Dragon Lord answered. "Now go get some sleep."

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Halfway in the middle of the night, Leonardo got up out of bed. Everyone else was asleep so he moved as ninja around the lair to the kitchen. There he came across her path again.

Venus looked up from her carton of ice cream. "hey. You are up late." She said in her sweet voice. "You could not sleep either."

"No." Leonardo answered and made his way over to the fridge. "What are you doing up?"

"I was nauseous." Venus replied and ate another mouthful of ice cream.

Leonardo pulled out a left over slice of pizza. "So you are eating Michaelangelo's garlic ice cream."

"It's not too bad." Venus admitted digging in with her spoon. "It's actually better than I thought."

"I'll take your word for it." Leonardo replied putting the slice in the microwave. 'I'm not the one who has to kiss you."

Venus lay her spoon on the table and looked over to him. "What's that supposed to mean/"

"You know what it means." Leonardo said staring at the slice rotating in the microwave.

Venus looked away and sighed. "I didn't mean to hurt you, you know."

"Yeah well…" Leonardo pulled the hot slice out and sat down at the table. "Shit happens."

"Leo."

Leonardo felt his appetite drop. Suddenly, food wasn't what he wanted. "Just forget about it." He said getting up from the table leaving the slice still there.

Venus sat alone at the table for a minute. Then, she got up and searched for him. She found him in his usual spot…The Practice Room.

She stood there watching him pound away at the punching bag. It was just too much to bare to watch him try to hurt himself the only way he knew how. She placed her hand on her belly and went into the bathroom. Perhaps garlic ice cream wasn't the right thing for her stomach.

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Another chapter done. I'm so proud of myself.

Thanks for the reviews. Glad to see some are still reading this. I'll finish it this time. I actually have parts of chapters 3 and 4 written. I have Chapter 3 up sometime next week.

TTYL

Michelle