Ch 3 - Green to Blue

Hey, think you could come by after school today? Updates on the Eric situation.

Leo stared hard at the t-phone screen. To Theia 'after school' usually meant any time after 3:30, which was only a short time from now. But escaping the lair in broad daylight without his family noticing was no easy feat. He'd have to be real casual about it. Deep breaths.

To his shock, the main room was empty. A horrible smell was wafting in from the kitchen with the occasional muffled explosion from the lab interrupting the show Raph was watching on TV. Some wrestling or boxing thing. Leo honestly didn't really care.

He made a B line for the door, pausing at the last moment to address his brother.

"If Splinter asks, I went out for a walk."

"Topside in broad daylight? You're getting bold in your old age."

"Haha, just let him know."

"Yeah, yeah, say hi to your girlfriend for me."

Every muscle in Leo's body twinged, "What was that?"

Raph got up and crossed to his big brother's side. "You're always checking your phone, responding to messages that weren't sent by any of us. You go out for hours and you come back smelling faintly fruity. Conclusion: Leo has a girlfriend."

Leo folded his arms over his plastron. "She isn't my girlfriend. She just…needs someone right now."

Raph's lips pulled into a flat line and he scoffed. "Yeah, sure she does. You're such a sucker."

Anger welled up from some tucked away corner of his heart. His eyes went white and he pinned his brother to the lair entrance, elbow pressing heavily against Raph's throat.

"Don't you dare, Raphael. You have no idea the pain and the heartbreak she's going through because of us! And you cannot begin to imagine the debt I owe her! She could have…"

His eyes returned to normal.

As soon as Raph's feet hit the floor Leo realized what a mistake he'd made. His brother grabbed him forcibly by the plastron and dragged him down the hall to Raph's room, tossing him inside like a sack of flour.

"Talk now. Before I punch you."

"Raph I…"

"Too slow."

Whack!

Leo rubbed his stinging face.

"What the shell was all that about, Leo? I want answers, now."

"Her name is Theia. She lost her sister in the Kraang invasion."

"So? A lot of people lost family members to the mutation, but we'll get them back and cure them with that retro-mutagen of Donnie's all in good time."

"No, Raph. She died in the explosions."

For once, the hothead was without retort.

Leo looked at the floor. "I pulled Theia out of the burning building. I dragged her, kicking and screaming, away from the place that had once been her home…where her sister's remains lay burnt to a crisp."

Raph reached out for him. "Leo…"

The blue-masked turtle evaded Raph's grip. He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes. His shell thumped heavily into his brother's as he propelled himself forward for a hug. Raph's arms slowly rose around him.

"Remember the patrol you got drugged and kidnapped by thugs?"

"Yeah, yeah, kick a guy in his pride."

Leo shook his head vehemently, puzzling his brother.

"No, no, you don't understand, that was her. She almost…she almost took you away from me...us. She thought that vengeance would be enough to replace her sister."

Raph's face seemed a little less green. Leo hugged him tighter, and Raph allowed it.

"But she spared you. She realized what she was doing…she stopped herself. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't imagine the pain she was in to go to such lengths. I really thought she was going to…"

Raph patted his shell and let the moment drift in the silence, but he was not one to let touchy-feely moments linger any longer than necessary. "You have a bizarre attraction to girls who want to kill you."

Leo shook his head. "I'm serious Raph. She needs someone. Her family hasn't been there to support her through all of this. She's suffering. I can't just do nothing, I have to be there for her. It's the least I can do...Please, don't tell father or the others."

"Fine."

"Thanks, Raph." A genuine smile of gratitude graced Leonardo's lips.

Raph just frowned. "I don't like it. You could get hurt."

"I'll be fine, promise."

"That promise is just about as good as a sewer apple."

"Some guy attacked her last week and there's been some kind of development with him. I have to go. I'll be back in an hour."

"You alright?"

Theia jumped. Leo was standing just inside the open window.

She took a few deep breaths. "Yeah, just a little nervy."

"And Eric?" The turtle spat out the name as though it had put a bad taste in his mouth.

"Still angry."

Leo frowned. "What happened?"

"He had a fight at school today…with Jake."

"The guy that saved you?"

She nodded.

"And?"

"They got suspended."

"Well, at least they're so focused on each other they're staying away from you. Any of them ever come near you again, you will let me know?" though phrased as a question it was very clear from the look in Leo's eyes what the answer had to be.

"I can defend myself."

"I know." Leo acknowledged with a certainty that made her grin.

"But my guardian angel always has to watch over me. I get it."

A hand grabbed her wrist. The touch was firm and warm.

"It's more than that," he whispered.

"Okay." Theia said, her voice trembling.

Leo released her, and immediately she missed his touch. She shifted her weight from side to side, nervously. "I guess we didn't really start off on the right note. Hi." She held her arms out for a hug.

Slightly surprised, he stepped forward and embraced her. Her fingers danced across his carapace, feeling all the nicks, bumps and scratches. Leo's breath caught in his chest. Theia gasped when she was suddenly thrust backward a few feet by a vehement push.

Leo's hands were shaking. He looked sheepishly apologetic. "Sorry, I'm not really used to…that. It feels weird."

"It's okay. I probably should have asked first. I'm the one who should apologize…Do you mind if I…" Theia seemed unable to find the words.

Guts clenching with a premonition of her request Leo turned his back to her. "Study me all you want."

Theia could hear the uneasiness in his voice, she could see how badly his hands were shaking. Hesitantly, she met his eyes and realized the truth: he was terrified. The reality of the situation came crashing down upon her harder than a brick. Leo felt like a bug under a microscope. In that moment, Theia's heart began to pound in her ears, his fear struck her heart like a gong. Her soft hands turned him around and grabbed his face with effortless tenderness.

"I won't hurt you. I swear." Her eyes bore into his. She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pointedly away from his shell.

A small measure of trust restored, Leo removed himself from her embrace and presented his carapace to her. "Go ahead."

She took the opportunity with a gratified nod. There were a few notable scrapes and dings across his shell, some deeper than others. Curious, she reached out to one of the deeper ones and touched it, keeping her eyes on Leo's face to make sure she didn't go too far.

Leo winced and grit his teeth when her fingers pressed a little too deeply into a sensitive gash from their latest bout with the Shredder.

Theia pulled back. "Did I hurt you?"

"A little," Leo confessed. "It's a lot like human bone, it can get bruised and dented. The outer layers can feel sensation, but not pain. The inner layers are the ones that are pain sensitive. Least that's what Don—" He stopped himself.

"One of your other brothers?"

With great hesitation, he nodded.

"You have three, right?"

Again, he nodded.

Theia smiled, wanly. "Must be nice."

Leo smiled back. "It's darn difficult sometimes."

She laughed. "What siblings aren't?"

"If it's not Raph's temper, it's Don's inventing or Mikey's imagination."

Theia's wistful smile softly curled the corners of her lips. The way his face lit up when he talked about his brothers was so sweet. It was obvious that nothing meant more to Leo than his brothers. The memory of what she'd lost stabbed her heart like a knife. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

The turtle saw Theia's smile melt away and he could feel the painful realization dawning on her. He gathered her in his arms and hugged tightly. If the clock on her wall was right, his hour was almost up, he had to get going or Raph would stomp up here after him. Wouldn't take the hothead long to track him from the lair to here.

Raph was considerably smarter than the meathead he sometimes made himself out to be, and his tracking skills were good.

But…

Theia was sobbing. Her shoulders were shaking. She had the side of her face pressed against his plastron, listening to his heartbeat as she cried.

He couldn't just leave her like this. He reached down to his belt with one hand to take out his t-phone. Behind her back, he used both hands to text Raph.

She needs me right now. Be in a bit.

The answer was almost immediate:

You better be. Splinter wants to talk to you.

That made Leo tense. Why would Splinter want to…

"Do you have to go?"

Theia looked him in the eyes.

"No, I—I don't want to leave if you need me here."

She smiled and squeezed him tightly before releasing him. "I'll be okay."

"You're sure?"

She giggled and shoved him towards the window. "Get out, you butt!"

"Okay, okay! I'm going! Pushy."

She stuck her tongue out and Leo laughed.

"See you tomorrow?"

The turtle nodded, his blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight. As soon as he was outside, he dashed back to the lair as fast as his feet could carry him.

Theia closed the window after him and sat on her bed to do some homework, but less than a minute later she felt a cool breeze on the back of her neck.

"I thought I told you to—" she stopped short when her eyes recognized the figure climbing through the window.

A long silence stretched between them. Neither party made a move. Theia was uncertain whether or not moving was a good idea. Unlike with Leo, she had no idea of this turtle's intentions. The only thing she knew for sure was that his bright green eyes were absorbing every detail of their surroundings.

After about two minutes of this, Theia finally made the first sound.

"How much has he told you?"

The turtle she knew from her attempted revenge as Raph glared at her with a scalding green gaze. He didn't answer.

"Alright, fine. Let's play charades. I'll be guesser." She was suddenly pinned to the bed with a blade gleaming between her eyes.

"Don't get smart with me."

"This aggression isn't necessary." Theia grunted, trying to free herself.

"Maybe, maybe not. Depends what your intentions are."

"I won't hurt you, just like I will never hurt your brother."

Raph released her. "You better stand by that, or I'll hurt you."

Theia's eyes flashed. "I doubt Leo will appreciate you threatening me like that."

The red-masked turtle face looked as though she'd put a bad taste in his mouth. "You're right, he probably won't."

Quite suddenly, the turtle's demeanor changed. He put his weapon away. "For what it's worth…Leo told me what happened to your sister."

Theia turned her back on him to hide her tears and he turned her around again. His touch was rougher and more abrupt than Leo's but held the same gentle intention.

"My condolences," there was genuine depth of emotion in those bright green irises, "and thanks for sparing my life."

Just like that, Raph's grip on her shoulders was gone and the only evidence of his visit was the open window letting in the frigid breeze.

"Master Splinter had very little to say to me, Raph." Leo murmured once he had finally gotten his brother alone that evening.

"He hadn't? Huh, guess I misunderstood."

"Uh-huh. Why did you lie to me?"

"Ask your girlfriend." Raph replied, walking away from the conversation.

Leo's heart stopped. Raph wouldn't… He whipped his phone out and typed frantically.

Are you alright?

The dots flashing on the screen indicated that she was typing, but every second they flashed felt like minutes in Leo's mind.

Yes. I'm fine.

Leo exhaled the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. Then his eyes narrowed.

What did he do?

Nothing, I'm fine.

What did he do?

Leo repeated, not satisfied with the answer that had come all too quickly. This time Leo felt as though he were staring at the dots for an eternity.

He threatened me. But please, don't be upset with him. He was only trying to protect you. He doesn't want you to get hurt.

Those first three words sent Leo into a protective rage. He stomped after his red masked brother and flung open the door of Raph's room.

Raphael was not surprised to see him.

"The shell, Raph?"

"I just…I had to make sure, Leo."

"You threatened her!"

Not a sliver of remorse showed in Raph's bright green eyes. "And?"

Leo bared his teeth and recoiled from his brother with utter disgust. "You're a monster!"

Almost immediately, Leo realized that was wrong thing to say. Raphael shrunk away as though he had been punched in the heart, his face contorted in pain and anger.

"I'm sorry that protecting my brothers makes me a monster." Raph's voice was flat and almost soulless. It scared Leo.

"Raph…I'm sorr—"

"Save it." Raph walked past him, straight out the door.

Leo stood stunned and staring. After a few moments of shock, guilt kicked in and he went racing after his sibling, reaching the lair just as his two other brothers were settling down in front of the television.

"Hey, Leo. What was Raph so upset about?"

"Which way did he go?" Leo asked with urgency.

"He said he'd be topside for a little bit if we needed him. Why, what's going on?"

Against his protective instincts, Leo resolved not to follow Raph topside. At this point he'd probably only make things worse. Better wait for Raph to cool off first. After a lot of hesitation, he took out his t-phone.

Made a mistake, blew up at him. Called him…something I shouldn't have.

Where is he?

Not sure. Somewhere topside.

Ok. I'll keep an eye out for him.

Thanks.

Leo…he really cares about you.

Leo was punched in the gut by guilt. It took all his control to stoically type the reply:

I know.

Theia stood on the roof of her apartment building wearing a t-shirt, a black hoodie, and dark skinny-jeans. It was an extremely cold, clear night. No sign of the red-masked turtle. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck rose, and a stroke of fear shot down her spine. She took off in a run, jumping from rooftop to rooftop headed straight for the place she'd ambushed Raph on that fateful night weeks ago.

The closer she got the louder the sound of a commotion. She looked down, gasping and hurling herself backwards as a shot landing near her feet created an array of dangerously pointy ice shards sprawling across the roof's edge. Her eyes focused in on a red-masked turtle battling fiercely attempting to deflect the shots of an irate tiger-man. By the looks of things, Raph was losing ground.

She whipped out her phone.

Leo, Raph's in trouble. Alley off West 19th past Spanish Church. Hurry. Tiger-man.

Theia's text made Leo shoot up from the couch in full blown panic mode.

"Raph's in trouble. Get your gear and get to the Shell Raiser." He barked orders at his brothers, knowing there was no time to lose.

They took the hint and fast. Moments later they were burning rubber, Leo driving like a maniac possessed.

Theia's heart pounded in her ears as Raph lost ground inch by inch. The tiger man laughed.

"Pathetic cub, in the end you are no match for Tiger Claw."

Raph was cornered, his carapace up against a dead end. Tiger Claw smiled and raised his blaster.

In a flash, it was kicked out of his hand. Theia snatched it from the air and pointed it at Tiger Claw. Raph stared in disbelief.

"Never was a cat person. I think I'm even less so now."

"This does not concern you, little girl. Choose wisely and leave now or suffer a fate worse than death."

Theia's smile was more than a little unnerving. "I'd like to see you try making me suffer more than I already am."

Tiger Claw growled. "So be it." He charged, Theia dodged the first blow, but was caught by a fierce body kick and thrown into the alley wall.

Groaning in pain, she wiped blood from her split lip. Tiger Claw was suddenly leaning above her readying his fist for a finishing blow when…

"No!" Raphael threw himself in front of her.

There was an audible crack and a horrifying whimper of anguish from the red-masked turtle and all of a sudden, bright headlights flooded the scene. Tiger Claw looked up into the headlights and fled.

Raphael's unconscious body fell into Theia's lap and she pulled him close, finding his pulse point and sighing in relief when she felt a steady beat at her fingertips. A figure emerged from the vehicle that had driven Tiger Claw away, rushing over to them.

She held Raph closer to her body and tensed, prepared to fight off the intruder if need be. The next thing she knew, Leo was calling her name.

"Theia! Theia! Can you hear me? What happened?"

Theia struggled to form words. "Tiger Claw…Raph!" She looked down at the turtle in her arms and up at Leo with tears in her eyes. "I tried to protect him, Leo…but Tiger Claw…he was too strong! I'm sorry."

The other figure tried to tend to Raph once again, and Theia growled.

"It's okay, Theia, it's okay." Leo urged. "That's my brother, Don. He's going to take care of Raphael."

The words slowly entered her mind and she released the red-masked turtle.

"Will he be okay?"

'Don' looked over at her uncertainly. He was a little shocked by this whole situation. Finding Raph's unconscious body in the arms of a human they didn't know, then it turns out both Leo and Raph knew her but neither he nor Mikey had any idea who she was…it was like a Karai flashback...

"I don't know. It looks like his shell is cracked and knocked loose. He's probably in a lot of pain. We have to get him back to the lair, Leo."

Leo looked at Theia, then back at Donnie. "What about her?"

"Leo, just get your brother taken care of. I'll be fine."

Donnie went over to her and took hold of her wrist. She winced. "Sprained wrist," Don sounded off, mechanically, "cuts and bruises, possible shoulder strain, split lip. Bit of head trauma."

Theia grunted as a bright light was suddenly in her eyes.

"No evidence of concussion, but she should be monitored."

"We'll have to take her back to the lair." Leo said.

Don stared.

"We can't just leave her here, Don, and we have to get Raph home too." Another voice chimed in, sounding small and scared.

Finally, Donnie nodded his consent. Leo pulled Theia up.

She protested. "You don't have to worry about me, Raph—"

"It's the least I can do. You saved his life."

"I couldn't just stand there and watch him take your brother away from you. Not when I could do something."

Leo frowned. "You've put yourself in a lot more danger than you realize, and now that you have, there's so much more you need to know."

Welp, there's chapter three. I know there aren't very many people reading this story at the moment. I hope that there will be more in the future, but we shall see. Those of you that are reading it, I really hope you are enjoying it thus far. Would love to hear from you. I know it's been a while since I've had time/inspiration to write a story and this is my latest effort so any and all feedback appreciated. :)

-Leah