A couple of slices of pizza and a yummy cup of hot chocolate later, and Skie had to admit she was feeling a little less like Alice. Though she still felt like she was in a SyFy channel movie of the week. With another sigh at the sweet taste that exploded over tongue she raised her eyes to see Georgie approaching where they all sat.

Once Mikey had stopped laughing at her comment he had dished up pizza for everyone and asked her what she would like to drink. Her answer had simply been 'Something sweet and hot. And if you've got it a little bite.' There had been no bite, but the homemade hot chocolate that Mikey had placed in her hands had been heaven anyways. Lapsing into silence to properly appreciate the chocolate lovers paradise, she had listened only half heartedly as the others had talked and laughed.

Georgie held only her beat up leather duffle bag and one of her portfolio's. Skie groaned. "You couldn't wait till the chocolate lulled me into a warm paradise of coma before you showed up could you?" Rolling his eyes he set the bag next to her. Grumbling about a man's lack of proper respect for chocolate as she opened the bag. Sifting through the clothes she found her soaps and an extra pair of shoes, it was more what she didn't see that brought a frown to her face.

Georgie knelt down next to her and stopped her hands as she continued to go through the bag. "It was broken. I brought the pieces, Donnie's real good at fixing things, maybe he can do something with it." Skie looked back to the ladder and saw the box that most likely held the pieces he talked about. "Skie….." Ignoring him she got to her feet and marched to the box, determined to see for herself.

For the first time that day she felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. One of the few precious things she had brought in that suit case with her had been her jewelry box and its contents. Her hand shaking she reached in to pull out the shattered remains of the little wooden box. Lifting what was left of the wood it failed to release the soft melody of some long forgotten song that her grandmother had adored when she was a child. The wood carved in delicate designs to resemble songbirds perching and flitting from tree to tree. The missing music didn't hurt her heart as much as the missing locket did though.

This little box had survived all the way from Ireland with her Grandmother's family, passed down to her Mother. When her Father gave it to her it had contained a locked that had also been her Grandmothers. These items had been precious and important to her mother and so were in turn precious to her.

Georgie took the shattered remains from her fingers and put it back in the box. "Maybe Donnie can fix it." Skie snorted, there wasn't much to fix. Patting her head he took the box over to Donnie so he could sort through, Skie followed him quickly. Donnie looked at it and glanced up at her, he didn't wanna say it but she was betting she was right. Sighing she sat back down in the chair she had been in before.

"I had more than this when I first got here." She muttered as she kicked the leather bag. So much earned and worked for now lost, all in a matter of hours. Her sapphire eyes blinked as her cup, newly filled with steaming chocolate, was held out to her. Shooting Mikey a very thankful look and smile she accepted it and sipped, allowing it to sooth her frayed nerves.

"Well, until those guys stop looking for you I think it's best you keep yourself right here." Georgie said as he and Leo both turned to her. Oh crap, she knew that look. Stupid men, always thinking their dominant when everyone knows who really runs things. Ignoring them for the moment she focused on the hot chocolate.

"Skie, it would be the smartest thing to do." Ok that one earned him a look, honestly did anything she had done today strike him as the smartest thing? Eyebrow raised and mocking stare engaged he quickly cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. At this point he was stuck with either insulting her or ordering her around some more. Neither was going to get him the result he wanted.

Then Leo stepped in. "You will stay with us. We know about this mob, we can fix you a room and you can develop the pictures. We'll make sure they'll be delivered while you are kept alive and safe." He turned like that was the end of the conversation. Mikey must have seen the fire spark in Skie's eyes as he took her cup from her hands and backed away.

"And just who named you the all mighty master of my life?" Skie started as she stood up and crossed her arms. "What gives you the right to boss me around or take over my life? Let's get something straight blue boy, you don't make the rules for me." Georgie frowned and held up his hands. "Now Skie……" Skie whirled on him and jabbed him in the sternum with her finger. "And neither do you! So shut your pie hole before I find a spoon to stab you with!" This threw the two of them off enough to keep them quite.

"Both of you stop trying to tell me what to do. If I wanted to be ordered around and told how to live my life, I'd go live in a convent!" Huffing she picked up a pillow from the chair and shook it at them. "Believe it or not just because I don't have a penis doesn't mean I don't know how to make good decisions!" Leo's eyes widened and he shook his hands in that motion when you only just realize how badly something you've said has been taken. "A please wouldn't kill you! I might, but a please wouldn't!"

"Would you just sit down and stop PMSing so we can discuss this!" Georgie yelled back, fed up with her not just doing as she was told. It was the wrong choice and even Raph winced at his choice of words.

Skie honestly couldn't remember what came over her. It was like the sound of twig snapping, and she really wanted Georgie to be that twig. The turtles looked startled as she dropped the pillow, used the coffee table as a launching point, and tackled Georgie to the ground. His face was priceless as she let out a cry of pure frustration and launched at him. He grunted as he hit the hard cement floor and groaned as his head actually bounced.

Quickly getting over the shock of her sudden burst of violence, the turtles quickly came to Georgie's aid as his grunts and ouch's started ringing out. Mikey grabbed the shouting girl around her waist and hauled her off of the prone man on the floor. She struggled a bit but was really no match for any of them.

Georgie frowned at her as Leo and Raph hauled him to his feet. Rubbing his jaw, he was amazed to admit that she actually got in a good hit. "Nice right hook." Skie stood with Mikey's arms still holding her around the waist glaring daggers at him. "Ok. Let's try this again now that you're a little less stressed out." She crossed her arms over Mikey's and snorted at him. "Will you please stay here where I know you are safe and relatively out of trouble till we can work all this out?"

Skie frowned at him and looked for the mocking and sarcastic tones in the question, but it was oddly lacking them. "Fine. I can handle that." She answered grudgingly as Mikey finally released her. Nodding Georgie gave her a smirk and playfully slugged her in the arm, which actually had her staggering to the side a bit.

Rolling his eyes as Mikey steadied her from behind he shook his head. "Who knows, maybe you could actually learn how to defend yourself while you're here. Lord knows it wouldn't hurt you any."

Pouting as she rubbed her arm, Skie flipped him off. Laughing Mikey nudged her and motioned for her to follow him. "It's late how about some sleep?" Now that sounded like something she could handle as well. He already held her portfolio, messenger bag, and leather duffle. "In the morning I'll make you some pancakes with chocolate. That should keep you from stabbing anyone with spoons." He quipped with a wink that had her smirking and following him.

......I swear this is in a larger font before I put it up here. I'm starting to feel like the computer is out to get me. Again.