A/N: I am overwhelmed with the love for this story! Thank you all so much! I'm sorry this chapter took a while, the hazards of having only one computer... -sigh- Anyways, hope you like this chapter!

Raph paced back and forth. "Where is he! He knows we were supposed to leave right after sunset!"

"I don't know, but he was pretty bummed when he left." Mikey advised from his place sprawled across one bench.

"He shouldn't have left at all." Don folded his arms across his chest with a frown. "We have less than thirty hours to change him back. He should have stayed put, until it was time to leave."

Raph let out a frustrated growl. "Well, if he isn't here in the next few minutes, we're leaving without him."

Don blinked at him. "You want to go without him?"

Mikey sat up. "We can't do that!"

"Yes, we can. If he ain't gonna be worried about gettin' that gun, then we'll just have to do it for 'im." Raph turned to his brainy brother. "Donnie, you said it needs to be done soon. Didn't you?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then we go with or without him. It's for his own good."

Mikey and Donnie exchanged looks, but both gave a small nod. If Leo wasn't going to save himself from making a big mistake, then they would.

"That was awesome!" Leo cheered as they exited the movie theater. "I had no idea they were making another Space Heroes movie!"

Karai giggled. It was nice to see Leo just being Leo. When he relaxed and had fun, was her favorite times with him. He lit those dark places in her heart with his laugh and smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Yeah, I did! It was the best movie ever!" He pumped a fist in the air. "Did you see when they blasted the aliens and when they blew up that ship? And did you see that crazy alien with all the tentacles?"

Karai gave another giggle. "I did. I did."

Leo suddenly stopped, pulling her around to face him and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Thank you, Karai. The last two days with you have been the best of my life."

She gasped softly, trapped within his sapphire gaze. Her heart pounded as their lips collided in a hungry kiss. She buried her fingers in his hair as he pressed her tight against his chest. A moment later, she was being pressed against the cold brick of a wall. Even as her heart craved his touch, the rest of her still felt there was something missing. She couldn't resist the soft moan that left her, which only made Leo's grip tighten on her.

"What are you kids doing out so late?" A male voice came from down the alley they were standing in the entrance of.

Leo released Karai to step back and glare down the path at the six men approaching. "Late?" He glanced up at the sky, noticing for the first time it was well past sunset. Oh, no! I was supposed to meet the guys to go find Stockman! His mind snapped back to his current problem as the men drew closer. Leo frowned. He'd stormed out of the lair without his weapons or cell this time. Of course, he'd only meant to be gone a few minutes to cool off, not several hours. He took a defensive stance. "Back off!"

Beside him, Karai had taken a defensive stance as well. She smirked. "You guys don't know what you're getting yourselves into."

"Sure we do." The largest man came a few steps closer. "We're gettin' a lot of dough from you."

"Yeah, give us the cash and we'll let the girl go." Another man said.

Leo glanced at Karai, who was scowling. He chuckled. "The girl can take care of herself."

Karai grinned wickedly. "Yep, why don't you guys come and find out for yourselves."

The man closest to them swung at Leo, who ducked. The second man swung at bat at Karai, who caught it and pulled it away from him. A third moved towards Leo, and the turtle turned human managed a kick to the side of the man's head. Karai swung the bat up, connecting with a fourth man's face. The guy crumpled to the ground unconscious. The man she'd taken the bat from rushed her and she dropped, sweeping his leg. The first man swung a meaty fist at Leo again and he sidestepped. The man's fist hit the brick wall behind him. He cried out in pain and Leo took advantage of the distraction to deliver an uppercut that had the man staggering away. The two that had yet to engage watched their companion for a moment and then charged Leo.

He stepped away from the wall to fend them off. A movement behind caught his attention too late, as a blade bit into his back and shoulder.

"Leo!" Karai hissed as she started to change into her snake form. When the men saw her fangs grow, they scattered.

Leo fell to his knees with a soft groan as she rushed to his side. He clenched his eyes as he felt her hand on his back. "How bad is it?"

"I don't think it'll need stitches. But it does need to be bandaged."

He looked up to see her eyes change back from their serpent like slit to her normal lovely brown. Her gaze was full of concern and he ducked his head in humiliation. "This is my fault. I wasn't paying attention."

"You can berate yourself later, right now we need to get you cleaned up. Come on, we can take a cab back to my place." She helped him to his feet and back onto the sidewalk.

The cabby that pulled up gave them an odd look. "You kids, okay? You need to go to the hospital?"

"No." Karai said sharply and gave her address. Leo sulked all the way there, as she used his t-shirt to keep pressure over the deepest part of the cut. Even as she cleaned and bandaged his wound once they were at her place, he continued to replay the battle in his head.

Karai admired the muscles of Leo's bare back and arms. But as her fingers trailed across the pink flesh, she continued to feel that something was off. Leo just didn't feel like Leo. He didn't even smell much like him. She frowned, watching him sulk and knowing it wasn't solely because of the fight. "There. That should do."

He put a hand over the bandage on his shoulder. "Thanks." He sighed, finally looking up at her. "I'm sorry about tonight."

She shrugged. "There were too many of them." It was a lame excuse and she knew it, but she didn't know what else to say. She sighed, coming to a decision. "Leo, I…" He turned towards her and she was caught in his blue eyes again. His arm slipped around her waist, but she put a firm hand on his chest. "I think you should go home, Leo." Slowly she stood and walked away.

Leo stared after her dumb-struck. What just happened? Things had been going so good between them. He let out a forlorn sigh of his own and left, slipping into the nearest manhole. I don't get it? Why did she pull away? I'm human now. She should like me this way. Should she? I mean I'm not a turtle anymore. Isn't that what she wanted? Isn't it what I wanted? Maybe, she doesn't think I'm as god a ninja like this. He had to admit this body was weaker and slower than his own.

Upon entering the lair, he found it quiet and empty. He frowned. Surely, they wouldn't have left without me. But as he checked around, he found the place empty except for Splinter, who was meditating. He sighed heavily as he entered his room and sank onto the side of his bed. I'm no good to them like this anyways. The image of Karai pulling away ate at him. I'm no good to anyone like this.

"I just spotted Fishface!" Mikey's voice echoed over the cell lines.

"Where?" Raph barked.

"China town, behind the tattoo parlor." Mikey watched Fishface open a door at the back of the establishment.

"Stay put, Mikey. We're on our way." Don turned the Shellraiser in his direction.

Raph darted across the rooftops. "Don't let 'im out of your sight, Mikey."

"No problem, bros. I totally got this." Mikey grinned as he opened his bag of pizza-gyoza. "Yep, I got it covered." He munched happily, gobbling one after another. He reached for another, but stopped short. He glared at the cat with one of his pizza-gyoza. "What do you think you're doing! That's mine!" He dove at the cat as it started to dart away with the food. Mikey gave chase. "Come back here! Give it back!"

Below, Fishface emerged from the tattoo shop with Rahzar. They both could hear the young turtle fighting with the stray cat. They looked up. "What's that?"

Rahzar sniffed. "Smells like turtle."

Fishface opened his cell and pressed a button. "It seems we have some snoopy turtles over here….Of course." He hung up and grinned.

Rahzar flicked an ear. "Let's teach 'em a lesson."

Fishface continued to grin. "After you." Rahzar made his way to the fire-escape and began to climb, his companion just behind him. When they reached the roof, they stood for a moment completely unnoticed by the young turtle rolling around, seemingly fighting a stray cat.

Mikey finally looked up and the cat scurried away with the gyoza in his mouth. "Aw, that was my last one!" He gave a nervous chuckle as he eyed to two mutants. "Uh, hey, guys. I wasn't expecting to see you here. I mean I was, but not here - here. I mean, uh-"

"I think I'm going to eat him." Rahzar said flatly.

"He's not much of a meal, my friend." Fishface pointed out. "Perhaps we should wait for the others."

Mikey took a step back with another nervous chuckle, pulling out his nunchaku. He rattled the chain between his hands. "You guys are hungry, huh? Well, I would have shared my pizza-gyoza with you, but that cat-thief just took off with it."

Rahzar started forward. "That's okay. I'm more in the mood for turtle." He licked his lips, his eyes glowing.

Rahzar suddenly rolled away from Mikey as a green blur smashed into him. "Back up off my brother, you greasy mutt!"

Mikey cheered at the sight of his brother. "Raph!"

Fishface snorted and charged him, only to be intercepted by Donnie. "You need to back off too, fish-breath!"

"Donnie!" Mikey felt real relief wash over him. "Phew, I thought I was going to have to handle these guys by myself. Not that I couldn't, because I totally could."

"Mikey, will you shut up and help!" Raph snapped as he leapt over Rahzar's head.

"Oh, yeah!" Mikey switched his nunchaku to kusarigama and charged in. Rahzar had turned his back on Mikey to fend off Raph's attack and the smaller turtle managed to wrap him in his chain. But this only last for an instant as Rahzar caught it and yanked the chain sending Mikey into Raph.

Don glanced their way as the two crashed to the ground. He decided they'd better make this quick. He narrowed his gaze on the fish. "Where's Stockman?"

Fishface huffed. "Now, why should I tell you that?"

"Because if you don't, I'm going to pound your head in." Don threated. To prove his point, he moved forward to knock the blaster Fishface had pulled out from his hand, then swept his metal legs.

Fishface went down hard, his eyes widened as Don loomed over him. "Perhaps, I spoke too quickly…"

Mike and Raph were on their feet again, fighting Rahzar. Raph lunged at the dog, slicing wildly with his sai. Mikey threw his kusarigama again and the large mutant batted it away. But his distraction allowed Raph to land a solid blow to his chest. Rahzar folded, his breathing heavy. He growled, loosing an uncoordinated swing at Raph's head. Mikey threw his weapon yet again and this time it wrapped tightly around Rahzar.

Raph took him down with another blow and pinned him to the rooftop with a foot on his chest. "Now, you're gonna tell us where Baxter is, or I'm gonna make you look like swiss cheese!"

"I ain't got nothin' to say." Rahzar growled fighting the foot on his chest and the chain keeping him from moving.

Fishface started to move and Don pressed the button at the bottom of his staff. The naginata blade slid out, stopping mere centimeters from stabbing the fish between the eyes. "Uh, maybe we can come to some sort of compromise."

"No. We need that laser you shot our brother with." Don said sharply.

"Laser? What laser?" Fishface blinked at him completely confused.

Rahzar had picked up on something Don had said. He glanced around the rooftop. "Where is your brother? There's usually four of you annoying turtles."

"Well, Leo isn't exactly a-" Mikey was cut off by Raph's hand over his mouth.

"Shut it, Mikey." These guys obviously didn't know what they were talking about and he didn't want to give them any ideas.

The sound of a laser rifle charging behind them, made every freeze. Slowly the three brothers turned to see Tiger Claw. "I suggest you make your peace, turtles." Without further preamble, he began to fire. The three turtles dodged the blasts, releasing their prisoners in the process. Fishface sprang to his metal feet, recovering his own rifle and began to fire as well. It took Rahzar another moment to work the kusarigama free, but he was soon on his feet as well.

The three brothers ducked behind a wall. "Dudes, what are we gonna do!"

"We're not leaving!" Raph growled. "We need that ray-gun. We gotta do this for Leo."

Don and Mikey gave firm nods just as their enemies approached their hiding spot. Don threw a smoke bomb at the tiger's feet and the brothers scattered, only to appear a moment later. Mikey used his nunchakus to knock the gun form Fishface's hand once more. "Too slow, slimy!"

Fishface kicked at him. "I am not slimy. You are, turtle!"

Don jumped onto Rahzar's back, using his bo to create a choke hold. "Now, tell us where Baxter is!"

Rahzar growled, using brute force to dislodge the turtle from his back and throw him over his head. "Forget it, freak!"

Raph faced off with Tigerclaw. "All we want is that ray-gun thing of Baxter's. Just give it to us and nobody'll get hurt."

"Foolish whelp, do you actually think we would give up the fly?"

He leveled his rifle at Raph, who darted forward to shove the barrel skyward with his sai as it released a blast. "I guess not." Raph grunted, then used his sai to disable the weapon. It threw sparks as the blade sliced into the side of it.

Tigerclaw let out a roar and swiped at him with his claws. Raph managed to duck the first strike, but the second came too fast. It caught him across the plastron and shoulder. He jumped back avoiding another slash just barely. His foot hit the ledge and he realized a bit too late that he was in a precarious position. He gripped his twin sai and prepared for the incoming attack. He swung at Tigerclaw, intending on burying his sai in the mutant's shoulder. But the large tiger sidestepped him and released a powerful uppercut. The force sent Raph over the edge of the roof.

"Raph!" Don shoved Rahzar off him, where he'd had him pinned, and darted for the edge of the roof.

Mikey was running in that direction as well. "Raph! Bro!" The both dodged Tigerclaw and leapt off the side of the building to land on the fire-escape, where Raph had landed on one of the platforms. Don took a split-second to make sure his brother was not seriously injured.

Raph's shoulder was bleeding from a gash and he seemed dazed, but otherwise showed no other obvious injuries. He let out a groan as Don and Mikey gathered him up and jumped down to street level. Their goal now was retreat. They moved as quick as they could carrying their injured brother, but their enemies lurked just behind them.

"Give it up, turtles. You are obviously outmatched." Tigerclaw forced them deeper into an alley, Fishface and Rahzar flanking him.

"That's what you think, fuzzy!" Mikey threw another smoke bomb and when the air cleared the three brothers were gone.

A/N: Oh, no! Poor Raphie! :( How will Leo react?