Sam woke up to the sweet aroma of food being made downstairs. Her stomach growled as she was reminded of how hungry she was. Donnie was insistent on waiting for her to eat and now she was starving. She got up from Mikey's bed slowly placing her leg fully on the floor only limping slightly gripping the railing as she walked down the stairs into the kitchen.
"Morning." Donnie said with a smile, flipping a pancake in a pan. "Hungry?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." She said leaning over him practically salivating over the sweet smell coming from the pan. She leaned against the counter next to him and snagged a small pancake on a plate.
"Hey, you could wait."
"Nope, you made me wait too long, now…I take your pancake." She smiled as she ripped a piece placing it in her mouth. "Ah, my god Donnie." She said putting her head back. "This is amazing."
"Thanks." He nodded his head in great achievement. Even though she hasn't eaten in quiet sometime he likes to think himself to be a good quality cook. "Did you want some tea?" He asked grabbing to open the cabinet.
"No, no. I'll get it. You finish." She smiled hobbling to find a cup placing her hand on the counter for support. She was able to regain some strength in her leg walking normally along the counter looking for tea bags and a cup to put it in. She leaned her body on the counter as she filled the tea kettle with water, bending her knee giving her thigh a break from her weight.
Mikey woke up from the couch and stretched as he looked over noticing Sam in the kitchen. He titled his head admiring the pose she was in as she reached for the sugar. She was still in her ripped black pants and white tank top that had been under a black sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was too hot to sleep in so it remained upstairs. Donnie looked over at his little brother in a glare. Mikey shrugged his shoulders getting up from the couch. Don shook his head at his little brother's moment of his hormones getting away with him and put the plate of pancakes on the table.
Samantha walked around the lair, waiting for her tea to heat up and trying to give her leg a work out. She walked over to the training room pushing the door open to walk inside, but stopped short noticing Leonardo going through his morning ritual. He swung around gracefully, his blades following making a complete circle of silver around him stopping in a stance. His breathing was hard and he put his arms down in a sigh and looked over his shoulder at Sam.
"Morning." She said in a smile leaning against the doorway.
"Morning." He said in a nod. His body was glistening with sweat as he walked over to where she stood. He almost completely walked past her with just a smile but she stopped him before he could.
"I had a dream about you last night." She said softly, making him turn his head and move in closer to her.
"What?"
"I had a dream about you. And me, last night." She smiled. He raised an eye ridge to her and she turned to face him completely, making her body slide against the wall. Her eyes were even with his as he looked at her. He looked down her body a little slower than he liked and focused on her thigh.
"How's your leg feeling?"
"Better." She moved closer to him, lifting her back from the wall. "Aren't you going to ask what happened?"
"When?"
"In my dream."
"It was just a dream." He said evenly. She heard the tea kettle whistle and slowly fade. Donnie must have taken it from the heat. She brushed up against him as she walked away, trying to walk normally without having to limp hoping his eyes would be watching her walk away. She didn't know why but there was just something about him, maybe what Master Splinter said about how they're alike? She hoped that soon he'd warm up to her like his brother's had.
"Teas done." Mikey said opening the fridge for a pizza box. She smiled and rubbed his head as she walked past him.
"Thanks Mikey."
Don poured her water in her cup as she walked over to him. "You're walking better." He smiled.
"Yeah. I heal fast." She said.
"Probably all that poison you practice with. Made you like a super human." Mikey said take a sip of his soda to clear mouth of pizza as he spoke.
"Ha, yeah. Something like that." She laughed sipping her tea. She sat down at the table and put two pancakes on her plate drenching them with syrup.
"I like a girl that can eat." Mikey said with a smile.
"Yeah, well I don't eat quiet as well as you do. What is that the breakfast of champions?" She smiled cutting a piece of pancake with her fork and putting it in her mouth.
"Totally. All those athletes that eat Wheaties are doing it all wrong, this is so the way to go." Sam laughed shaking her head. "Leo still in the training room?" he said looking over his shoulder at the entry way.
"Yeah, he's a morning person huh?"
"He gets up pretty early to condition himself." Don said sitting at the table.
"I had a dream about him last night but he didn't seem too interested in hearing about it." She said putting another piece of pancake in her mouth. Mikey choked on a bite of pizza and swallowed.
"You had a dream about Leo?" He asked coughing.
"Yeah." She took a sip of her tea nonchalantly.
"What happened?" Mikey asked curiosity consuming his face. Sam chuckled from his expression.
"We just…" She cleared her throat. "It wasn't anything important." She put her cup on the table stirring it with a spoon. "It was just a dream."
"Ah…man. Why do all the hot chicks go for the older brother?" He said crossing his arms in disappointment.
"I promise I'll try and have a dream about you tonight Mike." She smiled.
"Excellent!" Mikey said grabbing the pizza box and jumping onto the couch.
Leonardo walked in from the training room and pushed Mikey's head playfully as he walked by.
"Morning Don." He said grabbing a cup from a cabinet and pouring hot water from the kettle into it. Sam sat quietly at the table, sitting up straight and chewing her food.
"Morning Leo, how was your work out?" Don asked grabbing a fork for his pancakes.
"It was fine." He said looking at Sam. Donnie followed Leo's gaze and smiled.
"I made pancakes."
"Yeah, thanks." Leo looked up from his gaze smiling at his brother. He sat down at the table next to Don and put a pancake on the plate in front of him. "Master Splinter told me to work with you in regaining your strength." Sam looked up from her pancakes and swallowed what was in her mouth.
"Thank you, it would be a big help." She smiled taking a sip from her cup. She knew she could handle it by herself but why discourage him when all he wants is to help. He'd just get annoyed and start a fight, it's better to except his help than to be stubborn and prove herself. So had to bite her tongue hard do fight those urges. Be friendly and courteous, he's never going to let you close if you keep an arm up as well.
"You're welcome. If I can whip these guys into shape I'm sure you'll be a piece of cake." He smiled. She knew he meant that as a compliment, so she took it as one.
"You're very impressive in your skills so I'm glad that it's you." She said bowing her head.
Splinter walked into the kitchen from the dojo leaning on his walking stick. He smiled at the full table as he filled the cup Leo left for him on the counter with water. "Good morning my sons." He said placing his hand on Donnie's shoulder as he walked by.
"Good morning Sensei." Leo and Don said in unison.
"And good morning to you as well Samantha." He said bowing his head to her. She returned the gesture.
"Good morning."
"I hope you slept well."
"Very." She said putting her cup down and leaning on the table.
"Good. You need your strength so Leonardo can help you regain your abilities. I'm sure you have much to do in your own life and would wish to get back to it." He said pushing himself off Leo's shoulder as he walked into the living room where Mikey was watching TV.
"Shall we?" Sam said getting from the table looking over at Leo. He got up moving his arm out in front of him for her to go first. She smiled and walked into the training room.
"You're not hobbling as much." He said in an amused tone as he closed the door.
"I'm gonna take that as a compliment." She said turning to him. "Want to start with stretching?"
"Well, you should." He said crossing his arms a smirk slowly appearing on his face. Sam sat down and looked up at him opening her legs and moving her body down slowly between them, trying to press her chest to the floor.
"Funny." She said as she lifted her arms above her head moving back up. She brought her legs in from splits so they were shoulder length apart putting her hands behind her. "You going to help or keep working pretentious ass routine?" He rolled his eyes and sat in front of her. She put her hands out and he took them pulling her towards him. She fell forward catching herself on his thighs. She looked up at him in a glare as he smiled.
"Just want to keep you on your toes." He smirked. She pushed herself off him and held out her hands again, he went to take them as she moved them quickly out of the way.
"Don't do that again." She warned as he took her hands. He pulled her gently towards him almost laying his body completely flat to the ground as she stretched. She clenched her teeth as he pushed her back up. She shook the hair from her face letting out a breath of relief.
"You're shoulder ok?" He asked grasping her forearms.
"Yeah." She said rotating it. "I wanna see if I can stretch my leg." She said lying on her back. Leo got on his knees as she lifted up her bad leg in the air. Leo looked up at it and back at her. "You know this stretch?" She said getting on her elbows to look at him.
"Well, yes but do you…"
"Do I what? You wanted to help, you don't have to Leo." She smiled laying back down and putting her leg back straight in the air. He sighed and grabbed her leg putting his hand on her thigh and another on her shin. He pressed his plastron on her leg, moving his knees in closer to her letting his weight lay on her leg. Her leg bent resting on his shoulder as he pushed his body down on hers very slowly.
He could feel the warmth of her skin on his shoulder and the warmth of her breath on the side of his face. He closed his eyes trying to concentrate on something, anything else. Her knee touched the tops of her chest as her eyes closed and she tapped her hand on the floor.
"Ok, ok. Uncle." She said her voice trying to hide the pain. He pushed himself off her and pulled her up.
"Too much?" He asked examining her leg, seeing if the wound broke open again.
"I think so, yeah." She said leaning back on her hands breathing heavily.
"Want to start again later?" Leo asked concerned.
"No. My shoulder is fine, it my leg."
"Well, punching exercises then." He smiled getting to his feet. He put his hands up as she got to her feet slowly raising an eyebrow to him.
"And what do you suspect me to do?" She asked putting her hand on her hip.
"You don't know this exercise?" He said giving her a side glace. She rolled her eyes taking a stance in front of him.
"Ok, Mr. Pretentious…"
"Let's see what you got Ms. Secret Agent." A smile playing at his lips. She punched his palm as hard as she could, easily. Nothing hurt. She punched his other hand twice and then the other. Leo put his hands down shaking out the pain.
"Ok." He said grabbing punching pads to cover his hands. "Apparently we're gonna need these." She smiled as he took a stance in front of her and she did the same. She punched the pads. "Left." Leo demanded. "Again." His voice commanding. She took a breath in focusing on his voice. "Right." She followed instructions putting more force in her punch. Leo moved quickly and she followed with her fist. He kept moving as she started to get more of a feel for the room. "Good." He smiled putting his hands down. Her breathing was heavy as she brushed hair out of her face.
"Yeah, I am pretty good." She smiled putting her hands on her knees.
"Well, you're good at punching."
"Ha, yeah. I'm good at a whole lot of other things too Leo." She said sitting up straight.
"I'll have to wait and judge that statement won't I?"
"Well you're doing a great job of judging me in the meantime." She said turning away from him and looking around the room.
"I'm not
meaning to…"
She held up her hand to stop him from going on,
taking a deep breath in.
"I know you're not. Just forget it." She said her back still to him. She shook her head in aggregation. This was ridiculous. She hated being in pain and helpless, especially in front of someone so skilled so she can't prove herself better than what he is seeing. She's so much better than just punching. God! She reached out and punched the wall and then put her hand to her head.
"I didn't mean to upset you." Leo said stepping in closer to her.
"It's not you, Leo. I'm frustrated with myself. Karai was using that dart to her advantage. If I didn't have that fuckin' thing hit me I would of not have a wounded leg and I would have been fine. I would have gone back to my apartment and never imposed on you and your family…"
"You're not imposing…"
"I'm not used to being helpless. I am used to being in control of everything in my life. And just because of a stupid flesh wound I can't even walk right! You know how infuriating that is? I just want to be able to do a stupid kick again without feeling like my flesh is ripping apart."
"I know you must be upset, if I was in your place I would be feeling the same sense of incompletion. I suppose I shouldn't push you so hard because if someone was to me as I am to you I'd be frustrated as well." He put his head down embarrassed. She smiled hugging herself as she walked over to him. "I know how you feel. I've been out of use of my arm before and hated every second of it. Not being able to practice and train with my katanas was a living nightmare. So I tried, ignoring my brother's protest and just pushed the healing process further. Yours is just a flesh wound and should be fully healed in a day or two more. Maybe we should wait until then so I can have a good match with a worthy opponent for once." He smiled at her. She nudged him with her shoulder.
"Thanks."
"I do apologize for criticizing your skills without even knowing them." He said looking at her as they walked out of the training room.
"Really Leo, it's alright."
"No, you were able to take my sword from me without me even realizing until after the fact. That doesn't happen often. And when it does, believe me it doesn't end good for the snatcher." He smirked.
"I trust you." She said putting her hands up. "I had reasons, please don't behead me kind Sir, I promise I shall not do it again." She said walking in front of him putting her hands on his plastron. He shook his head walking past with a smile. She started to laugh following him into the kitchen.
Leo was about to pour Sam another cup of tea as they leaned on the counter closer to one another. He smiled at her as he looked away, noticing April coming down the stairs into the lair.
"April!" He said putting down his cup.
"Hey Leo, Don, Mikey. Sam, I brought you some of your things. Thought you might be in need of clothing and not smelling this place up any further than these guys do." April smiled putting the bag on the table.
"Gee, thanks." Sam said putting her cup down and looking through the bag. Casey came down the stairs second holding another bag. "God, how much stuff did you guys bring?" She said raising an eyebrow at Casey.
"This is all your hair shit." Casey said in a huff putting the bag on the table.
"My what… Oh…Geez, your sucha baby. It's just a hair dryer and some shampoo. You use more hair products than I do." She said walking past him flipping his hair. Leo and Don laughed as Casey crossed his arms in disagreement.
"I do not. I'll have you know my dashing good looks are all natural."
"Oh yeah, and those are gonna kick in when exactly?" Sam said walking over to the couch next to Mikey.
"Good one." Mikey said holding up his fist. She bumped hers against it with a smile.
"Aww, it's alright babe, I think you're just precious." April laughed pinching his cheeks. He knocked her hand away.
"Ok, you guys aren't allowed to be around one another anymore."
"You could always dish it, but couldn't take it Case." Sam said shaking her head. "So, do you guys have a shower or what?"
"Yeah it's…" Leo started.
"I wanna show her!" Mikey said jumping from the couch. Sam raised an eyebrow to him with an amused look on her face.
"So…You guys have a shower with a lock on the door?" She said to Don and Leo.
"I'll stand guard outside. I need one myself." Leo said grabbing Samantha's bags of toiletries and walking over to the stair case.
"What makes you think I trust you anymore than him?" Sam said walking over to the stairs with Mikey close behind.
"Maybe he shouldn't trust you dudette. You're the one having dreams about him." Mikey said walking past her up the stairs. Sam shrugged her shoulders.
"True. Watch your back Leonardo." She said narrowing her eyes, but having a smile appear ruining her serious act.
"What was that dream about anyways?" Mike said leaning in towards Sam. Leo turned his head still walking in front of them trying to over hear the conversation.
"Nice try Mikey."
"Aww…C'mon. Was it that bad? Did you guy like do the nasty?" Leo shook his head.
"I apologize for my brother's idiocy." Leo said stopping and letting his little brother past him. Mike turned his head.
"Dude, I don't trust you behind me." He said facing Leo and walking backwards. Leo glared at him and smacked him in the back of the head and turning his body around as they all stopped at the bathroom. "Ow bro." Mikey said rubbing his head. "This is the bathroom." Mikey said opening the door for Sam putting his hand down. She smiled and rubbed his head for him.
"Thanks Mikey. And Leo." She said over her shoulder to him. He handed her, her bag and stepped back. Mikey lingered in the doorway as Sam looked at him putting her things down on the sink. "Ahem." She put a hand on her hip. Leo rolled his eyes grabbing Mikey's arm pulling him in the hallway shutting the door.
Sam shook her head and pealed off her clothing. She turned the facet on putting her hand under the water waiting for it to warm up. She stepped into the water feeling instantly better as the hot liquid flowed over her body. She felt the hot water rinse off all the sweat and medicine left from the night before. She put her head under letting the hot water flow down her back. She reached out for her bag and grabbed some body soap, hoping there was a sponge of some kind to scrub her body clean. April bought her a loofah sponge. Black, perfect. She pressed the soap into the sponge and ran it across the top of her chest as the suds slowly drifted down her skin. She put her head back, washing her neck and shoulders. Following the sponge with her eyes as she put her arms out moving the sponge from her shoulder down her arms, then across her other. She started to relax as the hot water loosened her muscles. She reached for her shampoo and washed her hair putting head back in the water, keeping it there long after the shampoo was rinsed from her scalp. She didn't want this to end, but she knew it must. She turned the water off and opened the curtain as Raph was brushing his teeth. She closed the curtain again quickly clenching her eyes shut thinking maybe if she did it tight enough she would just disappear. Shit, shit, shit.
"Raph?" She said her eyes still clenched shut.
"Yeah?" He chuckled.
"Close your eyes."
"Why, I already seen it, its old news now." She opened her mouth in offence.
"Excuse me?"
"Calm down," He handed her a towel by just placing his hand inside the shower. "I saw nothin' anyways." He laughed again turning the water back on to finish brushing his teeth. She wrapped the towel around her glaring at him as she got out of the shower.
"What exactly did you see 'nothin' of?" She said looking at him in the mirror. He looked up and smiled at her.
"Nothin. Really. You were too quick. All I saw was skin and then curtain. I swear." His smile wasn't reassuring to her.
"Well can you leave so I can get dressed? What are you doing in here anyways don't you know to knock when someone's in the shower?"
"Not when you live with brother's who are naked anyway." He laughed. She rolled her eyes hugging the towel tighter to her body.
"Can you just leave please?"
"Hold your horses. I'm almost done." He said with spit in his mouth, spitting in the skin and rinsing it down the drain. "There, it's all yours princess." He said bowing before he left. She glared at him as he shut the door.
"Wow…" Sam said wiping off the steam from the mirror and turning towards the door, locking it. She dried herself off shaking her head. "Wow…"
Raph left with a smile jogged briskly down the stairs.
"Look who decided to get up early." Donnie said from his lab desk.
"Yeah, and I'm so happy I did." He smiled sitting on the couch next to Mikey.
"Why?" Don and Mike asked.
"Ha, I saw Sam." Mikey paused his game and looked at his older brother.
"Saw Sam…When…?" Mikey asked turning his full attention towards Raph.
"Just now, gettin' out of the shower." He smiled putting his arm on the back of the couch.
"What?!" Mikey exclaimed. "Bro, you have to tell me!" Mikey said bouncing on the couch with excitement.
"Calm down spaz, I didn't see anythin' good."
"Damn." Mikey said returning to his game. "This has been an arousing morning." Mikey said as his thumbs moved franticly over the controller.
"What?" Raph said moving away from his brother.
"Yeah dude. Sam told us this morning that she had a dream about Leo last night. Didn't tell us about what though. Bummer huh?"
"She had a dream about Leo? I'm the one that saved her!" Raph said looking over at Don. Don shrugged his shoulders.
"Well in someone's self conscious they're true feelings are able to come out, especially if said person is always hiding and burring their feelings deep down. So as they sleep, they can express their feelings throughout dreams. I guess an easier way to say it is the heart wants what it wants."
"Deep bro." Mikey said looking over at Don. Don shook his head returning to his gadget.
Sam walked down the stairs messing her hair around with her hands making it curly. She wore a pair of her favorite jeans that had rips in the knees and across her thigh. Her shirt was thin, white, long sleeved and fit loosely on her skin. Her midriff showing as she lifted her hand to her head, moving her chocolate brown hair out of her face.
"It's all yours Leo." She smiled as she walked past the library where he was reading a book. He looked up with a smile and a nod at her, going back to his book but his head snapped back up as his eyes followed her. Her body looked like it was glowing as she walked past him. Her hair was wet and messed around her head making her look animalistic. He felt his mouth open slightly as she walked into the kitchen. She reached for something in a cabinet and the shirt she was wearing lifted slightly showing off the skin on her back. He noticed something, a dark scar on it to the left, almost curving with her sides. He went to reading his book averting his eyes. He shook his head having a dispute within it. He saw the words but didn't absorb them. All he could think about was the way she looked. He shut the book and walked up stairs to his room closing the door behind him. He sank against it with a sigh shaking away the thoughts from his head. Taking a breath, he put the book that was still tight in his grasp on his night table and left his room to the bathroom.
As the hot water washed over his body he tried to keep his thoughts as far from her as possible. He cleared his mind, meditating her out of his head. There has got to be another way to ignore her. She's beautiful. I have to teach myself to ignore a pretty face. She isn't just a pretty face though. She's nice, funny and respects Master Splinter, and gets along with my brothers... "Arg.." He turned his body around as the water ran across his shoulders down his plastron. She is different than Karai. She invaded his thoughts differently. With Karai he was able to ignore it, push her away in matter of moments. Until he saw her again, and fall into her fake words again. With Samantha, he didn't know weather or not to trust her but there was something there. Something he felt rush inside him whenever he looked at her, touched her. It was different and he hated different. Snap out of it! He shook his head, getting aggravated placing his head back as water splashed into his face.
