Spike turns in satisfaction, sticking her hands in her belt.

Her eyes fall on the girl in the shadows and she remembers. She panics and stumbles back into the shadows, drawing in breath.

The girl no longer looks frightened. She looks curious.

"Are you a super hero?" the girl asks.

Spike laughs in spite of herself. "I don't know about that."

"You saved me," she says. "Thank you." Her eyes brim over with tears. "I was so scared."

Spike chews on her bottom lip as she examines the girl. A small kid, with dark skin and hair and deep brown eyes. Spike frowns. "Oh, no don't cry….." She steps forward slightly, remaining in the shadow of the building. "Uh, you're okay now."

The girl looks up, wiping away a tear. "How did you do that? They shot you."

"I…..I'm bulletproof," Spike says.

The girl cocks her head. "I'm Samantha. What's your name?"

"Spike."

"Why are you hiding back there?" Samantha asks.

Silence.

"I thought you'd be scared of me," Spike finally answers.

"You saved my life though."

"That doesn't mean anything," Spike says. She steps out a bit further. "I don't scare you?"

"You did a little, at first," Samantha says. "Because of how big you are and stuff." She frowns. "What are you? Are you an alien?"

Spike bends, kneeling so she is at eye level with the girl. "I'm a…..I'm a turtle."

The girl's eyes widen. "Did you get hit with radiation?"

"Something like that. Look, I can't stay here, someone might see me. Where are your parents?"

"Dead," Samantha says flatly.

Spike lowers her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It happened a few years ago," Samantha says, shrugging.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," Spike says. "I lost my parents too."

"But…..but you're a turtle."

"I wasn't always. Listen, where do you stay? Surely you've gotta have somebody looking after you."

"My older sister," Samantha says. "Angel."

"Well, I think she's going to be worried," Spike says. "Don't you?"

"She doesn't get home for a while. Can we still talk?"

Spike frowns. "Promise you won't tell about me? It might get on the news, and that could be a problem."

"I promise."

Spike glances up to the top of the building. "We could talk up there, I suppose."

"I can't climb that high," Samantha says.

Spike looks at her. "You don't have to."

~Evil Takes Its Toll~

Spike gently puts Samantha down on the top. "Don't go near the edge, okay?"

"Can you fly?" Samantha asks, sitting.

"No."

"Do you have laser eyes?"

"No. Why?"

"Because you're bulletproof, and you're super strong," Samantha reasons.

"So are tanks, that doesn't make them Superman."

Samantha giggles. "Why don't you want the news to find out about you?"

"It' my job a lot more difficult."

"So you're like Batman."

Spike chuckles, remembering Raphael and his 'Batman Voice'. "I don't know about that."

Samantha cups her chin in her hand. "Can I touch you?"

Spike frowns. "I….suppose so."

Samantha reaches out and runs her small hand over Spike's scaly arm. "Wow." She stands and walks around, touching Spike's shell. "Cool. Can you shape shift?"

"Nope."

"What's this?" Samantha taps her mace.

Spike shakes her head. "Don't touch that. It's my weapon." She carefully stands and draws it. "See? It's a mace."

"Like Hawkgirl?"

"I…..guess."

"If you were on the news, you'd be a hero," Samantha says. "A super hero. A real one. I didn't think there were any."

Spike lifts a corner of her mouth. "A rare breed, indeed."

"That would make people happy, I think. To see a real super hero."

"I'm not a super hero," Spike says. "I'm just….kind of a freak."

"So was Spider Man," Samantha says. "And the X-Men. And The Hulk."

"And look how the news treated them," Spike says. "To the rest of the world, I'm an outcast."

"Are you a knight then? Knights had maces and stuff," Samantha asks.

"I'm more of a….." Spike scratches her head. "I think I just go and beat bad guys up, actually."

"Cool." Samantha giggles. "If you're not a super hero, why do you have a mask?"

"It's a…..ninja thing," Spike explains.

"You're a ninja?"

"Kind of."

"That is so cool! Can you do backflips and stuff?"

"Yeah."

Samantha bounces. "Can you teach me?!"

"That would not be a good idea. I've stayed here too long," Spike says, turning. "I'll just get you down and-"

"No!" Samantha shakes her head. "Please, don't go. At least, not for good. Please? Just come to my house tomorrow night if you can, okay? Angel won't be home for a while. I want to ask you something."

Spike looks at her. "I'll think about it. You gotta get home, okay?"

Samantha stood up. "Can you take me down?"

Spike glances at her and holds out her arms. Samantha steps into them confidently.

Spike slightly tightens her hold, afraid of breaking the girl, but afraid of dropping her. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Spike peers down the side of the building before swinging herself around and climbing, very carefully. She sets Samantha down on the ground. "See ya around."

"I hope so." Samantha waves and runs back towards her home.

Spike shakes her head and heads back into the sewer.

As she stepped into the lair, Splinter was waiting. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Splinter asks.

Spike thinks. "Not sure. But….." She looks down at her hands. "I think I know what I'm doing now."