The turtle in question was currently traveling through the sewers beneath the sprawling metropolis. Head down, Andria watched her feet as she stepped through the dark and dirty tunnels. She walked apart from and slightly behind the group of brothers. Leonardo shot frequent glances at her, paranoid that she would disappear if he looked away for too long. He had made sure that she and Raphael were well separated by placing himself, Donatello, and Michelangelo between them. It wasn't necessary as neither of the hot headed turtles seemed remotely aware of the other's existence. Raph walked beside the wall, muscled arms swinging by his side as he stared straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact with anyone while Andria ignored everyone entirely. She had been silent since they entered the sewers. There were a million questions racing through Leo's mind: the majority of which he desperately wanted Andria to answer, but he couldn't bring himself to ask a single one.

Alexandria was well aware of every look the leader gave her. It was beginning to annoy her. Did he really think she was going to run away? Where would she go? April's? She considered it for a moment before labeling it as a stupid idea. No reason to be a burden on someone else. Besides, they'd probably just drag her back to the lair beneath Central Park. Home? Kenta would just love that. Her only option was to stick with these four, no matter how reluctant she was to do so. The female's mind raced as the night's events replayed in her mind.

I guess I could say a little birdie told me…

Hawkthames…what had Bishop done to get him to talk? He was tough - a fighter through and through. Not someone who gave up easily, but someone who would sacrifice himself for the sake of all others. That's why he had started the rebellion – to stop the suffering of those the Deyelaarian government had persecuted without just cause. That's what Andria had loved about him.

Don't be afraid to trust me, Dria. I'll never let you down.

Never? That promise Hawk made to her back on Deyelaari had obviously meant nothing.

She's a mutant freak just like you.

Then why did she feel so different from the four males on the other side of the tunnel?

….you're a conceited, judgmental, perfectionist.

There was truth in that statement.

Four males and one female…I may not have to resort to cloning after all…

Gross. No way was she going to be bred like some dog.

Judging by your tone of voice…you missed me more than you're letting on.

Had she? Had she missed 'working' with Bishop? Andria wanted to say no.

…Sharar sends his greetings.

How the hell did Bishop know Sharar? Was the man bluffing? Could that mean that Bishop had something to do with the events surrounding her father's death? More importantly, would Bishop go running to Sharar and tell him that she had gone off to New York? This could be very bad.

Why should I believe ya?

Why indeed? Because Splinter said so? That sounded so childish.

This whole mess is your fault!

Yes. It is.

What's going on?

Andria's head snapped up. That was NOT a thought generated by her conscious. It was too loud, like someone had spoken quietly right behind her. Andria stopped, turned around slowly, and looked about carefully. Nothing there but darkness and stench.

Andria?

Her breath hitched as a sudden wave of positive energy surged through her. Andria shut her eyes at the familiar sensation. Now she understood.

Little sister?

Hiroshi . Her brother was trying to contact her on a spiritual level by connecting his chi with hers. He had to be really worried about her. Such communication required extremely focused mediation – a practice that Hiroshi despised. Clasping the lotus engraved pendant that hung from her neck in both hands, Andria breathed deep and concentrated hard on directing her chi to her distant family member.

Ni-chan, I'm okay, but I can't do this now.

Another energy surge.

Get safe. Stay safe. I miss you, kame.

Andria felt like crying from the use of his nickname for her.

Miss you more, ningen.

As the energy drained away, Andria opened her eyes. She looked down the tunnel again, half-convinced that she saw her brother walking away from her. In reality, the passageway was as empty as it had been before. Andria reversed a few steps, letting go of her necklace. Sighing sadly, she turned around and smacked straight into Leonardo. With a small shout of fright, the black-clad turtle stepped back quickly. Her hands were already on the handles of her sai when she realized who she had collided with.

"What the hell, Leonardo?" Andria demanded angrily, releasing her weapons to rub her bruised beak. She glared up at the taller terrapin. "Why were you standing right behind me?"

The leader was a little surprised at her hostility towards him. She had only ever used that harsh tone and evil eye on Raph. He held his hands up in front of him as a sign of nonaggression. "Figuring out why you stopped following us."

Andria's expression softened. How long had she been standing there? Heat began to creep across her cheeks as she thought of a plausible excuse. Crossing her arms, she glanced back down the tunnel. "I…I thought I heard something…"

Leo's gaze followed hers. He knew she wasn't being entirely honest. None of them had heard anything suspicious. Frowning, he also folded his arms over his chest. "But you didn't hear me?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked confused.

"Leo only called your name like five times!" Mikey said walking over to her.

Her blush grew. She had been so focused on connecting with her brother that she couldn't even remember whether or not she had heard him. Opening her mouth to reply, she hoped she didn't sound as nervous as she felt. "I must have spaced out for a minute."

The response had Donatello rushing over. He was worried that her repeated contact with solid objects over the last couple of hours had given her a concussion. Gently, he laid a hand on her shoulder and used the other to turn her head towards him. Though the light in the sewer was dim, the genius examined her as best he could.

"Did you black out?" he asked as she looked up at him. "Does your head hurt? Any pain at all? Is your vision blurry?"

"No!" Andria insisted, wiggling free from Donnie's grip and stepping out of reach. "I'm fine! I was distracted...and confused…." She stopped realizing that what she just said wasn't helping her case. "I-I mean…it's not a big deal…"

"You were standing there holding your necklace," Leo said, gesturing at the jewelry piece. "Why? What's going on, Andria?"

The female touched the pendant, fingers tracing the outline of the flower. Her eyes were on the ground as she contemplated telling them everything. "Nothing. Just forget about it." Hand dropping to her side, she brushed past the leader to continue the journey back to the lair. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Andria stopped. Those words were spoken as a challenge. The terrapin leader moved to stand in front of her. Their eyes met. She felt her heart skip as he captured her wrists in his huge hands to keep her from walking away again.

"Why won't you talk to me, Andria?" Leo asked quietly, giving her hands what was meant to be a reassuring squeeze. "If something's bothering you then tell me."

"Oh, give it up, bro!" Raphael said loudly. He was leaning against the side of the tunnel with arms crossed and one foot pressed against the stone. The hot head eyed the two turtles with disgust. "Quit tryin' ta win the Princess's favor. She's just gonna give ya some bullshit story!"

That did it. Pulling her hands out of Leo's , Andria marched towards Raph who pushed himself off the wall and braced for another fight. But this time she didn't try to hit him.

"Shut up!" she yelled in his face. "Just shut up! I am so fucking sick of you! You don't understand anything so just shut up!"

"And I'm fuckin' sick of you!" he hollered back. "Fuckin' sick of you having all these damn secrets that cause trouble for us! If we gotta watch yer shell, then we have a right ta know what we're watching for! So spill, Princess!"

Leo, Donnie, and Mike rushed over, ready to intervene if fists began to fly. Their attempts to end the screaming match were disregarded by the infuriated duo.

"Chill, guys!" Mikey said.

"Don't call me Princess!"

"Is that the wrong title? Drama Queen does seem more appropriate!"

"Raph!" Donnie chastised.

"Then that must make you my royal Jack-ass!"

"I ain't nothing of yours! Ya may have these three jokers fooled, but not me! Quit thinkin' that yer gonna play me!"

"You are the last thing I'd want to play! I am not going to be bossed around by some thick-headed brute! You can't control me! Stop telling me what to do!"

"Stop it both of you!" Leo commanded.

"What if I don't? Ya gonna hit me again?"

"Don't tempt me!"

"I wouldn't if I were you," Mikey advised his brother. "She looks serious!"

"Oooo I'm soooo scared! Go ahead and try it! You haven't beaten me yet!"

"You haven't beaten me yet!"

"Let's not go for a tie-breaker now!" Donnie pleaded.

"Only cuz Splinter stopped us! If he hadn't ended all them fights, you'd have been beggin' fer mercy every time!"

"In your dreams!"

"No chick is ever gonna best me!"

"Then good thing I'm not a chick!"

The two began shouting at the same time.

"Yer a prissy snob…"

"You're a stubborn jerk…"

"…spoiled brat…"

"…muscle-bound idiot…"

"…and ya act just like a…."

"…and you think just like a…"

"Enough!" roared Leo.

"…hot head!" they finished together.

Without noticing, the two temperamental turtles had gradually moved closer during their verbal dispute. They now stood centimeters apart, clenched fists hanging at their sides, boldly violating each other's personal space, neither of them willing to back down. Raph towered over Andria by at least six inches. His large, bulky frame dwarfed her, making her look seem fragile. Raphael scowled down at her and Alexandria looked up at him through narrowed eyes. A few silent seconds ticked by as the two continued to stare at each other, oblivious to the three watching them warily.

"I'm only trying to protect my family," Andria insisted, her voice quieter and tone calmer.

"Well, how noble of you," Raph replied sarcastically, his volume lowered as well. "Cuz we were gonna go around telling people all about ya and yer precious humans."

"I just found out," the female said defensively "that someone who was supposed to be my best friend sold me out to my enemy - a dangerous man that now knows everything about me and he will not hesitate to use that to his advantage! Forgive me if I'm less than willing to confide in four strangers!"

"Andria, we would never…" Leonardo began.

"Never tell anyone?" she interrupted, rounding on the eldest. "Promise to keep your mouth shut forever? That's what Hawk did! He swore on pain of death that he would never tell a soul about my Earth life, that I could trust him with anything! And I did! Turns out, he's a liar!"

"Yer such a damn hypocrite," Raphael growled, pointing a finger at Andria. "Ya can stand there and call him a liar, but can't own up to the fact that yer one, too! Ya can't deny it either! Yer little 'space out' moment ya had a few minutes ago wasn't just nothing, was it?"

His words struck her hard. A slap to the face would have been less painful. Andria almost wished he had struck her. That she would have known how to react to - she would have hit back. Instead, he had called her out and she didn't know what to do because she realized he was right. She was a liar. Andria suddenly felt drained. There was no fight left in her. She was tired of arguing with Raph. Hanging her head in defeat, she surrendered to the red-clad turtle.

"No," Andria whispered, struggling to keep tears at bay. All the negative emotions of the night assaulted her at once: panic, anger, heartbreak, sadness, fear. She felt broken and trapped. The sewer tunnel seemed to be compressing around her. Ever since she was little, Andria had been claustrophobic and being surrounded by four males who were much larger than her only made the sensation worse. Slight tremors began in her hands and spread to the rest of her body. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, trying to stop shaking, trying to hang on to what was left of her fragmented pride.

Raphael withdrew his fingers and crossed his arms. Cocking his head slightly, he viewed her suspiciously. He didn't think she was about to give in. Part of him wanted her to start screaming again. Provoking her seemed to be the only way to get her to talk. "No what?"

"You're right. It wasn't just nothing." Her voice sounded pathetically weak. Andria forced herself to remain calm by concentrating on her breathing. Still, as she stared down at the floor of the sewer, she wished that Hiroshi was beside her. He was the only one who had ever been able to help her through claustrophobia panics.

Raph's eyebrows raised in surprise. He certainly never thought he'd hear her say that. His three brothers were also shocked. Michelangelo watched his immediate older brother with mouth slightly agape. Leonardo exchanged looks with Donatello, each hoping that the other knew what they should do. Neither of them had an answer as none of them had much experience dealing with teenage girls.

"Andria, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Donnie said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly and shooting a dirty look at Raph over the top of her head.

The female flinched at the touch and the genius withdrew his hand quickly. Heat rose in her cheeks as she studied a small rock on the sewer floor." But I will. Maybe then you'll stop doubting me. Even if you won't, I don't care. It doesn't matter."

"Andria…" Leo began gently before pausing, not quite sure what he should say.

Ignoring his falter, Andria freed one arm and lifted it towards her neck. Her fingers seized the black string of her lotus pendant and held it up for the others to see. The four males looked at it with confusion.

"I…don't….understand…." the terrapin leader said.

"It's the answer," she stated simply.

"To what?" Mikey wondered.

"To everything."

"A damn necklace?" Raph growled. "How the hell does that answer anything?"

"Andria, you're not making any sense," Donnie said worriedly.

She turned to the genius at looked up at him. "Remember this morning you asked me how, on the night we met, I knew what weapons you carried when I didn't know who you were?"

"Yeah…" the purple banded turtle replied, recalling their earlier conversation.

"I read your chi," she finally confessed.

"…you read…my…what?" Donnie asked, completely confused.

"Your chi," Andria said a little louder. "Your life energy, the force that makes you an individual. I read your chi."

The four turtles were dumbstruck.

"But…but…how is that even possible?" Leo questioned.

"It's spiritual," Andria explained. "Not only can one channel their chi to aid their physical performance to make themselves faster and stronger, but one can also channel their chi spiritually to communicate by connecting with another's chi on an astral plane. Usually, some sort of talisman is used to help one concentrate while they direct their energy. This pendant is mine. What you've mistaken as mind reading was actually me reading your chi."

"That's how you knew what weapons we carried?" the leader asked, feeling a little skeptical.

Andria nodded, looking back down to the ground and letting go of the necklace. She waved a hand in Raphael's direction. "Except for you. I didn't get a chance to read your chi, you acted too fast. It was pure coincidence that I pulled sai on you when you jumped down from the rooftop. But the rest of you…well…you were a little slower."

There was silence in the sewer as the four males contemplated what they had heard.

"You don't believe me," she assumed correctly. Andria chuckled darkly. "Of course you don't. Want proof? Fine."

Taking a deep breath, Andria closed her eyes and focused. Each of the four suddenly felt a tingling sensation in their extremities. The tingling changed to a warm ribbon heat that twisted over and around their limbs to the middle of their chests. Holding his arms out, Leonardo was shocked to see blue lines stretched over his body in the exact pattern that had covered his skin during his time as an acolyte to the Ninja Tribunal. He looked around at his brothers. They too had been painted in their respective color patterns. Mikey seemed confused, Donnie appeared astonished, and Raph looked pissed. Leo's gaze drifted back to Andria who stood, arms crossed, staring at him as if he was the most boring thing in the world.

"What the…h-how?" Leo stammered.

"You chi constantly surrounds you," she replied. "But it's not always visible. Under a certain energy flow, it will manifest itself physically. By redirecting my chi, I connected with yours. Those lines all over your body are, simply put, your chi conversing with mine."

"But you don't have any lines on you," Mikey noted, looking her over.

"Because I'm not focusing on expressing my chi," Andria said. "I'm focusing on maintaining a connection with yours."

"This is too frickin' weird," Raph grumbled, rubbing at his arm as if he were trying to erase the red line. "Bad enough we gotta babysit ya. Now we gotta worry 'bout ya getting' inside our heads and playin' with our minds."

Andria glanced over at the temperamental turtle. "It's not mind control. It's communication, something everybody is capable of."

"What do you mean?" Donnie asked.

"Do you ever get the feeling that someone is with you when you're in an empty room?" she countered, turning back to the genius. "Like if you were to just turn you'd see whoever it was you were thinking of? That strange feeling is your subconscious attempt to connect with another person's chi. Concentrate on the attempt and you'll feel yourself come in contact with them. Try it, Donnie. Focus on finding one of your brothers."

The purple-clad turtle hesitated. Every ounce of logic housed in his brain practically screamed that this should be impossible. Yet, the small smile and nod of encouragement that Andria gave him convinced him to close his eyes and concentrate. He imagined himself searching for his siblings, calling to them from the deep recesses of his mind. Several seconds passed and just before he was certain it wasn't going to work, he felt a peculiar sensation wash over him – like he had been drenched in youthful happiness and boundless energy.

"Mikey," Donnie breathed, his eyes snapping open instantly to look over at his orange-banded brother. The moment he did, the feeling vanished.

"What?" the jokester asked innocently.

Donnie struggled to make words. "I-I…and…and…you were…it was like…I felt your personality…"

"Ummm….okay…" Mikey replied, scratching his head in confusion.

Donnie's eyes returned to Alexandria, who had an amused expression on her face.

"You connected with him," she explained. "Not that hard, is it? No magic, no trickery. It's all a matter of will power."

"Whoa," the genius said.

"Don was inside my head?" asked Mikey, feeling a little creeped out.

Andria shook her head. "No, Michelangelo. He just...found your spirit…"

"Okaaaaay…." he replied. "Creepy, but okay…I think…"

"Is this how you've been able to win all those sparring matches?" Leo asked her, a frown forming on his face. "By reading our chi?"

"To stand here and connect with your chi is one thing," Andria answered, looking up at the leader. Leo felt the ribbon pulling away and looked down to see that the lines were now gone. "Trying to do it while we're both moving is another. It takes an enormous amount of concentration. You have to be spiritually connected your opponent while exerting physical and mental control of your body at the same time." Her head dropped down in shame. "I can't…I'm not...good enough…to do this when we spar. Even if I could, I wouldn't. It'd take all the fun out of fighting - always knowing exactly what move your adversary it about to make the exact second he thinks it. Where's the challenge?"

"But that night at April's…." Leo began.

"With every breath you take," she interrupted, "you produce your own life energy. Your chi is always there, surrounding you like a bubble. On the surface of that bubble is information – the less personal stuff, things that could be observed when you actually meet someone like the weapon they wield. It doesn't take much effort to access that kind of information because it's so readily available." Andria paused for a moment, rubbing at her shoulder. "Well, not for someone who's spent hours and hours trying to learn how to go beyond that bubble. I don't' even really have to think about it anymore… accessing the surface information…it just comes to me automatically. Outside April's….I…I just knew…once you appeared in the alley…what weapons you were carrying. The rest was all reflexes….I-I know it sounds stupid but…" Her voice became softer. "…but it's the truth…until that night…I really didn't know who you were…I swear…"

Silence fell again. Leonardo tore his gaze away from Alexandria to stare at the tunnel wall instead. Michelangelo kicked at the ground. Raphael rubbed at the back of his neck. Donatello tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"What's beyond the bubble?" the genius asked. All eyes shifted towards him.

"The intimate stuff," Andria answered. "Your thoughts, emotions, secrets – all components of your chi."

"So you've known what we've been thinking and…"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't. That would be violating your privacy. I…I wouldn't try unless…unless you gave me permission…if you were trying to read me too…I've only ever done it with my family…"

"Why learn to do something like that?" Leo questioned. "I mean, what's the point?"

"To form a better connection. The better the connection, the stronger the communication…" Andria took a deep breath before continuing. "Just a few minutes ago…when I spaced out…I…I didn't hear you because…because I was connecting with my brother…Hiroshi…he wanted to check on me…I told him I was okay…"

"Andria…" Donnie started to say.

"So now you know," Andria said loudly, looking at Raphael angrily. The bigger turtle narrowed his eyes. "Satisfied? You've found out my big secret. Feel free to sell it to the highest bidder."

With that, she pushed past Raph and began marching down the tunnel towards the lair. The four brothers stood there watching her go for a few seconds before realizing that they should be walking back as well.

"Andria! Wait!" Leo called after her, as they quickened their pace. They soon matched step with her. "Andria…don't…."

"Just forget it!" she burst out. "Let's just go back and get the lecture from Splinter over with!"

The remainder of the journey was completed in silence. Within minutes, they arrived at the secret entrance to the underground home. Using the security code, Donatello opened the door and the group entered quickly. Before the door had closed properly, the five were confronted by a very angry looking sensei.

Splinter stood in front of them, hands on hips, surveying the state of his pupils. Under proper light, they looked like they had been through hell. They were covered with dirt and grime. Each sported cuts and bruises from the explosion. Raphael's shoulder was a bloody mess. Alexandria's complexion seemed paler. Frowning disapprovingly, the rat master looked to his eldest pupil.

"I thought I told you not to go looking for trouble," he stated, keeping his tone level.

"Master I…" Leonardo began, but stopped when his father held up a paw for silence.

"Donatello, tend to your brother's wound," Splinter commanded, looking to his injured son. "Then the two of you will join us in the dojo. The rest of you, come with me."

Donnie and Raph shuffled off towards the genius's lab/infirmary while the other three followed their sensei to the practice room. Splinter led them to the middle of the floor and turned to face them.

"Kneel," the mutant rat ordered.

They dropped instantly to their knees, Mikey to the left of Leo, Andria to the right, placing some considerable distance between herself and the other turtle.

Splinter remained standing, waiting until they were situated before pointing a finger at Leonardo. "Explain."

Obediently, the terrapin began telling of the night's events: how they had made a run through Brooklyn only to be confronted by Bishop who managed to knock them out and capture them to question them with the purpose of obtaining new DNA samples. Halfway through his explanation, Don walked in, accompanied by a bandaged Raph. Leo continued his story as they knelt down on either side of him, saying that after they had broken free there was a struggle and Bishop escaped after blowing up a part of the building they were kept in. Andria couldn't help but notice how Leo failed to mention that she had known Bishop and how he made it all seem like it was his fault. Splinter seemed to suspect that his son was withholding something, but before he could ask, Raphael spoke up.

"Ya got amnesia, Fealess?" he questioned darkly. "Ya forgot to mention that the little princess over there already knows Bishop."

Splinter's eyes snapped to the female who clenched her fists tightly. Her anger had returned with Raph's comment. "Is this true, Alexandria?"

She nodded.

"How?"

"Deyelaari."

The rat's eyes widened in surprise. He knew of the far-off planet. "When?"

"Two years ago."

"During the uprising?"

Another nod.

"I was not aware that you were on Deyelaari then," Splinter said. "Your father did not share that information with me."

"I wasn't supposed to be there," Andria explained. "But Kunio and his wife showed up without warning. I had to go somewhere."

Splinter bowed his head gravely. "I see."

Once again, the four brothers felt incredibly confused. Michelangelo voiced that fact with a question. "What are you talking about, Master Splinter?"

The rat glanced at his sons who were looking at him questioningly. "You should be the one to tell them, Alexandria. It is your life, after all."

Five pairs of eyes locked on the female. Andria stared down at the tatami mats, her face expressionless. She remained silent for a moment and then, taking a deep breath, began her story.

"You think my life was perfect, living with humans. Well, it wasn't. Sure, it was great most of the time but….the rest of the time…it sucked. Not everyone in my family was as accepting of a mutant freak as my father was. He thought I was a good luck charm…his brother…Kunio…and my mother's parents…thought I was a demon who would curse the family as long as I lived…."

Andria paused as past memories rose to her mind. She had technically not even been a year old, but she could remember the words her uncle had shouted as her father held her close.

It's an abomination, Isamu! Why would you allow such evil to enter your home? Do you want to be cursed for all eternity?

"They told my father to get rid of me…well…he didn't listen….he decided to hide me instead. Master Lotus befriended a lot of people by attending the Battle Nexus Championship for so long. One of those friends was the former emperor of Deyelaari...Domenixx. They…they made arrangements….whenever Kunio or my mother's parents visited….I would go stay with Domenixx and his family…traveling to Deyelaari through portals like the ones used to get to the Nexus…a few times every year…"

Another memory flashed before her eyes. She was not much older. Her father knelt before her, hugging her goodbye while tears streamed down her face.

Tou-chan, I don't want to go! Why are you sending me away? Please, let me stay!

Be brave, little one. It's only for a little while.

"At first, I hated it….hated having to leave…but after awhile…I got used to it…started looking forward to going away. Deyelaari was my second home. I made friends there…Domenixx's son, Knaxx…an-and…Hawk. When I was with them…we had so much fun….I forgot about the real reason why I was there…"

Her words faded away. The turtles watched her with fascination while Splinter stared solemnly at his feet.

"Tell me how you came to know Bishop," he quietly requested.

Andria took another deep breath. "Like I said, two years ago Kunio made a surprise visit. I left for Deyelaari the second he pulled into our driveway. When I arrived, I found out that a lot had changed since my last visit. Domenixx had been overthrown as emperor in a hostile takeover. The new emperor was abusing his power…making slaves of the lower income class people…things like that. I met up with Hawk and Knaxx. They were plotting a rebellion and they wanted my help. I…I couldn't say no…they were my best friends. It was originally Hawk's idea…so he led the uprising. Four weeks into it…we learned that the emperor had a new ally…Agent Bishop. We spied on him for a few days...but we didn't learn much. Then Knaxx came up with an idea: someone would act as a double agent…and we would take him down from the inside..."

You sure this will work?

Got nothing to lose by trying.

"But it didn't work quite like we planned. We all got caught instead of just one of us. Bishop was going to turn us over to the emperor…but he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to further his research…I was that opportunity. He gave me a choice – stay with him or be killed along with all the others. Somehow…I convinced him to let the others go…as long as I did what he wanted."

Andria recalled how menacing Bishop had looked while they made the deal.

They live as long as you cooperate. Understand? I own you.

"How long were you his captive?" Splinter asked gently.

"A month."

"And how did you get away?"

"The whole time I was there…I was learning all I could about Bishop. Where he came from…his reason for coming to Deyelaari…what he knew about the emperor…why…why he wanted me. I can't deny that I was interested by what he was doing…Bishop's a smart man. I never helped him hurt other people…but I was helping him with DNA analysis…my DNA analysis."

The scene inside her head showed herself seated in front of a large computer monitor with Bishop leaning over her shoulder to see the lab results she had generated.

You're a lot smarter than I thought you were.

I'll take that as a compliment.

You should.

"We…we kind of…bonded…I mean…I was spending almost every second of the day with him. You can't spend that much time with a person and not feel something for them. All the information I picked up, I sent out to Hawk and Knaxx. That's why he called me a traitor. Towards the end of the month…they mounted an attack to rescue me and bring Bishop down. That attack escalated and all the Deyelaarians who were rebelling managed to take out the emperor. Bishop left the planet as fast as he could. He thought that I had been killed in the fight. I never heard of him again….until tonight…"

"Bishop doesn't seem like the type of person to just open up," Donatello said suddenly. "How did you get him to talk?"

Andria refused to abandon her vigil of the tatami mats. "Some of it I figured out on my own. As for the rest….you've got to give something to get something."

"What did you give Bishop?" Leonardo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My DNA for starters," she replied.

"What else?" the leader prodded.

"He wanted details about my life," Andria responded. "I couldn't tell him I was from Earth. So I…uh…enhanced the details about my life of Deyelaari...told him that I was the only one of my kind…that Domenixx had adopted me as a favor to my father before he disappeared years ago….that I had grown up with Knaxx and Hawk…not completely true..but not complete lies either. Anyways…Bishop bought it…thought I was opening up to him so he opened up to me."

"How…how deep did that bond go? Donnie dared to ask.

Andria's body stiffened. "I'm not in love with him if that's what you mean."

"Then what the shell was up with that little act you pulled?" Raph demanded. "Doesn't seem like something just friends would do!"

Hands trembling again, Andria curled them into tight fists. "That's just it…it's an act….all pretend…"

"What do ya mean 'pretend'?" the red-clad turtle growled.

"Bishop likes to play games. For him, it's all about power. You earn points by out-witting, out-smarting, out-performing your opponent. You lose points by losing control. Ever since we've met it's been one big game…both of us making moves…trying to defeat the other…by any means necessary. The only rule is there are no rules. Anything's fair play."

"Why do ya call him Johnny?"

In her mind, Bishop was looking at her over the top of his glasses and smirking.

Since we're going to be spending some time together, you might as well know who I am. My name is John Bishop.

Can I call you Johnny?

"It's part of the game," Andria replied.

"Sounds like ya enjoy playin' it," Raph accused.

"I'm not proud of what I did."

Splinter cut of Raphael's retort with a question of his own for Alexandria. "How is it that you managed to encounter Bishop tonight?"

"I can't say for certain but…my guess is that he still had part of my DNA and used that to track me down."

"Why didn't you tell us of your relationship with him, Alexandria?"

Andria swallowed hard, one hand closing around the crystal pendant hanging from her neck. "I didn't know that he knew I was here on Earth…but he…he found out. I didn't know that he knew you. I had no reason to…he told me he worked out of a lab in Nevada…never mentioned New York. If I would have suspected at all that you had met…I would have told you…" Abandoning the necklace, she dropped her head into her hands. "God! I'm so stupid! Of course he would know about you! Why didn't I realize that? It's Bishop!"

Splinter felt sorrow for the distressed girl. Her personal expectations of perfection were unrealistic and it saddened him to see her berate herself. "You should not be so hard on yourself, Alexandria. You cannot control everything."

There was silence in the dojo for a few minutes as each mutant dealt with their thoughts.

"So what now?" Mikey asked. "I mean…Bishop got away."

"It's my move," Andria whispered, running her fingers over the flash drive hidden beneath the binding on her wrist.

Splinter walked over to her and knelt down, reaching towards her cut cheek. On reflex, Andria turned her head away from the furry hand. Finally able to see her face, the four brothers were surprised to see tears falling from her eyes. Gently, Splinter pulled her into an embrace and allowed her to cry freely on his shoulder.

"I ask that you do nothing for now," he said softly but sternly. "For the safety of this family."

"H-he…he m-mentioned..Sh-Sh-Sharar," she sobbed.

Splinter gasped out of shock. He took a minute to collect himself before speaking again. "Even so, do not seek him out of vengeance. Take time to figure out all the information before rushing into action." He held her at arm's length and brushed away her tears. "It's been an exhausting night I'm sure, young Alexandria. Go, clean yourself up and get some rest. We will talk more in the morning."

"H-hai, sensei," she sniffed, rising from the floor. Wiping away some lingering teardrops, she turned and walked quickly from dojo.

"Master Splinter?" Leo ventured. The rat master turned towards his son. All of his children were watching the doorway through which Andria had disappeared. "Who's Sharar?"

Splinter rose to his feet, sighing. "To put it in perspective, Sharar is Alexandria's equivalent of our Shredder and the man directly responsible for her father's death." Upon seeing their shocked expressions he added, "Do not ask Alexandria about him. Let her bring up the subject if she wishes. She's dealt with enough demons tonight as it is." The four nodded. Splinter began making his way across the dojo. "Now, it is very late, my sons. You should all be in bed."

Silently, they stood and walked single-file out of the practice room to their respective rooms.

Shut inside her room, Andria placed the flash drive into a desk drawer. She pulled her sai free and dropped them on top. Walking towards the bathroom, she stripped away her "clothes", letting them fall wherever. Her eyes fell to her right forearm which was still bandaged by one of her wrist wraps. With all that had happened, she completely forgot about the injury. Grimacing, she peeled off the binding. It didn't look deep enough to require stitching, but it sure as hell hurt now that she was aware of it. Turning the shower taps on full blast, she stepped under the stream. As the water ran over her Andria realized that for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she was trying to scrub away the feeling of blood on her arm and fingers around her throat.

AN: Phew! Finally, part 10 is done! Holy Bajeebus I hope things are making more sense now! Don't you just love teenage drama? :D

I'm not making any promises on when I'll have a new update posted because I'm back in school and homework has priority. But I will say that I'll try to have something up A.. Here's what to expect: Andria finds comfort from Donatello. April and Casey decide visit to see how things are going since the turtles have been AWOL for two weeks. More confessions are made.

(Don't forget to vote on the poll I have posted on my profile page!)

Thanks for reading! I appreciate feedback!