Leonardo and Donatello walked back into the Lair. It was just past midday and both were feeling a bit of lag. Neither having slept much the night before and both had risen quiet early in order to hunt for any clues to the location of the Humanitarian Union. It had taken them hours but finally they had hit pay dirt. Rumors circulated through channels throughout the city if one knew where to look. After years of tracking various criminal elements the Turtles were professionals at it.
They had a location. Leonardo wanted to scout it out that night and decide on his course of action after he had seen what he was up against. He also had one more friend he wanted to drop in on. Someone he though could help him carry out his idea, he didn't just want to break up this group he wanted them thrown into the public eye for the hateful idiots they were. His domain was the shadow, so he needed someone who could work in full view of the people of the city.
Still that was later this evening and right now Leo found his thought's drawn to the fact that his home was far more silent then he thought it would be upon his return. Lea, he supposed could still be sleeping, but it seemed late in the day for that, even with everything she had been through. Don and he exchanged slightly confused looks before Donny spotted a note sitting on the coffee table in the center of their room. Leonardo crossed to it and read his eye widening slightly before he let out a sigh.
"Everything alright?" Don was once again shedding his gear, ready to get back to his research on his computer. Leonardo glanced up at his brother shaking his head, eye ridge raised with a smirk on his face.
"It appears Michelangelo is home and he has taken Lea to Mairead's, because he; and I quote didn't want me to flip out about her going out alone. Am I really that overbearing?" Leonardo gave Don a questioning look. Donatello for his part paused as he was seating himself and glanced up at his brother like he was considering if he was really asking that question, before smiling to himself and taking his seat.
"I plea the fifth on answering that inquiry Leo." Donatello booted up his desktop waiting for it to load, out of the corner of his eye he could see Leonardo frowning at him across the room.
"Anyway it doesn't say when they left, but I assume they are probably going to be gone for sometime. I have one more person I need to speak to, hopefully it's not overbearing of me to ask you to have Lea stay here if she does return while I am gone. She should keep her time on the surface to a minimum until I hopefully take care of this group tonight." Leo sighed, running his hands back over his head.
"All of us just know you care about us Leo. Don't take our teasing too personally." Donny fought the chuckle at his older brother's expression. Leonardo was taking a long look at his life currently. Don supposed having someone new you were trying to impress could do that to you.
"Thanks Donny. I'll be back soon." Don watched his brother walk back out of their home. Regardless of his current life experience Leo was still the most guarded and difficult of the four of them to understand. Donatello really did think his brother opening himself up to someone might possibly be the best thing he could do for himself. Since their father had passed away, Leo had closed himself off to pretty much everyone. Keeping his strong wall as the leader, the protector at the forefront, it had to be tiring.
Emotions were starting to crack through right now. Feelings Don knew Leo was not used to having to control. It was good for his brother. He saw a renewed purpose in his eyes now. Before Leo was doing things simply for the sake of keeping himself occupied, or to honor their Sensei. Now he was living for himself again. It really brought a synchronicity back to the family, Donatello hadn't felt for a while and he realized to his mild shame he hadn't even seen was missing.
His computer dinged, he had several new e-mails from the Utroms. Pushing aside his own thoughts for now he threw himself back into the work at hand. The first few memos were all details of portions of his trip and ideas for the return to South America. The fifth letter down drew his attention. Picking up a communicator he called one of his friend's back at the Utrom base.
Leonardo landed on the roof of an apartment building, treading to the side he glanced over and saw the car he was looking for parked below him. Black and nondescript, just what one would picture for an undercover police car, sitting inside was a single man; exactly the person Leo needed to speak to.
During his dealing with the public while protecting the Utroms Leo had tried to allow Karai to handle the majority of the contact with other humans. Not that he minded humans, he just found most were more comfortable talking to Karai then they were to him. He had still been adjusting to having a public persona and couldn't quiet find himself ambitious about coddling people who were attempting to understand what was happening with so many changes in the world.
Still because of threats and vandalism there had been instances when Leonardo found himself having to work with members of the NYPD and one in particular had become almost a friend to him. Detective Malcolm Reed was a veteran of the Force having been working as an Officer for over twenty five years. He had taken Leo at face value and the two of them found a rather profitable relationship of sharing information.
Descending from the fire escape, Leonardo strode across the space to the side of the car and rapped on the window of the vehicle. Reed had been watching a building across the street and turned surprised at the noise. He looked up at Leo, blinking a few times before finally hitting the button on the door to roll the window down.
"What in the hell are you doing here Leo?" The gruff voice caused the Turtle to smirk. Reed in a way reminded him a little of Raphael, which might also be why he felt comfortable with him.
"I have some information and may need some help." Leo glanced around the street curious if they were being watched by anyone. Reed followed his line of sight before turning back to the Turtle.
"You wanna hop in? I'm watched the brownstone across the street, some shit head keeps coming over here and beating on his wife and son, and the next time he does I am going to punch the crap out of him." Reed grinned widely at the Turtle; Leo raised his brow allowing a grin to form on his face imaging the Officer would take great pleasure in doing just what he described.
Crossing around the car Leo opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, feeling an extra sense of security no longer speaking quiet so out in the open. "So what in the hell is up with you that you somehow find me in this city and need to tell me something?" Reed was rolled up his window again before turning to look at Leo curiously.
Leonardo sighed, wondering just how much of this entire complicated situation he was going to have to explain to this man to get his point across. "It's a rather long story…" Leo paused in thought for a moment.
"Does it have anything to do with that pretty thing you were on TV with last night?" Reed waggled his eyebrows at him and Leo felt heat rise to his face. It made him uncomfortable that he couldn't control the amount of people that currently were privy to his private business.
"Yes it does. The fire at her place, we investigated it and discovered it was started by members of the Humanitarian Union. I have been trying to stay out of all the issues between the hate groups and the Utroms, past protecting the latter when they request it. Now though this group has made it personal and it's time for them to learn just who they are dealing with." Leonardo didn't take violent confrontation lightly anymore, like he could have been accused of doing in his youth. Everything back then had been about honor and justice, regardless of the cost. His ideals where still very much the core of his life, but now he was more focused on protecting what was important to him.
Reed let out a long breath, looking out the front window of the car for a few moments. "I know you're good at what you do Leo, but HU is on a different level. They are organized and brutal. Most of these asshole groups focus solely on hurting offworlders HU doesn't care who they harm as long as they get their point across. The FBI in the city has been chasing them for about a year and they can't even get a solid list of their members together." The cop side glanced at the Turtle, giving him an honest look.
"I think I know where at least one of their bases of operations is. I had to work slightly outside legal means to find it, but the information seems pretty legitimate to me." Leonardo was studying Reed watching his reaction to the information he was sharing.
"And you're telling me this because…?" The Turtle always appreciated the fact Reed cut right to the point.
"If I go in there, if I take them all out; all it's going to do it escalate an already far too volatile situation. I would have too many people I would be putting in danger. I could cut off the head of the snake but the body would remain and nothing would really be solved. I think a more profitable solution would be to throw these criminals into the public eye. Allow other people to really see what monsters they are and hinder both the support they get and the ability they currently have to hide in plain sight." Leo held a steady gaze on the man next to him seeing if he understood what it was Leonardo wanted from him.
"In other words you want to hand me the bust of the year on a silver platter? That just seems way too good to be true." Reed's expression was considering and skeptical. Leonardo's eyes maintained a serious look, showing his conviction behind his plan.
"I will soften them up for you; hopefully get a majority of them contained. I have a message I want to give one of them. I want him to know just what will happen to him if he dares to cross myself or anyone important to me ever again. Then I will contact you, and the rest will be up for your department to organize." Reed looked down at the steering wheel of the vehicle, his mind going over the variables to everything the Turtle has just told him.
"My brother's on the SWAT team so getting the guys out to where ever you need us to go won't be a problem. Just do you really think you can do this Leo? I mean this is seriously dangerous." A rueful smile crossed the Turtle's face.
"Maybe someday I will tell you stories of some of the people and things I have faced, but yes; I do truly believe I can execute this and hopefully maybe this will be a stepping stone in public awareness. Things have changed this lasting hatred is useless and stupid." Leo's fists clenched in his lap, not only did he want to protect the woman who had become so dear to him. He also wanted to give his brothers the chance to be able to have as normal of lives as they could also. It was in fact becoming more and more important to him.
"Well you have my number Leo, when you need us I'll round up the Calvary and get there as soon as we can." Leonardo nodded, the conversation he felt done now, he popped the door back open and stepped out of the vehicle. "Hey Leo?" He paused as the Officer called to him. "My kid really wants to meet an alien and I was wondering if maybe sometime you would want to stop by my place? It would seriously make me the coolest Dad ever according to him. You could even bring the girl, my wife makes awesome pasta."
Leonardo just blinked for a moment. His life had always been missions and fighting and protecting his family. Suddenly there was more and he wasn't certain how to handle it. "I could ask Lea if she wants to." He shuffled, looking a little lost as to how to properly reply. Reed studied him for a second, almost like he understood something about the Turtle for the first time.
"That sounds good." The cop glanced back towards the brownstone he was watching and when he looked back shook his head. The door to the other side of the car was still open but the Turtle had seemly disappeared from sight. "Figures." Reed laughed as leaning across he pulled the door shut.
Leonardo leapt back onto the rooftop he had original been on from the fire escape below. Peering down at the vehicle he had just been in for a moment. Part of him he realized hadn't truly believed that humans would ever be able to except him and his brothers pass the few friends they already had. His opinion was changing, his life was changing and he needed to decide what he really wanted. Turning he headed back towards his home.
Leonardo's mind was buzzing; he wasn't even certain at this point which area he should focus on thinking about first. His mission that evening, the awkwardness at the end of his conversation with Reed or what he was suppose to do now that Lea was staying with him. The orderly path of the last few months of his life had completely been destroyed and what really surprised him was the fact this didn't bother him as much as it usually would have.
He pushed the door to the lair open, immediately alert upon hearing a large number of voices. Other then his eyes widening his expression didn't show the surprise he felt at seeing a whole party of Utroms standing around his living room. Front and center was Glurin. Leonardo and his brothers had spent quiet a large amount of time with this particular Utrom and he had helped them all out on different occasions. It put his mind more at ease to see his friend, but it still didn't answer for him what they were all doing there.
With the Utroms were both Donatello and Michelangelo; and to Leonardo's surprise sitting on the couch in deep conversation with Glurin was Lea. All eyes turned to him at the sound of him entering the room and varied expressions met his appearance. He found his gaze lingers on the woman across from him, and the way her face lit up when she saw him return. Even in his confusion it filled him with a warm pleasure that she had obviously missed him in his absence, because as he saw her he realized a small part of him had been yearning to see her most of the day.
"Is everything alright?" Leo could hear the hesitation in his voice and he thought after everything that had happened in the last few days it was pretty warranted. He hoped an even more terrible disaster had not happened why he had been out formulating his plan.
"Leonardo!" The robotic body that Glurin was in turned as he spoke to the Turtle across the room, "I'm glad you have returned. I very much wanted your opinion on my proposition also." The Utrom's tone was hopeful, but Leonardo's eye ridges drew together in concern. What could the Utrom's want from him and his brothers and most curiously Lea?
"I would be honored to help you however I can Glurin you know that." Leonardo crossed the room to join the rest of the group, pausing next to Michelangelo to give him a friendly pat of greeting on the shoulder. His younger brother smiled at him but seemed to know that whatever Glurin had to say it was more important at the moment. "What can I do for you?"
"Actually it's what I can do for him." Lea's reply caused Leonardo's brow to knit more. He glanced from the woman to the Utrom trying to read what was going on.
"What does that mean?" Caution in his tone, Leonardo wasn't completely certain what emotion he was ready to commit to about Lea being dragged farther into the dramatic mess of his life.
"We monitor new reports daily for any information that may interest us. The story about the fire last night while tragic has also caused a rather unexpected reaction. Lea's plea for your relationship had garnered support from some of the public. Much more then we Utroms as a group have been able to gather from all of our attempts. She connected with a segment of the population that we knew were there, but that seems to hesitate to push themselves out vocally; unlike our large number of naysayers sadly. What I am leading up to is we want to have another press conference in a couple of days, implementing your new security measures of course; and we would very much like it if Lea could join us as a sign of support." Glurin finishing his small speech for Leo simply pausing and waiting for the Turtles reaction.
Leonardo held the Utrom's gaze for a moment before turning to look at Lea. Her expression was expectant, awaiting his answer. Leo's initial reaction that he had quelled before simply vocalizing it had been to just say no. It was too dangerous, there were too many variables and Lea already had enough of a target on her just by being with him. Yet her expression told Leo that Lea wouldn't be happy if he said that. He gestured to the woman sitting across from him. "May I speak to you alone for a moment?"
She nodded as if expecting such an answer, rising from the sofa she gestured to the right of her. "How about the kitchen?" Leo also nodded in confirmation and she turned to walk there. Out of the corner of his eye Leo could see Donny's expression as he watched the two of them and he remembered there conversation from earlier. Leonardo sighed and shaking his head excused himself to follow Lea into the other room so they could converse more privately.
Leo heard the soft click of the swinging door as it shut behind them, watching Lea cross the room and turn to face him leaning back against the counter. Her arms were crossed and to his mild amusement he realized she was parodying a stance he often took when his mind was made up. "I know what you're going to say and I am doing this Leonardo this is important to me." She wasn't being defiant as much as she was certain her decision was right.
Leo knew he was treading carefully here. He felt as much of a reasonability for this woman as he did for his brother's but he also knew he couldn't just tell her what she was suppose to do. He had a very distinct feeling she would not react well to that. Finally delaying for a moment the conflict that he knew was coming Leo took the few steps that separated them and reaching out grasped one of Lea's arms and pulled her against him. "I like your new outfit."
He could see she had went shopping and she had new clothes on, just jeans and a light blue shirt; but they hugged her frame well and she looked beautiful. Her eyes studied him for a few moments before she broke into a smile. "Thank you." Her arms lifted and wrapped around his neck as she leaning back slightly to better be able to look him directly in the face. "I'm serious Leo I want to do this."
"Why?" He would at the very least listen. He could hear from the tone in her voice how important helping the Utroms seemed to be to her.
"Because you're important to me and your brothers are both becoming important to me and I fight for the things that matter to me. Leo, I didn't do anything special or amazing last night, but I connected to people I think because I said some things a lot of people have been thinking but no one has been willing to stand up and proclaim in front of everyone. You have seen the way both my old employees and customers a like genuinely enjoyed being around you and talking to you. We are not that different and honestly after talking to Glurin and getting to know him a little I don't think the Utrom's ideals are that different from mine either. It's time for people to see that connection, like how we connect." She nuzzled his neck and Leo sighed holding her more tightly for a few moments trying to silence the fury of emotions she was capable of causing in him.
"What do they want you to do?" He still wasn't agreeing, but Leo at least wanted all the information before he made his decision.
"They just want me on stage while they talk, with you." The Turtle's mouth drew down to a line and Lea could tell the idea of publicly displaying himself in such a fashion made him uneasy. "They just want to point me out to talk about me during their speech. They want to use what happened to me as an example of how stupid all of this hatred is becoming, how it's in fact hindering everyone." Leo reached up tugging on the ends of her hair, twisting her curls between his fingers.
"It's still dangerous, look at what happened with the bomb at the last rally." Leonardo continued to protest, even though he was slowly starting to see the wisdom in what the Utrom's wanted to do.
"That's why I will have my big, strong boyfriend with me." Lea leaned her body into him, crushing her chest against his plastron and looking up cutely into his face. Leonardo felt a shiver rush through his body of desire and joy at her choice of words.
"Boyfriend?" Even as part of his brain was informing him she had chosen this moment to introduce this title as a way to distract him as much as anything else, he found that if it was true he really didn't care.
"Well I mean if you agree we are a couple, I mean I don't want to presume…" Lea pulled away a little pushing her hair behind her ears as she stumbled over her words for the first time in the conversation. It was then Leonardo realized she hadn't said it as a ploy to divert his attention and it in fact had really just been a slip of her tongue.
Leo pulled Lea roughly back to him, his beak mashing into her lips in a hungry kiss. She was his, she had just said as much. She met his intensity, his hand drifting back down to her ass and lifted her sitting her on the cupboard behind where she had been standing. Her legs wrapping up and around his waist, the heat of her body causing the intense twitching of his tail to return.
He was a man, he had wanted women before; but always it had been an awkward situation. Never the right person or time; or he just had too much else to focus on to worry about something like that. There was also a part of him, if he had to admit it to himself that genuinely thought no human woman could ever love him; would ever be able to look past his differences to see who he really was. Lea he was beginning to understand saw him, but beyond that; he felt himself growl at the scent of her arousal; she was also attracted to him for just who he was.
This was getting far too heated too quickly, in such a public area of his home. Forcefully pulling himself away from Lea, Leonardo panted. He could sense the predatory look in his gaze as his eyes shifted over her body, she was leaning back still seated on the counter desire in her expression. The scent of her want for him, turning his very blood into a liquid fire pooling within his groin; Leo took one deep breath and then another.
Lea slipped back down to the stand on the floor across from him a giggle leaving her lips. "That was incredible" From the sheepish grin on her face Leo got the distinct impression that she understood clearly why he had stopped when he did. Lea took a deep breath of her own. "Do you want me to make you some tea?" From her expression Leonardo could tell she was trying to distract them both from what they currently wanted. Leo nodded, grateful to her once again for the silent way she seemed to understand what he needed.
As Lea went to work getting together the drink and cups and starting the water, Leo crossed and seated himself in one of the kitchen chairs enjoying watching the movements of her body and relishing the idea that he was actually allowed to. "So about the Utrom's request, because Glurin is probably going to need to know soon?" Lea had a small grin on her face and Leo felt one spread across his realizing how unusually preoccupied he had gotten so quickly.
"I think you're right and it's a good idea, as long as I am there with you to make certain you are safe." She beamed at his reply and he basked in her approval. How was it possible that almost everything she did could make him feel this good?
"Perfect I will finish the tea and go tell him then." Leo could easily see Lea was still flushed and probably waiting for her appearance to return to normal before going back out to speak to everyone.
"How did all your errands go today?" Leonardo tried to change the subject to get both of there minds on something else.
"Mairead is amazing." Lea laughed. "She took me to like a million places and I got clothes and new phone and so much other things I don't remember. I called my insurance company and need to get the police report sent to them but thankfully everything is covered. Mike was also a huge help. He carried everything for me with only minimal protest once I promised to buy him a few movies." Leonardo rolled his eyes at the last part.
"He shouldn't expect you to get him anything." Leo's tone was firm, but Lea just waved it off with a smile.
"He's adorable Leo, don't worry about it; but you should have seen him hitting on Mairead. It was really quiet funny." Lea giggled again and Leo felt himself smile as she brought his tea over and sat it in front of him. Reaching out before she could move away Leo grasped Lea's hand and looked at her seriously for a moment.
"But you're doing alright? You seemed so out of sorts last night." He couldn't stop the concern in his tone and when Lea kissed him for it, he just gripped her hand tighter.
"I won't say I'm jumping for joy." Lea pulled back up a thoughtful look on her face. "But starting to get everything in order really helped me make sense out of a lot of things. What about you, what were you up to today?" Her expression became curious and Leonardo hesitated for a moment, uncertain what to say.
"Just taking care of a few loose ends nothing you have to worry about." He watched her expression fall at his words and it made him frown.
"I wish you wouldn't do that Leo." She was looking away from him, like she was trying to decide what she wanted to say.
"Do what?" Leo wasn't certain what he had just done wrong or why the mood had so quickly changed.
"I understand you don't want me in danger, but when you treat me like I can't handle what is actually going on in your life, it makes me feel like you either think I'm not trustworthy enough or too weak to be allowed in." Her words were honest. Leonardo for his part wasn't completely certain how to answer her at first.
"You're right again." Leo shook his head a little. "You're going to have to be patience with me; I'm new to all of this." Lea smiled again at Leo's words. "I just have already seen the pain getting wrapped up in the insanity of my life can cause you and I want to shield you from anymore, anyway I can."
"I choose to be with you Leonardo, because of that I take the good and the bad that comes with it. Protect me all you want from outside sources, but please let me in here." She laid her palm against his chest right over his heart. Looking down at the gesture a thoughtful expression on his face Leonardo nodded.
"How about we go out and talk to Glurin and the others since they are waiting and then after we can have our tea and something to eat and I will tell you everything I did today?" Opening up and trusting was not something Leonardo was good at, but as much as Lea was learning to accept his way of life he was going to have to learn to adjust for her.
"That sounds very fair." She accepted his proposal and with Leonardo standing the two of them started to move back towards the living room.