Author's Note: Wiggity whaaaaaaaaaat? Another chapter when I just posted the last chapter not even 48 hours ago? This has got to be a new record for me. :D What can I say, this chapter basically just wrote itself. I'm actually surprised with a lot of the dialogue in this chapter. I'm warning you now, readers, there is A LOT of language in this chapter. But then again, this story's rated M, so what do you expect? :P Heheh. I'm not sure if something like this is going to happen again where I post another chapter, say, tomorrow or whatever, but I do want to post one more chapter before Sunday night because Monday morning, my ass starts school again and my first class Monday morning is at 7-friggin-30. Dx So yeah, I'll try my best, but like I did with Chapter 7, I'm not making any promises just in case I don't wind up finishing the next chapter by Sunday night. We'll just have to wait and see. :)

Alright! Let's get on with the thank you's. :) Thank you so much for reviewing, CrazyGeekyLove, SleepingSeeker, adventuresstime, and Eminul. I also wanna give a shout out to CrazyGeekyLove for giving a shout out to me in one of her newest stories, "Sleepless in the Sewers". Can't wait to see how your story develops, dude. :D I also wanna give a big thanks to SleepingSeeker for suggesting that song to me. Really wish I would've known about it before I wrote Donnie's bit in yesterday's chapter, but, oh well. It did help me write Leo's bit toward the middle though, so kudos for that! :D

Okie dokie! So without further adieu, here's the next chapter to "The Waiting Ones". Hope you all like it! ;)

Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT. Plain and simple. :P Quit making me remind myself of that disappointing fact! Dx

Enjoy the fic!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

"The Waiting Ones"

Chapter 10

Angel's Fury

Wednesday Night

"Oh, God…. Do I seriously look like that when I pop and lock?" Sam asked in horror, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment when she heard a chorus of laughter from Talyn and her other teammates.

"Oh, come on, Sammie, you don't look retarded," said Talyn encouragingly, pausing the video on her laptop before letting her fingers fly over the keys to save everything and exit the browser. "Besides, you made the team. Who cares what your audition routine looked like?"

Jackie slapped a heartening palm against Sam's making, providing her with a bright smile while she vacuumed up the last bit of her soda. "Don't worry, Sammie-girl. After a few practice sessions, you'll look like a total freak on the dance floor. But a cool freak. Trust me." She winked, making Sam smile before she took another bite from her slice of mushroom and olive pizza.

"So you're the new chick who totally pwned de la Rosa in the cafeteria yesterday, right?" Ashleigh asked with a powerful grin that really accentuated her pearly whites. Sam hadn't even noticed that she carried off a very strong Jersey accent and it fit with her whole punk rock persona.

"Oh, I heard about that!" cried Vanessa, the only black girl who was on the Jam Skating Squad. She reached over the long table they were all sharing and offered her a fist, which Sam tapped lightly with her own fist so as not to be rude and leave her hanging. "You've got spunk, girl. So wish I could've been there to see the look on Renee's face."

Sam's eyes flicked back and forth questioningly before asking, "I take it not many of you are very fond of Renee?"

"That's the understatement of the year." Jackie rolled her eyes, bumping fists with Talyn the moment the hipster chick brought up her hand.

"I mean, she can be nice at times, but she's a royal bitch when it comes to practice," said Vanessa, emphasizing on the word 'royal' to validate her point. "She's like the Hitler of jam skating. Everything has to be absolutely perfect and if it isn't, she'll brutally call you out on it. You know that scar she has on her upper-right cheek?"

Sam paused for a moment to think back and study what she remembered of Renee's face. Now that she thought about it, she did notice that she had a faint scar just an inch and a half below her eye. The sudden realization must've been eminent on her face because without confirming anything, Vanessa continued to talk.

"I heard that her dad nicked her with a kitchen knife when she was little because she brought home bad grades or something. That's why she's always on everyone's ass about being perfect and getting things right right away."

"R-Really?" Sam's eyes widened, her attention now focused on Ashleigh, who was nodding her head slowly.

"I heard her brother got sent to the hospital about a month ago after her dad got drunk and started beating the shit out of him when he got back from work. Apparently Renee had to drive him because her dad nearly dislocated his shoulder."

"Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that," said Marissa – the Filipino girl who had also made the team along with Sam. "Renee didn't come to school for like a week almost."

"B-But why? I-I mean, why would Renee and her family put up with such violence like that in their own home? Aren't there shelters they can go to? Can't her mom file for divorce or even child abuse?" Sam asked, her tone carrying off a weight of worry that made her feel like every breath she took was labored. How could a father ever hurt his own children like that? If her dad ever so much as laid his hands on her like that…. She didn't even want to think about it.

"Apparently her mom came to this country from Mexico illegally," said Hannah, a girl with almost vampire-pale skin and a midnight black faux hawk that made her look sexy chic. "She's one of the cleaning ladies at the hotel my mom works at. Apparently she works like three jobs because Renee's dad blows all his money on booze and cigarettes. Her brother works at some auto shop in Brooklyn and Renee stays home to watch her little brother and sister."

"Is that why she didn't join us tonight?" Sam asked, the saddened tone still eminent in her voice.

Jackie shrugged. "It wouldn't have made much of a difference anyway. Renee likes to keep herself very closed off from other people."

Well who could blame her? Sam thought. If her family life was as fucked up as everyone made it seem for Renee, she wouldn't want to be around other people either. Sam could only imagine how torturous it must be for her – always wondering what other people were saying about her, constantly feeling at least one pair of eyes staring behind Renee's back with both remorse and pity—like she was a fool to not just pack her things and run away from all the drama and abuse. But how could anyone just pack up their life and leave? Sam knew she couldn't, even if her dad was an abusive drunk. She couldn't just abandon her mom and her brothers and sister. It would be a cowardly thing to do and Sam knew Renee would never forgive herself for turning her back on them and cutting the strings that held them all together, just as she would feel the same, leaving Renee forced to choose the only other option she had:

Just suck it up and deal with it….

(-)

Leonardo noticed that the metal platform of the fire escape beneath him was particularly cold tonight, making him feel as though his feet had frozen over said platform and kept him rooted where he stood. As the tender graze of the wind brushed his cheeks and made the tails of his mask flap imperceptibly, Leo let out a melancholy sigh, his eyes never tearing away from Sam's window just two flights above him.

What the hell was he doing here? After all, Don had been right about Leo kidding himself with whatever was forming between him and Sam. He had been a fool from the beginning – letting it progress from just a simple overlooking guardianship to a bond Leo only wanted to grow stronger. He had gotten a taste of what it was like to let his guard down – even just for a moment – and allowed an outsider to enter into his little space he kept reserved for only his brothers, his sensei, and Casey and April. Sam had introduced him to a world where it was okay to lower one's shields and forget the burdens Leo was always forced to carry wherever he went—no matter what. He longed for that sense of freedom only Sam could provide him with, but it was taboo in the eyes of his family—completely dishonorable and wrong and if Leo continued to let himself spiral deeper and deeper into the dark rabbit hole of such indisputable longing he'd … he'd…

…He didn't want to think about it. About the pain—the unfathomably veracious wash of pain and heartache he had witnessed Donatello go through, the memories slamming back into Leo's subconscious like a ton of bricks. The sleepless nights … the rejection of meals … the fact that his brother had completely isolated himself from his entire family for days because he felt so … unwanted … rejected … discarded like yesterday's trash and for what? Allowing himself to let his heart yearn for what it wanted…?

To Leo, Donnie wasn't the only one that had suffered that unforgettable night. April's rejection had not only opened his brother's eyes, but all of their eyes, making them slam into that unbreakable wall that was reality. They talked like humans, walked like humans, and could even love and hurt like humans could—but the fact of the matter was Leo and his brothers were just way too different. Humans would never be able to provide them with the kind of love and affection they so desperately wanted. Had it not been for the mutagen that made them what they were today, Leo and his brothers would just be regular turtles swimming in the ocean and finding female turtles to mate and court with. But Leo and his brothers weren't regular turtles. There mutation allowed them to find attraction and beauty in the human women they saw walking amongst the city … but the horrible truth of the matter was it took two to tango.

Their hearts yearned for love … but the love they provided would never be receptive.

Ever….

Pinching the bridge between his eyes, Leo fought with the powerful urge to just go home and forget about seeing Sam tonight. He felt a constant stab of guilt whenever the thought of Sam eagerly waiting by her window crossed his mind and it was that little tidbit that fueled the everlasting battle inside Leo's head. If he stayed, he would only be adding salt to the ever-present wounds that would only run deeper the longer he kept this up. But if he left, he would only be disappointing Sam, giving her the sense that he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

It's for the best… Leo thought dejectedly as he turned his back on Sam's window and decided to just head back to the lair to spend the rest of the night sulking until sleep carried him away. However, before Leo was able to take one step further, the sound of a door slamming and frantic footsteps clamping down the sidewalk caught his attention, making the blue-banded turtle glance over his shoulder to see what all the commotion was about.

"—I'm gonna drive down Lexington Avenue. That's where she said she was before she got on the bus—"

Casey? Leo raised a quizzical eye ridge, leaning over the railing and watching the distraught vigilante fumble with his keys.

"I trying to calm down, babe, but she should've been home half an hour ago. It's late and she's not answering her cell so of course the first thing I'm gonna do is panic." He cradled his cell between his shoulder and his ear as he shakily unlocked the driver's door. "Just call me if Sam comes home before I do, okay? I'll do the same if I find her on my way down Lexington…. Love you too…. Bye."

The sound of Casey slamming his car door shut instantly broke Leo out of his reverie and he could already feel his heart ramming inside his chest in panic. Sam wasn't home? And she wasn't answering her phone? What time was it anyway? It was already too dark to be travelling down the streets of New York alone and Leo's brain automatically entered into a series of flashes of all things that could go wrong to Sam if she wasn't careful. He had to go look for her too. Although Casey had a car, Leo could easily cover more ground on foot without the chances of getting caught in traffic. He didn't want to chance losing any more seconds of just standing around when the possibility of Sam being in danger grew more and more hauntingly realistic.

Moving away from the railing of the fire escape, Leo climbed up the few flights of stairs before taking to the rooftops, jetting out into a swift run and making sure to scan the streets beneath him closely. Where had Casey said she was last? Lexington Avenue?

Leo's teeth gnashed together in panicking snarl. That was extremely close to Central Park and at this time of night, there were surely creeps and weirdoes mucking up the streets just waiting for the next innocent bystanders to cross their path.

Feeling his inside twist uncomfortably at the horrific image, Leo picked up the pace and launched himself into the air, landing swiftly on top of the nearest building before making a sharp right turn.

Don't worry, Sam. I'm coming….

(-)

She hated the city. Absolutely without a doubt hated the city.

Sam glanced behind her shoulder for the seventh time that night, hugging herself tighter to keep herself from freezing to death. Why did she get herself into this situation? Why did she have to be such a retard? If she hadn't been such a polite dumbass, she would've taken up Jackie's offer and rode with her and Talyn back home, seeing as the two apparently lived just a few blocks from Casey and April's apartment. But no, she didn't want to be a burden and figured she'd make it home okay by taking the bus. However, what Sam seemed to forget was that she still wasn't familiar with the streets, having only lived in the city for a span of five days, so of course it didn't take her long before she found herself totally lost. And what made matters worse was that her phone died on her, leaving Sam without a phone to call her cousin to come pick her up or a navigation app to help her figure out where she was at.

Great. Just great….

Looking up at the street signs above her, Sam desperately tried racking her brain for any sense of familiarity to the streets she was currently walking through. She didn't remember ever going down Madison Avenue or East 83rd Street and the disappointing fact nearly brought her to frustrated tears.

"Fuck my life." She groaned. "Fuck my life with a spiked dildo…."

The hairs on her neck instantly stood at attention when Sam heard laughter from across the street and she could already feel her heart quicken in pace. Folding her arms tighter over her chest, she noticed what looked like three gang members laughing and cursing and lighting up their cigarettes, making Sam sneer in disgust at the repulsive action.

Not wanting to have the smell of cigarette smoke assault her nostrils, Sam waited until the goons were out of sight until she crossed the street, leaving her to continue wandering aimlessly around the streets of Manhattan until she magically found her way back home. However, the thought was instantly abandoned when Sam squinted her eyes and focused on the almost recognizable lighter one of the gang members had in his hand.

Dark maroon? With the initials … C.M.J…!

Christopher Michael Jones … Dad!

Curling her hands into tight fists, Sam could feel a wash of anger spread from the tips of her fingers down to the ends of her toes. Those were the same punks who nearly killed her dad—who left him bleeding in the streets on the verge of death! And they thought they could just carry on with their business like it was nothing? Fuck no. Fuck. No. Not on her watch….

Glancing back and forth to make sure no cars were coming, Sam quickly jogged across the street – making sure the Purple Dragon punks weren't aware that she was hot on their tails. Feeling her teeth gnash in a furious snarl, she racked her brain with ideas before she noticed they had just passed an alleyway that separated two apartment buildings and her lips tugged into a devious little smirk.

Before her common sense screamed at her to turn around and see if any of the convenience stores she passed by would let her use their phone to call up her cousin, Sam hurriedly sprinted down the sidewalk, pressing her body against the wall of one of the apartment buildings before she peeked around to make sure the Purple Dragons were within close proximity.

She glanced down and smiled when she spotted a rock big enough to get one of the Dragon's attention. Picking it up, she peeked back around the building and without a moment's hesitation, she threw it, hitting the Purple Dragon with the short, spiked Mohawk right against the back of his head, making him turn around in a furious huff.

"What the fuck?" The Dragon growled, rubbing the back of his head to dull the pain. "Who the fuck threw that!"

This time, without peeking around the corner, Sam chucked another rock before travelling deeper into the alleyway, letting the shadows engulf her like an invisibility cloak. Hearing the rough steps of the three Purple Dragons coming her way, she crouched down and waited, her heart thrumming boisterously through her eardrums.

The Purple Dragons scanned the darkened alleyway for any sign of the person who was throwing rocks at them. With similar sneers on their faces, they stepped further into the shadows, letting their eyes adjust before pulling out their weapons of choice. The Dragon with the purple-tipped Mohawk was the first to break the silence between the three of them.

"Show yourself, you fucking coward!" He screamed, the blade of his machete glistening in the very faint light of the streetlights outside the alleyway.

Gulping down any ounce of fear she had left, Sam picked up the biggest rock she could find and chucked it straight at the Dragon's head, knocking him off balance for a mere two seconds. Acting quickly, she emerged from the shadows and ran, channeling all the force and anger she held inside into her arms before she swung, connecting the broken piece of plywood she held straight into the aforementioned Dragon's face.

Like a tree that had been chopped down by a lumberjack, the Purple Dragon timbered straight onto the hard concrete and was down for the count, leaving his two lackeys staring horrifically at the scene that had just unfolded right before their eyes. With a harsh sneer, Sam pointed the piece of plywood at the Purple Dragon she had just taken down and spat with enough venom in her words that would cut through even the toughest man's gallantry.

"That was for my father, you motherfucking piece of—shit!"

Hearing the faint whirling of chains from behind her, Sam quickly ducked before the Dragon with the greasy bowl cut was able to hit her, a maniacal grin spread across his dirty face. With her adrenaline making her act on impulse, Sam immediately swung the broken piece of plywood she held in her hands right at the Purple Dragon's stomach, making him double over breathlessly as he fell to his knees. Not wanting to stay even a second longer, Sam dropped the plywood and made a dash out of the alleyway, her shoes slamming hard against the concrete pavement beneath her as she breathed in shaky, quick breaths. However, before Sam could even make it three feet away from the Dragons, she felt a big, beefy hand wrap around her wrist, tugging her violently backwards with enough force to nearly dislocate her shoulder.

"Where do you think yer goin', princess?" The largest Purple Dragon of the bunch asked, his tone mocking and low as the Dragon Sam had attacked first picked himself up from the ground, his nose gushing waterfalls of blood.

"Bring the bitch back here, Komodo." Ordered the leader, wiping away the blood that was dripping from his nose. The large Dragon obeyed, picking Sam up with ease while she thrashed and kicked her legs, desperately trying to break free from her captive's large, beefy arms.

When her feet finally touched the ground again, Sam was forcibly pushed against the graffiti-covered wall behind her, her head nearly connecting with the rough brick blockade. She opened her eyes, not even realizing they were shut and felt herself trapped as the Purple Dragon with the bloody nose barricaded her with his hands pressed against the wall and his arms hovering over Sam's shoulders.

Her body shook fearfully as she saw the Dragon's mouth split into a big toothy grin, the blood from his nose seeping into the splits of his teeth.

"You've got alotta spunk doin' what you just did, ya little bitch," the Purple Dragon snarled, grasping onto Sam's chin abusively. "What's a sexy little piece of ass like yerself doin' wanderin' around these streets all by yer lonesome?"

Sam forcibly yanked her chin out of the Dragon's grasp, spitting in his face as an answer to his question. Without so much as batting an eyelash, the Dragon chuckled lowly to himself, wiping off the wad of spit and flicking it off his palm. "Cute," he said before glancing behind him to where his lackeys stood. "Komodo. Spike. Make sure no pigs come drivin' by and ruin our fun. I'm gonna have a little chat with my new friend here."

Spike – the short Dragon with greasy hair – chuckled almost maniacally, making Sam's eyes widen with fear while him and Komodo left to go stand watch from the alleyway. "Fuck her up extra hard for us, Fang!" He crowed, throwing his head back in a twisted series of shouting laughter while Sam's heart slammed furiously inside her chest as she stared into the haunting brown eyes of Fang, who was licking his lips vilely.

"Just sit back and enjoy the ride, princess." Fang grinned, grabbing onto Sam's wrists to pin them above her head. With her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, Sam desperately tried to yank her wrists free, managing to do so with one arm, which she used to punch the Fang square in the jaw.

Swearing through clenched teeth, Fang slammed Sam back against the wall before she could manage to escape, her head lolling to the side after it had connected with the rough barricade as she let out a painful moan. Pressing all of his strength into his hands, Fang held Sam down while she thrashed and frantically tried to wriggle free, despite the fact that the blow to the head was making her feel dizzy with every move she made. This only made Fang more and more frustrated as he brought his hand back and connected it with Sam's face – the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing faintly through the alleyway.

Too stunned to say anything, Sam just stared wide-eyed at her attacker, feeling the right side of her face erupt into a wash of stinging pain. Tears slowly began to weld from her eyes and Fang did nothing but snarl furiously before grabbing onto the collar of her shirt and ripping it.

"I tried to be nice, ya little whore," Fang swore, the horrifying word stabbing right through Sam's heart as she felt the icy cold winds pierce her exposed skin, making her shiver from both the freezing winds and the underlining fear of what was about to happen.

She let out a choked whimper at the vile feeling of Fang's boney hand constrict one of her breasts while the other hand fumbled with his belt and zipper. Feeling frozen from both the intense frosty temperatures and the horrific situation she was trapped in, Sam immediately shut her eyes, letting the tears stream down her face as she silently prayed death would just take her right then and there, allowing her to escape from this horrific situation she so stupidly got herself into.

Please, God, Sam pleaded inside her head. Someone … please … help me….

Grinning from ear to ear, Fang released his now very hard and very aroused cock, moving his fingers to work on tearing off the bitch's pants to get to the real prize. However, before he was able to do so, he felt a rough, very forceful hand wrap around his neck, choking him to the point where he felt like his windpipes were being crushed. Being hoisted off the ground, Fang could feel himself sailing backwards, the hand that had a death grip on his neck throwing him violently across the alleyway before he connected with the ground and skidded against the dust and dirt that scraped his arms and hands.

Shaking his head to compose himself, Fang immediately opened his eyes, hearing the sound of metal being unsheathed from its confines as he watched a dark figure approach him slowly, bringing their foot up and slamming it against his chest, which forced Fang right back down. The dark figure pointed his weapon right at Fang's face as he glared harmful daggers straight in his direction, making Fang feel a wash of fear spread throughout his entire body before the figure spoke – acid dripping from his words.

"Leave. Her. Alone." The man growled hauntingly, his words etched with enough venom to make Fang cower where he lied.

"H-Hey, man, I-I don't want no trouble, o-okay? Y-You can have the bitch—she's all yours!"

Fang yelped when the dark figure stabbed his blade just a centimeter from his head, the hard metal digging into the cold concrete beneath him.

"Don't you ever call her that! Have you no respect, you insolent piece of trash?" The figure scowled, pulling his blade out from the concrete before kicking Fang out of his way, his weapons still at the ready in case Fang tried to do anything stupid.

Scurrying to his feet, Fang could hear Komodo and Spike entering the alleyway before he turned around and told them they needed to get the fuck out of here fast. Obliging their leader's orders, they took off in a run with Fang trailing behind them before he turned around and pointed a finger at his temple – his hand mimicking the shape of a gun being fired.

"This ain't over, you fucker!" Fang shouted before taking a mad dash down the street, leaving the dark figure alone with the bitch he didn't get a chance to fuck tonight.

Dropping to her knees, Sam felt as though her head had been filled with a ton of rocks, making it loll from side to side as darkness consumed her line of vision. The back of her head throbbed violently and the pain was so forceful and real that she found it difficult not to fall deeper and deeper into unconsciousness.

Although the lack of light in the alleyway made it difficult to see from the beginning, Sam could still make out the dark silhouette of the figure that had saved her, watching him approach her with the cautiousness of a hunter approaching a frightened deer. The thought instantly made Sam flinch back in fright until she noticed the careful glint in the figure's dark brown eyes—eyes she knew all too well.

"L-Leo…?" She spoke just above a whisper, her eyelids growing very, very heavy.

"It's okay, Sam. I'm here," Leo spoke gently, lowering himself to his knees to scoop Sam into his arms, careful as to not touch her head as he hesitantly folded the flaps of her ripped open shirt to cover her exposed stomach and bra.

"Leo, I … s'dark—'verything's going d-dark…" she slurred, nodding off like a child who was fighting off sleep. Strange. Why did Leo's chest feel so hard and ridged? And his skin … so cold….

Leo did his best to sooth Sam with his words, letting her know that he was going to get her home. He bit back the wash of anger when he noticed the dark bruise that was beginning to form on Sam's face where the Dragon must've hit her and before Leo could act on his building aggression, he let out a calming breath and composed himself. Right now, his only focus should be getting Sam home. Nothing else.

Carrying her in his arms ever so gently, Leo thought back to what street they were on and mentally cursed himself when he realized the only other way to Casey and April's apartment was through Central Park. No, going through there was like a suicide mission. Even he and his brothers knew never to travel through such a dangerous part of New York City during the night, less they wanted to run into a mob of drug dealers and rapists. He couldn't go around the park either, seeing as it would take way too long and Sam needed medical attention fast. He could take her to a hospital, but the proximity of the hospital nearby was always bustling with people during this time of night, Leo wouldn't be able to get Sam very close without someone seeing him.

That only left him with one other option…

…He had to take Sam back to the lair….

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand, I think I'll stop it right here. ;) Que maniacal laughter. Mwahahahahaha!

Cliffhangers. Don't ya hate 'em? I was originally going to add more to this chapter, but I think it flows a lot better cutting it in half and ending it like this. :) Plus, it leaves you excited because SAM FINALLY GETS TO MEET THE TURTLES! XD Yeesh, took me long enough, right? I can tell I'm gonna have a lot of fun writing the next chapter and I'll be sure to add a good taste of fluff in their since you readers had to deal with drama and depressing dialogue for the past two chapters. Haha! XD

Ugggh! Pissed off Leo is so fucking sexy, am I right? ;) I had a lot of fun writing that bit since it's so out of character for our levelheaded turtle. Maybe I should piss Leo off more often? Haha! Nah. XD The poor guy doesn't need more added stress in his life. That's why he gets the girl first. ;) Don't worry Raph, Donnie, and Mikey! You guys will get some lovin' soon too! XD

Also, I'd like to apologize for the point of view changes toward the ending. They bugged the shit out of me, but then again, I personally thought it would've looked really sloppy if I broke the chapter down and switched point of views for like three paragraphs and then broke the chapter down again to switch to another point of view and so on and so forth. Hopefully it's not too confusing with how it is now and if it is, I'll try to refrain from doing that so much.

Whelp, I believe that's all I've gotta say. :) I won't leave you guys hanging for very long with my next update and will try very, very, VERY hard to have it posted by Sunday night. If not, then you can be 100 percent sure I'll have it up here before August 25th, seeing as that reaches my 10 day deadline. :) So, until next time readers!

DFTBA!

(Don't Forget To Be Awesome!)