For the better part of half of the day, Alice somehow managed to avoid each of them.

It was the damndest thing really; Leo thought as he watched her out maneuver Raphael for like the zillionth time, and shook his head. Alice as it happened was really good at avoiding things. It was almost as if she were a ninja, but he would have known if she was.

They had come across several different ninja sects and knew that each one had it's own code of honor as well as training methods and signiture moves. And after watching Alice throw herself into a shadowy corner just to avoid bumping into Raph- he was pretty sure that she wasn't a ninja.

She was just really weirded out by what Don had done earlier and trying to avoid a repeat of the incident.

So natrually when it was lunch time, Leo devised a plan to more or less trap Alice and waited until she had made her way into the kitchen to fix something to eat before gathering his brothers and waving at them to follow him. They each fell into step either behind or beside him with their game faces on.

Enough was enough.

She had given it a good go, but she wouldn't learn anything about them if she kept running. So they would have to force her to stop. Moving with all the stealth Splinter had taught them from childhood, they made their way to the kitchen just as she was putting up the peanut butter and jelly that Leo had bought earlier that morning.

Then slipped the loaf of bread back into it's hiding place and walked over to the kitchen sink and washed the spoon she had been using then set it aside to dry and turned- and stiffled a startled shriek when she saw all four of them standing in the doorway looking curious.

"Um..." Alice started to say something when Leo asked,

"Alice, why are you avoiding us?"

She got a peculiar look on her face and scratched her left cheek as she looked away from them and seemed to mull over the question before saying carefully. "I'm not exactly trying to avoid you, per-say. I just-"

"Want to avoid another uncomfortable situation." Don finished for her. Her head swung around and her eyes locked with his for a moment as she flushed a pretty shade of pink and studied her feet as if she found them facinating. Everyone was quiet for a moment as cold dread started to settle in Leo's gut.

Oh, this couldn't be good; Leo thought to himself as Alice hugged herself for a moment before speaking.

"I'm not sure what you're expecting from me, but I don't do romantic entanglements. I used to...when I was younger and more...hopeful and optimistic. But not after- I just can't."

"Will you tell us why?" Raph asked, his tone was gentle and coaxing as he took a small step forward. Trying to pry information out of her voluntarily while moving into reaching distance so that he could wrap his arms around her and hold her in place if he had too. Alice paled and got a strange look on her face. Like Splinter sometimes did when he had nightmares about their late grandfather Yoshi, and Leo and Don exchanged a look of concern as Mikey said sagely,

"The humans did something to you, didn't they?"

Alice gave them all a jaded smile, the light suddenly going from her eyes. Leaving them flat and almost dead looking. "You four should know more than anyone how cruel people can be."

"Alice-" Leo started to say something when she lifted a hand and cut him off, before she spoke again.

"I liked a guy once when I was thirteen. He was older, sixteen, I think. And he seemed like a nice enough guy and he acted like he liked me. Like I was the most important girl in the world to him. It took a few weeks but he finally weasled his way into my foster home. Made my foster family like him, then asked me out. I remember buying a new outfit because I wanted to look nice- Like there was something wrong with me to begin with. I guess I was trying to overcompensate because of my seizures. I didn't want anyone to know about them if possible..."

"They always made me an outsider. Made me feel like I should have the word DEFECTIVE tattooed across my forehead or something, ya know? And I wanted so much just to feel normal for once. So I did the whole girly thing and painted my nails, put on some makeup, perfume, my new outfit and then I left to meet my date. Unfortunately for me he chose a sleezy hotel for our date and was high as a kite by the time I got there. He also failed to mention that he had invited several of his friends to join us."

"Apparently they made a habit of picking up younger girls and drugging them or coaxing them into drinking until they passed out and then took turns with them-"

The turtles all got horrified/sick looks on their faces as Don stepped forward and choked out, "Oh god Alice- Did they- Were you-" She looked at him and lifted her hand and pushed it through her dark hair.

"They jumped me at the door, and got in a few good shots before I even felt the needle pierce my skin. But the drug didn't sit well with my meds so they had no choice but to either take me to the hospital or let me die. And since they weren't so keen on going to jail for drug possession or rape of a minor- they ran. I was discovered by a maid maybe ten minutes later, thank god. Aside from that I have no clue. I don't know if they did anything or not. But I learned my lesson. Which is why I don't do romantic entanglements."

Everyone was quiet for a second before Alice asked, "This was why your dad wants me to get to know you four better isn't it? He's hoping that something of a romantic nature will occur."

"Yes-" Leo said honestly knowing that any chance they may have had before of mating with her may die, but felt that he should be honest. She deserved at least that much from them. "Forgive us for hoping the same thing."

Alice waved a hand, as if she were waving his apology off. "It's fine...I guess. I mean I can sort of understand his point of view..."

"It's not just his Alice, it is ours too-" Don said gently. "We four are the first and last of our kind. And as you've probably noticed so far, we're all male. You are female. A lifegiver. A chance to have offspring and families of our own. A chance to save our speicies..." Don's voice faultered and Raph took over.

"You went through a terrible thing as a kid- We can't erase that experience from you, but we can damn well make sure that no one else lays a hand on you while your with us. Think of this as your safe place. In fact while your here with us you'll have a safety word, something to let us know when things are going too fast or you're uncomfortable-" He quiet for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face before he grinned and snapped his fingers. "How about Red?"

"R-Red?" Alice stammered, her mind unable to comprehend what Raph had just said.

"Yeah, Red. As in the color meaning caution or stop."

There was a humming sound and Alice glanced at Don and Leo before one said, "That should work-"

"But just in case it doesn't," Leo said as he dug a small butterfly knife out of the pouch sewn onto his belt and demonstrated how to open it by flicking his wrist then held it out to her and then said, "If you ever use the safety word on one of us and that person doesn't back off- Stab him here-" He tapped his bicep in the space between his shoulder and elbow.

"And if that doesn't work to get him to back off, scream your head off for master Splinter... He'll make whoever is bugging you, leave you alone. He'll also bring the rest of us to help." Leo said as he took her wrist in his large hand and placed the small knife in it.

Alice looked at the silvery blade then back at him and his brothers and turned a peculiar shade of green before nodding in understanding even though the thought of maybe having to hurt one of them didn't sit well with her.