April kept moving her eyes towards the side mirrors of the Battle Shell facing the docks every other minuet that passed. Hayley watched from the passenger seat, nervously biting her nails awaiting the return. She was locked in her thoughts about what was going to happen to them, to Alex. Sighing softly she turned back towards April as the red headed woman shot up from her chair and ran towards the back of the large vehicle.

Hayley furrowed her brow turning towards the mirror as she noticed the group making their way towards them. April sung open the back doors, jumping down and running towards Casey. He smiled at her as the woman frantically wrapped her arms around the man's broad shoulders.

"Are you alright? How's your leg? Do you need help walking?" She asked checking over his body as Casey kept his smile putting his hands on the side of her fair skinned face.

"Babe, I'm here, all in tact." He said looking into her wide green eyes. She sighed softly nodding her head as he pulled her back against his body in a tight embrace.

"Where's my hug?" Mikey asked as April picked her head up from Casey's shoulder and smiled at the youngest.

"Right here." She said stepping away from Casey and opening her arms. Mikey smiled stepping into those arms as April patted his shell. "Everyone's safe?" She asked as he nodded his head.

"Yeah, we're all fine. No injuries." Donatello said with a satisfied sigh.

"Good." She said softly moving to hug Donnie next as Mikey made his way into the Battle Shell.

Hayley leaned against the opened back doors, watching the group commerce with each other and slowly move their way closer.

"Hey babe, you alright?" He asked looking over at her as she seemed to be gazing off ahead of her. Her eyes wide and unreadable as she broke out of it from the soft voice by her side. She turned towards the blue concerned eyes wrapped in orange and smiled.

"Yeah bud, I'm alright." She said patting his shoulder as he smiled softly. "Are you? I mean, I'm not the one that just fought a battle." She smirked as he nodded his head taking a seat.

"Yeah, I'm good. We're all good." He said stretching a little.

April and Casey came up next as April helped Casey up into the cab of the car, rubbing his back softly as they walked. She sat him down in a seat, kneeling in front of him as she slowly ran her hand over his bad leg.

"Babe, I promise everything is fine." He said looking down at her as she shook her head.

"I want to make sure everything is fine." She said rubbing her thumbs against his knee cap and down his shin.

Raphael helped Alexandra up next as she smiled meekly at her friend. Hayley returned it, before stepping forward and wrapping her arms tightly around the shoulders. Alex smirked a little wider, returning the embrace as Raph took a seat with a sigh.

"You alright?" Hayley asked softly as Alex nodded. "I mean mentally." She said in a whisper against Alex's ear as the girl hesitated for a moment before shaking her head in a 'no'. Hayley sighed, tightening her arms and rubbing her best friend's back as Alex fought hard to not cry.

"We should all go back home, get some rest. We'll make sense of everything in the morning." Leonardo's voice said from behind them as Hayley rose to look at his eyes, noticing them focused on hers. She felt a rush of heat hit her face as he turned away walking with Donnie to the front seats. Donnie taking driver as Leo buckled himself into the passenger seat.

Hayley slowly pulled back as Alex sniffled to herself, leaning down to sit on Raphael's lap as he put his arms around her waist. Hayley sat next to Mikey with a meek smile as he gave a lop sided one in return.

Casey and April opted to sleep on the floor in the living room of the lair with padded mats and pillows to comfort them. Donnie and Mikey said their good-nights as everyone, drained from physical and metal excursion they had went on.

Leonardo and Hayley stood in his candle lit room in a thick awkward silence. Avoiding each other's gazes, Hayley looked along his brick walls, to the floor, up the walls to the ceiling and back down again to the floor. Leonardo kept his face in a frown, straight ahead of him looking towards her but not at her. After a sigh he cleared his throat and she finally looked up.

"Tomorrow you should be able to go home if you wish. Along with April and Alex." He said as she nodded her head slowly.

"I can sleep in Don's lab if…"

"No, you can stay here, I'll…" He walked ahead towards her and the door as she reached out to him grasping his large bicep in her hand. He stopped, almost stiffening as she sighed looking up into his eyes.

"Leo, we need to talk." She said softly as he nodded his head. "I can't stand one of my best friends being uncomfortable around me. I know what I said earlier was over the top and a bit…"

"No, it's what you felt. You're a stronger person than I to actually come out and say those things." He said letting out a slow breath. "I just never was able to register the fact that I, I never knew something like this, something so…"

"You don't have to be so deep about it." She chuckled a little as he smiled in return.

"I don't want you to think just because of what we had done the night before you have to tell me something like that. I know you well enough to know when something is true to you and at that moment you said that you…You said…"

"That I loved you." She helped him as he nodded his head.

"Yeah, you were upset." She snorted softly shaking her head.

"Upset wasn't even on the radar screen anymore. Livid would probably be more accurate." She said with an arched brow as he nodded his head.

"Understandable." He said softly.

"Leo, I was wrong in coming about it the way that I had. I know that. I also know that what I said, I meant. With all my heart. I have loved you for a very long time and I honestly don't care what you are or anything that might hold you back from expressing your true feelings for me. If you truly do not have them I will understand and go on with my life, keeping you as a friend. You've always been a good friend, and great listener. I could talk to you about anything." She said with a smile slowly growing on her face as she met his eyes with hers again. "I just, I can't fight it anymore. Every time I'm with you, and see you, as stupid as this sounds…" She said shaking her head with a slight chuckle. "I get butterflies. I've never gotten butterflies from any other man in my life, besides you."

He stood there for a moment. Her eyes searched his as he looked at her straight on. She chewed on her bottom lip waiting for his replay to anything she just said. He furrowed his brow slowly trying to absorb everything as silence fell upon the room once more.

"Leo…?" She asked softly.

"I'm going to go sleep in the lab. You should get some sleep as well." He said turning towards the door. Before she could say anything the door closed her off from him. She furrowed her brow for a moment in confusion as it quickly was replaced with anger. Opening the door quickly, it slammed against the hinges as she ran down the stairs.

Leonardo stopped at the bottom with a furrowed brow looking up at her as she stormed towards him. Opening his mouth to scold her for being loud when Casey and April were sleeping, she wrapped her arms around his the back of his head forcing his lips against hers. She was on the last step as he stood in front of it, placing his hands around her waist and pulling her into him. She pulled back as he searched her eyes for a moment, both panting from the separation as she her eyes narrowed into a glare. Taking a step back she sung an opened hand as it connected with his cheek.

The slap echoed through the bricks in the large opened area. He kept his face turned away for a moment in shock and confusion before placing a hand to the slow purpling mark. She stood on the step, her hand slowly moving to her side as she kept an intense glare on him.

"What was…" He started as pursed her lips tighter, narrowing her eyes for a moment and raising her hand once more. He grasped her by the wrist and pulled her to his body. "What was that for?" He asked in a low tone as she shook her arms that were tightly braced by her side, his large hands gripping tightly to her wrists to keep her against his body.

"You love me or not?" She growled as he nodded his head narrowing his eyes.

"Yes." He said as his tone deepened.

"Are you scared that I might love you back?" She asked keeping her voice harsh as they kept their eyes narrowed on each other.

"Yes." He nearly growled as she pushed him back away from her as he loosened his grip.

"Than you're an idiot." She said climbing back up the stairs. He watched her for a moment before climbing up after her.

"How was I supposed to know?" He asked trying to keep his voice down in the hallway as she turned back towards him. She opened his bedroom door and walked inside closing it behind her. He growled as the door slammed in his face. He shook his head, opening it and closing it behind him. "I've loved you for…"

"Save it." She said holding up a hand. "We said what we needed to say." She crossed her arms over her chest. "You loving me is one thing Leonardo, but the fact that you've already proven to me, twice that you want nothing to do with it is another. It would be better that we just go on with our lives." She shrugged. He kept an even glare on her as she kept an emotionless straight face.

He took the few strides forward, wrapping his arms tightly around her body again as his lips were forced on hers. Her back bent with the impact as he held her closer, gripping her thick hair in his large hand, and fisting the fabric of her sweater on her lower back in his other. Pushing her body back on his bed she tried to hold back a moan to the feeling of his weight between her legs.

"Leo…" She breathed as his lips moved from hers to her neck. His only response was kissing along the curve of her breast until he reached the hem of her tank top.

She closed her eyes for a moment trying to remember her anger towards him from a moment ago. He reached behind her pulling her sweater off of her body. She complied as he tossed the fabric to the floor tugging at her tank top. He got it off her as their breathing ragged, pressing their lips back to each others, his hands moving into her hair and gripping it in his hands as her finger tips dug into his biceps.

"Wait…" She breathed heavily as he kept moving down, his lips sucking on her neck as she moaned softly furrowing her brow. "No, Leo, wait." She said pushing him off her as he braced his arms to hover over her body. He looked down at her blankly as the anger came rushing back. "What's wrong with you?" She asked glaring up at him. He furrowed his brow slowly.

"What?"

"What are you doing? You haven't even given me a straight answer to…"

"I told you a moment ago after you slapped me that I loved you and want to be with you." He said glaring back now as his body still hovered over hers. She shook her head running a hand through her tangled hair.

"You said that you were scared to be in a relationship with me. That's two completely different things."

"I actually said nothing, but agreed with you." He said in a smug tone as she growled and shoved him off of her. She got from his bed and gathered her tank top.

"You are a pretentious ass, you know that?" She said pulling on her tank top over her head, and leaning over quickly to grab her sweater. "Y-you can't just keep doing this to me." She said trying to keep her voice from shaking as the anger from her body quickly shifted to vulnerability. "I'm not good with this sort of thing." She said turning towards him now as she tugged her arms through the sleeves of her sweater. "I-I haven't done this in years and I-I'm not exactly the best person to teach you in the ways of love." She tugged on her tank top, pulling it from riding up her stomach. She sighed running her hands through her hair looking around his room for a moment before looking back at him and placing her hands on her hips. "I don't even know what love is because every time I tried to find out you got in my way. I couldn't let myself love someone else because I loved you and I wasn't even with you." She growled softly gripping her hands in her hair and moving it around before shaking her head. "I-I-I can't keep playing this fucked up rollercoaster game.! It's killing me or making me lose my mind, or both! I never cry, this is just…" She sighed placing her hand over her face as tears bubbled from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She removed it quickly turning her face from his as she tired to keep her lip from quivering.

He watched her for a moment clumsily putting on her sweater and looking around the empty room for something else of hers that she might have misplaced. She was disoriented and her body almost trembled as she stood before him. Sighing softly he stood and walked towards her. She put her hands up, taking a step away from him as he stopped looking towards her with a furrowed brow.

"Every time you come near me and we touch I forget why I'm mad." She said as he smiled a little taking another step. "Leo please…" She begged, wiping her cheek as he placed his large hands on her small arms rubbing them slowly.

"I would never want you to get hurt because of me. Because of what I am and what my family has done." He said in a stern but soft voice as she looked up to his eyes. She took in a shaky breath through her nose as he ran his finger along her damp cheek.

"I have you to protect me." She said softly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile for a moment before it went straight again. His eyes still having it linger there in the softness of them.

"I will till the last ounce of blood leaves me body." He said tucking her soft hair behind her ear. She took in another long breath letting it out through her mouth as he ran his hand down to her neck.

"Leo, I…" Before she could finish he leaned down pulling her by the back of her neck and capturing her lips with his. They opened slowly on hers as she followed letting her tongue drag against his as he hands tightened around her body. She clenched her eyes shut tighter, placing her hands on his shoulders and pulling her body as hard to his as it would allow.

Raphael and Alex made their way to his bedroom, in silence. The whole way home and the long walk down the hall they both said nothing. He opened the door as she walked inside instantly stripping off her clothes. Her muscles started to tighten and ache as she tossed her father's jacket on Raphael's barbells in the corner of his room. Reaching under her tank top she unclasped her bra pulling the straps from her shoulders and tugging it out from under her tank top and letting it fall to the floor.

Raphael started sliding off his gear, letting it fall where he stood as he reached behind his head and tugged on the knot of his bandanna letting it fall from his eyes. Folding it neatly, he set it down in its set spot on his nightstand. Leaning down on the mattress with a soft groan he placed his arms behind his head letting his eyes close.

Alex let her pants pool around her feet as she walked out of them and over to the bed, putting one leg over the turtle's body, straddling his waist. He opened one eye looking up at her as her dark hair fell into her face from being tucked behind her ears.

"How ya doin' tough guy?" She asked softly and sincerely as her fingers dragged along his leathery skin.

"Shouldn't I be askin' you that?" He said sliding his hands from behind his head and resting them on her hips, his thumb moving back and forth against her soft skin. She sighed softly to the feeling of his hands on her and nodded her head.

"I'm ok." She said with a forced smile as he saw right through it.

"No your not." He said plainly as she sighed.

"Yeah I'm not, but whateva, It's not like I can do much 'bout it right?" She said getting off of his lap and stood from the bed. Raphael sighed and turned his head to look at her as she paced before his bed. "He was right there! He was right fuckin' there and I hesitated! I could have easily…Ah!" She growled throwing her arm out and punching his leather bag.

"We all could have done somethin' babe, but we didn't. You did good tonight, at least nothin' bad happened to ya." He said as she shook her head.

"Wasn't good enough." She said almost to herself, wrapping her arms around her torso as he sighed and got from his bed. "How come every time I do somethin' it's just never good enough?" She asked as he put his arms around her pulling her into his plastron. She shook her head placing it on his dark emerald chest and he placed a hand at the back of her head.

"Pip, you can't keep beatin' yaself up 'bout this. We'll get 'em and…"

"How? When? How much longer are we gonna be waitin' around for those pieces of shit to do somethin'? To act so we can get 'em all once and for all." She said pushing herself away from him and her voice raising with anxiety, trying to keep her tears at bay. He sighed grabbing her again and pulling her tightly to his plastron. "I don't know what to do anymore." She said softly as she felt a warm tear crawl down her cheek. "I-I can't keep…" She sighed softly pressing her lips together as she put her head back against his chest as he held her.

The next morning Casey, April and Hayley made their way back to the apartment. Alex was still sleeping when they left and all thought it better she got some more rest. Casey walked in first, his leg feeling a lot better from the work out he got the night before. He looked around quickly, keeping his bat on his shoulder as he walked back to the door and nodded his head for April and Hayley to enter.

"I'm gonna go check the store." April said walking back out the door after she placed her bag on the floor.

"I'll come with you." Hayley said placing her purse on the kitchen table as she followed April down the stairs to her antique store. April unlocked the back door and flicked on the lights scanning the room quickly. Hayley kept behind her, peering over her shoulder as April smiled a little. She walked in over to her desk, as she pressed the answering machine to see if there had been any messages.

"Hey April, what's this?" Hayley asked as she saw an arrow sticking out of a stuffed manikin with a rice paper note on the end. April looked over at her as she noticed her large front window cracked with a small hole in the center.

"Oh no." April sighed as Hayley tilted her head trying to read the writing. April tore the paper from the arrow as she sighed looking over the characters. "It's in Japanese." She sighed.

"Well, who would do something like this?" Hayley asked looking at the cracked window and large arrow sticking from the manikin.

"We have to get out of here." April said looking around quickly. Hayley's eyes widened for a moment before following the redhead back up to her apartment. She walked steady and with a slight fastened pace as Hayley tried to keep her hands from shaking on the railing as they helped her up to the apartment. "Casey!" April called as she entered the apartment. He picked his head up from the couch and looked over at her as he pushed himself from the couch with a slight groan and limped back towards the kitchen.

"Babe, what…" He stopped when he saw another note like the one from the night he was ambushed. "But, we already know it's the Purple Drag…" Before he could finish April turned over the paper showing off a symbol of a red Dragon's foot. Casey's eyes narrowed on the symbol as April sighed.

"We have to tell the guys." She said as Hayley looked amongst trying to not show off how scared she felt.

Casey followed behind as he and April kept Hayley in between them on their walk back to the lair. The young woman kept her arms tightly wrapped around herself as Casey tightened his grip on the hilt of his bat, the wood groaning in his grasp as Hayley looked over her shoulder at him. His expression was straight and serious, a face she rarely saw on the man she had grown to love like a big brother. He looked up and caught Hayley's gaze as she offered a small smile. His expression lightening a little as he put a hand out placing it on her shoulder.

April entered the code for the lair as the large bricks before her slid open to Donnie walking towards them.

"What happened?" He asked noticing the look on April's face as she thruster the note at him. He furrowed his brow reading it over as he walked back down the stairs. "Leo, come in here!" He yelled through the open space as Hayley looked around frantically for the brother in blue.

Leonardo appeared from the alcove of the dojo, sliding his katana back in his hold as Hayley let her shoulder drop slightly at the sight of him. April took a seat at the kitchen table as Casey stood, crossing his tense arms over his large chest, his face dropping back to the serious one he was wearing before. Leonardo furrowed his brow looking amongst the faces in the kitchen as Donnie held out the note. Leonardo took it quickly and read it over. His face slowly dropping to a serious frown as his arms dropped at his sides.

Alex and Raph walked down the stairs from hearing Donnie yelled Leonardo's name. She stopped when she noticed everyone's faces and a note being passed between brothers. She felt her heart drop a little as Casey's eyes met hers, followed by Leo's.

"What happened?" She asked walking down the last steps. Raph followed and Leo handed him the note. His face slowly contorted to a angry frown as Alex placed a hand on his bicep trying to let the note fall to her eye level. He looked over at her as she looked up into his darkened amber eyes and her heart fell a little more. "Wha-What is it? What's it mean?" She asked slowly as he sighed looking back towards Leonardo.

"Maybe we should leave for a couple of days?" Donnie suggested as Alex furrowed her brow and crossed her arms.

"Leave why?" She asked as Raph sighed nodding his head.

"It might be better than just waitin' for their attack." He said as Leonardo nodded his head next.

"What attack?" Alex asked a little louder as Mikey walked over from the couch to the gathering in the kitchen.

"Hey guys what's…" Before he could ask anymore Leonardo handed him the note over his shoulder. Mikey read it, his blue eyes scanning the paper quickly as they widened slowly and looked back towards his eldest. "Really?" He asked softly as Leonardo nodded.

"What?!" Alex said nearly stomping her foot as Hayley looked at her angered friend. "What the hell is so goddamn serious that no one is willing…"

"The Foot Al. It's the Foot." Leonardo said cutting off her outburst as she stopped for a moment letting her brow slowly crease.

"But their not even…" She put her head down trying to search the gray concrete for answers as she looked back up at Casey. "They have nothing to do with this!" He sighed and nodded his head.

"They do now Pip." He shrugged.

"What the fuck!" She said slamming her fist down on the table. Raphael sighed and placed a hand on her arm as she hissed in pain from her throbbing hand. She braced her fist against her chest as Donnie sighed and walked over to her.

"Let me see it." He said softly as she shook her head.

"It's fine."

"Let me see it!" He demanded as she looked up at the light brown eyes wrapped in violet. She gave her hand to him as he made her palm open and she sucked in air through her clenched teeth. "You need ice." He said grabbing her wrist and making her following him into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter as the brainy turtle took out an ice pack and took her hand in his again. "You need to control your temper." He said softly looking over her hand and feeling around her bones for any broken ones. She clenched her jaw tighter as he placed the cold pack against the side of her hand. "Hold it there." He said again in a demand as she nodded her head.

"We can't simply just jump into a fight like this." Leonardo said after a moment of silence as Donnie took Alex into the kitchen. April nodded as Hayley kept silent looking around at the sad, fallen faces.

"We should go to my grandma's house. Prepare a little." Casey said as everyone nodded slowly. "They know you, you ain't safe here alone." Casey said turning towards Hayley as she furrowed her brow slowly.

"No, I'll be…"

"No." Leonardo said sternly as her eyes quickly went to his at the tone. "You're coming." She slowly nodded her head as Donnie and Alex came back to the table.

"Well, what do we plan on doing while we're there?" She asked as all the brother's looked amongst each other.

"This isn't about you anymore." Leonardo said moving his eyes to Alex as she glared back. "This is about something bigger, something that we've been fighting for years. It can't simply go away with just anger for revenge, and it can't go away with one fight knocking down a couple of thugs. We need to be ready, and strong when we go into this. We're not. That's understood just by looking amongst your faces. We need to get out of here, clear our heads and go into this battle prepared and without weakness." Leonardo said punching the table for emphasis. "We will not be taken down because one of us is not ready, because one of us is weakened." He said raising his eyes slowly to Alex's. She narrowed hers and leaned forward.

"Just say it Leo." She said darkly as he narrowed his eyes against hers. "Me, I'm the weak one here. You know you want to." She growled as he shook his head.

"The only way you need to focus is your mind." He said keeping his dark tone as she scoffed at him leaning back up and crossing her arms. "We need to discuss this with Splinter." He sighed taking the note that Mikey handed to him and walking towards his father's room.

The familiar scent of sandalwood filled his senses as Leonardo's still tense body walked through the threshold of the sliding paper doors.

"Kneel my son." His strong voice carried through the quiet room as Leonardo did so in front of his table. "When did you plan on leaving my son?" He asked his eyes still closed as Leo furrowed his brow slowly. "Voices do carry Leonardo."

"I came to ask you what was more appropriate Sensei." Leo said as Splinter slowly opened his eyes letting out a slow breath.

"As soon as possible my son." Leonardo nodded his head as Splinter locked eyes with his son. "Ms. Williams is coming?"

"Yes Sensei."

"I trust that you will keep her safe." He said as Leonardo picked his head up slowly catching his father's eyes and nodded slowly.

"Yes Sensei."