I actually had something else planned, but something prompted me to write a Leo chapter. Something just made me feel like he's been a little bit pushed aside recently. So here you go.

As always, if you wanna read a sueprcool ninjariffic story with our favorite turtles in them, please go read A Ninja's Dance, by Gia's Soul.

Also, me and aloggedinreader just finished the 46 Series for all you Supernatural fans.

Lastly, a big thank you to everyone for over six thousand views. That's awesome!

"Surrender Leo!"

"No!"

"Say you surrender!"

"Never!"

"Then face my wrath!"

Kitty held Leonardo down by his plastron with her left elbow while tickling the little turtle with her right hand, just above the area where his shell and plastron connected.

This whole ordeal had actually been quite educational. She learned a few new things about Leonardo and the turtles as a whole. For starters, the only other place Leo was ticklish was on his neck. She also learned that they could retract partly into their shells, especially their heads. He had used this to protect himself from the onslaught of tickle torture from his temporary guardian. The cheater.

The little overachiever squirmed beneath her hold, but held his jaw firm, refusing to laugh. She knew he wanted to though. She would make him laugh before this night was over or give up, whatever came first.

"Nuuuuuu!" He half whined and half yelled, struggling to find a way to slip out from beneath her superior adult strength. If he could just get out of her grip….

"You will never escape me!" Kitty taunted and poked his neck, forcing his attention away from any sort of half scheme he had been trying to concoct.

Somewhere, deep down the adult knew that this would all blow up in her face somehow, someday, but for now she was enjoying it.

"I… hahaha! I give! Haha!" Leo said finally, yielding to the adult.

"And evil shall now be spread throughout the whole world with no opposition!" Kitty joked, before poking him one last time on the neck and grinning at him as he squirmed.

Leo said nothing, just finally let all of his muscles relax. After a tentative moment, he scooted closer to the caramel colored woman as her jet eyes peered down at him. Something about them made him feel like she could see right into his very soul. Her eyes reminded him just a little of his sensei's. Maybe it was the deep, consuming darkness of shadow colored eyes that made him feel… safe. Like the all encompassing darkness of her eyes and of his sensei's eyes seemed to envelop him in a blanket and a shield all at once, protecting and comforting him.

She rose a brow toward him with her head tilted just slightly to the left. Not a good sign, it means she suspects something.

"What's on your mind little lion heart?"

Leo blinked curiously at the name, "What?"

"Leo, it means lion. Leonardo actually means bold lion, I remember reading about it in my art history class when we were studying da vinci."

"Who?" Leo asked, raising his own eye ridge. She had honestly lost him.

"You're name, it's after the artist right? It has to be, between the four of you…" Kitty started, wrinkling her brow as her mind seemed to try and process through something.

"What's an artist?" Leo asked. The word sounded familiar, but he couldn't seem to place a meaning to the word.

She stared at him silent for a moment. Her eyes seemed to scan over him like she was pulling his every layer with just her eyes. The only person who had ever stared at him like that before was Master Splinter and usually, he always seemed to get into trouble for it somehow.

"How about I tell you another time. It's a little complicated to explain. So, now back to you, what's on your mind?"

Leo bit down on his bottom lip, he could feel nervousness clutching at his chest and squeezing. In all honesty, he wasn't even truly certain that trusting this woman was the right thing to do. He hoped so, but how much was he willing to trust her with? What would Master Splinter say?

"I...Do you… think we'll ever find Master Splinter?"

She smiled down at him and the tightness in his chest eased. Their sensei had told them time and time again that the surface world would never accept them, never understand. Leonardo didn't doubt the truths in his fathers words for a second, but maybe, just maybe they had lucked out enough to find someone who really did want to understand. Master Splinter also often told them only a fool turned away the gifts fate has given them. Leonardo had always assumed he was referring to himself and his brothers, but maybe it applied in other situations as well.

"I can't say much for the dedication of a parent to their child, I haven't had much positive experience in that area myself. However, if your father is as determined and capable as you all have led me to believe, then I think he'll find you. I know I would do anything for my precious people," Kitty said looking down at him and straight into his own silver eyes. Leo had moved closer to the woman than he had initially realized.

He really wasn't sure at all when he had lain his head against her lap. He must have moved toward her instinctively. She didn't seem to be paying much attention either as her hands automatically seemed to move the base of Leonardo's neck as she started to rub circles into it. . He could feel sleep fighting to engulf him under her ministrations. He did notice however, that she glanced to the girls room though at her mention of 'precious people.''

"So yes, I do think you will see each other again soon."

Despite nearly succumbing to sweet restfulness, the small turtles natural thoughts overtook him. He wondered where Splinter was. If he was okay. He missed his father and he knew his brothers did too. He wondered what his father was doing at that moment. Surely he wasn't being coerced to sleep by a nice woman who reminded him of the stories that Splinter told them all of Tang Shen, the stories of her warmth and kindness. Would Tang Shen have rubbed his neck as well if she were present? Would Master Yoshi have helped care for them even with their uniqueness? There were so many questions and so many things he wanted to understand. Most of all however, he wanted his father back. He wanted his dad to tuck him in and rub two claws gently over his forehead and then sing in the deep throaty chats that he didn't really understand, but liked anyway.

"...Nora-san?..." Leo asked after a long moment of silence. Kitty glanced down at him, without stopping her massage with widened and waiting eyes, "Will you uh… will you sing? Sen...sensei used to sing to us in what he said were folk songs until we fell asleep."

"Well, I don't know any folk songs," Kitty said with a frown to the little turtle.

"Oh… that's okay," Leo said before moving an arm to push himself off of her and put himself to bed.

"But I do know a song about an artist, maybe you'll even understand what it means?" Kitty said, her from becoming a smile, "Only if you'd like to listen though, I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

Leo tensed for a moment as he thought it over. He really shouldn't have asked in the first place. He wasn't quite sure what prompted him to. He's been away from his brothers too long. He should go and make sure they're safe. One look though, in those waiting dark eyes and Leonardo found himself nodding before letting his tense pose relax once more. She licked her lips once before closing her eyes and taking in an audibly deep breath.

"Starry starry night, paint your palette blue and grey," She started slowly before taking one of his hands in a warm grasp and giving a reassuring squeeze, "Look out in a summers day, with eyes that know the darkness of my soul."

As she continued on, Leo found himself enjoying the soft melody. It was nothing like how his father sang his deep and almost meditative tones, but he found something soothing anyway in her light almost whispered tones and reminded him a little bit of the chirping sound his father said came from the morning birds when they were in the tunnels near central park.

"Now I understand, what you tried to say to me," She continued. Leo found himself entrapped by the words. A story playing out in front of his eyes, slowly becoming clearer and clearer, "And how you suffered for their sanity and how you tried to set them free."

A pretty sound came from the distance, he wasn't completely sure where anymore. It seemed to be all around him, but still so far away. He felt… relaxed though. Something in him knew that everything was alright. He wasn't sure why though.

"They did not listen, they did not know how, perhaps they'll listen now."

He felt…safe….

….

…

..

.