Note: Credit to Rirureddo for his help in writing this chapter.

Also, I don't own any of the songs in this chapter.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Time off

The following night, Leonardo stood at the exit of the lair waiting for Mona to appear. He couldn't believe that he and Mona were going on a date together.

He knew he was taking a risk as the Venomous Five were still on the loose, but he hoped that going into the public club would discourage the reptiles from attacking them, he also knew that if they did go into the club they would risk having their weapons confiscated.

But Leonardo had made a plan that if they climbed out of the hidden manhole near the club and hid their weapons there then they could pick them up again before walking to Central Park.

Twisting his fingers, he felt nervous. He was excited that he and Mona were going to have some time together, but this wasn't training or patrol like before, this was them having some intimate time together.

"I'm so nervous..." he thought, "Did you ever feel this way Raph? When you first courted Mona for the first time? When you took her on dates? Did you ever feel this way?"

He took a few breaths but all was quiet, the only sounds to be heard in the lair was Michelangelo watching the TV and Donatello in his laboratory/Medical room.

Leonardo sighed again. He remembered before when he tried to court Mona he had taken her to Coney Island Beach, he had been nervous then and now he was nervous again.

"Raph..." he whispered softly "I hope all goes well tonight...I will take care of your mate, that's a promise...and even if we do meet the Venomous Five...I will do everything in my honour and power to protect her...that's a promise..."

He crossed his heart and kissed his fingers sealing the promise and stared into space again waiting for Mona.


After a few minutes, Mona soon appeared from her room and Leonardo's jaw nearly dropped to the ground as he drank in what she was wearing.

Mona was wearing a black corset with some shiny blue detail and a ragged black skirt, black tights and knee high boots.

She also had her hair loose and swishing around her shoulders and she wore a little bit of mascara on her eyes along with some lipstick.

"I'm ready Leo..." she said softly snapping Leonardo out of his daydream.

"Wow..." he said with a smile "You look absolutely amazing!"

Mona blushed and looked down at her clothes shyly.

"Thanks Leo..." she said "It's just something I threw on."

"I must say..." said Leonardo taking Mona's hand and twirling her around gently so he could see all her body "It's perfect."

Mona giggled softly as she spun around.

"You got me this corset." said Mona "It was a birthday present."

"I remember." said Leonardo as he leaned over and kissed Mona's cheek "It's gorgeous on you."

Mona blushed again.

"Shall we get going?" she asked.

"Of course." said Leonardo holding his arm out for Mona and she took it gratefully and held it tightly as he lead her out of the lair and into the sewers.


After about half an hour they soon arrived at the manhole where the club was near.

Leonardo took off his katana and he tied them to the ladder so he could fetch them later.

"Did you bring your weapons Mona?" he asked.

He hadn't seen Mona carrying her fans and he hadn't seen her use them since Raphael's death.

Mona lifted her skirt and she pulled her folded steel warfans out of her boots.

Leonardo's eyes widened as he saw them.

Mona sighed as she looked upon them.

"When I was getting ready I didn't know if we would meet any of our enemies out there." she said "So I decided to take my weapons just in case, I have to admit...it was a little hard...picking up my warfans again..."

"Why?" asked Leonardo.

Mona chewed her lip.

"I guess because they brought back old memories...the way I would weld them in battle next to Raphael...and now I'm using them, holding them and he's no longer here..."

She saw Leonardo place his hand on hers and give her gentle smile.

"I know you still have memories Mona..." he said "And you'll always will, just think of it this way...whether to weld your fans, or any other weapon...Raphael is there...right beside you and in your heart...always watching you and protecting you..."

Mona looked at her fans then up at Leonardo and she nodded.

"Ok..." she said "I'm sorry...I just..."

"You don't have to be sorry Mona..." said Leonardo "I understand..."

Mona smiled softly and handed Leonardo her fans and he tied them with his katana then he assisted Mona up the ladder to get to the surface where they both climbed out of the manhole to see the alleyway and the sounds of dance music coming from the building nearby.


"Here we are." said Leonardo helping Mona out of the manhole then leading here to the alleyway where they saw several humans all dressed up and waiting to go inside.

There was quite a lot of people dressed up, some were dressed as pirates, zombies, ninjas, Disney characters, video-game heroes and many more and they didn't pay attention to Leonardo and Mona, as far as they knew they were just other people in costume.

Before long they were let into the club by the bouncers, one of them eyed Mona's toned shoulders as she walked in and Leonardo placed his arm protectively over her as he walked through the door.

"It sure is lively here tonight,wouldn't you agree?" Leonardo commented as he looked around the club at everyone either dancing on the dance-floor, talking at the side or drinking at the bar.

"I'll say, yeah!" said Mona as she looked at everyone dressed up "They put a lot of effort into their costumes."

"Indeed." Leonardo agreed "Lucky for us, people think we're in costume as well." he added with a grin.

"We've been lucky before." said Mona with a smile "Going into clubs where everyone's in costume and no-one's suspected us."

Leonardo looked around then looked down at Mona,

"It has to be said." he commented with a smile "You're the best looking one here."

Mona blushed, though she knew Leonardo couldn't see clearly under the disco lights.

"You're so sweet Leo." she said.

Leonardo lifted Mona's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Just being honest is all." he said with a smile.


Mona smiled back then looked towards the bar.

"Shall we get a couple of drinks before we dance?" she asked.

"Sounds great to me." said Leonardo as they walked to the bar and took a seat on a small table nearby.

Leonardo then ordered them a large bottle of white wine and they sat together listening to the music.

"Here's to an unforgettable night." said Mona clinking her glass with Leonardo's.

"One that we both will never forget." said Leonardo clinking his glass against Mona's.

"Where did you find out about this club?" asked Mona as they both took a sip of their wine.

"I was looking on the internet some time back..." said Leonardo "Trying to find places we could all go to amongst the humans without worrying about being spotted as mutants, and this place just jumped out at me."

"It's great here..." said Mona tapping her fingers in time to the music "You made a good choice finding this place..."

Leonardo moved his hand over to Mona's and stroked it, the lights of the nightclub were making her eyes shine as she looked upon him.

"She's so beautiful..." Leonardo thought as he watched her eyes peep over the rim of her wine glass at him.


As Leonardo listened to the tunes, he hoped that they would play a song that he and Mona could dance too, he secretly hoped that they would play his and Mona's song after she saved his life after he had been seriously injured by the Foot those years back.

After about twenty minutes of them drinking and talking as if someone was listening to him, he heard the tune of 'Rule the World' by Take That begin playing.

You light the skies up above me
A star so bright you blind me, yeah, yeah
Don't close your eyes
Don't fade away, don't fade away, oh

As the first few lines began playing, Leonardo extended a hand to Mona and Mona gratefully took it and they took to the dance-floor.

"Our Song..." Mona whispered softly.

Leonardo smiled at her and he placed one hand on her waist and held his hand with his other and Mona placed her hand on his shoulder.

Yeah, you and me we can ride on a star
If you stay with me, girl, we can rule the world
Yeah, you and me we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side, we can rule the world

As the song got faster, the two reptiles began to sway together, almost all the other dancers slowed down to watch as they danced together. Leonardo twirled Mona around and lifted her up as the song reached it's epic notes all the while Mona smiled and laughed.

If walls break down, I will comfort you
If angels cry, oh, I'll be there for you
You've saved my soul
Don't leave me now, don't leave me now, oh

"I'll always be grateful to you Mona..." Leonardo whispered as the lyric 'You saved my Soul' was sung.

"And I could say the same for you right now Leo..." said Mona "You've saved my soul from plunging deeper into darkness in grief and hate and vengeance..."

Leonardo smiled and kissed Mona's nose softly.

Yeah, you and me we can ride on a star
If you stay with me, girl, we can rule the world
Yeah, you and me we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side, we can rule the world

Mona giggled softly and the two of them rested their foreheads together as they continued to sway together to the music.

All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you
All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you, oh

"I love you so much Mona..." Leonardo whispered as he kissed her nose again.

"I love you more..." Mona whispered back.

Yeah, you and me we can ride on a star
If you stay with me, girl, we can rule the world
Yeah, you and me we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side, we can rule the world

"I love you most..." Leonardo chuckled as the last few lines of the song began to play.

"I love you very much..." Mona sighed as she rested her head on the turtle's shoulder and they held each other close.

All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you
All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you

All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you
All the stars are coming out tonight
They're lighting up the sky tonight for you, for you.

When the song finished Leonardo and Mona walked back to the bar area so they could sit together.

Leonardo had managed to purchase another bottle of wine for them both and they were now sharing it together.

"I enjoyed that Leo..." said Mona as she traced the top of her glass with her finger "It felt like I was dancing a new dance with you...different to the one I danced with you when you gave me and Raph your blessing after that incident with the Foot..."

As Mona spoke, Leonardo looked down to his lower plastron where the scar still lingered.

"When I danced with you, I felt we were mending the ties between us, building a new relationship as brother and sister...but this time, I felt I was building a new bridge...this time...as mates...lovers..."

Mona lifted her hand up to Leonardo's cheek and gently caressed it. Leonardo in turn lifted his own hand to hers and kissed her palm and smiled at her.


After a while of sitting, drinking, talking and listening to the music, Leonardo wondered if there was some other song they could dance to together, a song that signalled that they were now lovers and enjoying new life they were living, though they both lost someone dear to them, they were starting a new life in his memory.

He didn't want it to be any cheesy love song he had heard before, which was what half the songs the DJ was playing when it came to slow songs he played every hour.

Though they had gotten up a few times to dance to some songs they knew, he couldn't identify with one that described how he really felt.

After another ten minutes, Leonardo and Mona had decided to dance to another song they knew when suddenly a slow song began playing and Leonardo instantly thought this was the song.

As the music started, he took Mona's hands and gently pulled her towards him so they were close together, almost all the dancers were doing the same to their partners.

All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here suddenly I see
Standing here it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be

Mona looked up at Leonardo as the lyrics played, she wasn't sure at first, but as the song played, she felt a sort of connection to it.

And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you

A smile soon curled across her face as Mona looked up into Leonardo's eyes though they were behind his blue mask, they shone with passion and love in the disco lights.

She realised that after so long mourning and in such grief, Mona felt that the fog of her grief had lifted and she was seeing things in a new light, and before her was a turtle that would protect her with his life and honour and would love her with all his being, just like Raphael had.

All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time never truly seeing
Things, the way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here suddenly I know
If she's here it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go

Leonardo meanwhile looked into Mona's eyes as they sparkled in the disco lights. All those years he had dreamed of Mona being in his arms, and even though he had known she would never be his.

But then here they were, it was a shock and he had felt bad about everything that happened, but he had made his promise to Raphael that he would love Mona and make her happy.

"You'll never be hurt again Mona..." he whispered in his head "Never...I will make you the happiest girl alive...after everything that happened to you..."

And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything is different
Now that I see you

As the song ended, Mona and Leonardo rested their foreheads together and Leonardo stroked Mona's cheeks lovingly.

Now that I see you

Mona smiled as she gazed up at Leonardo and wrapped her arms around his neck as they nuzzled each other not wanting to let go of the other, even though the song had finished and the dancers had returned to their previous activities.

Awww, cute moments eh?

Hope you enjoyed that scene readers, as well as the songs. Again, I don't own them.

So far, the Venomous Five haven't tried to attack, but the nights not over yet, stay tuned to see how the rest of the night goes!