Cat glared at Mikey as he put a tin foil antenna on Leatherhead's head

Cat glared at Mikey as he put a tin foil antenna on Leatherhead's head.

SMACK!!

"OW!! KITTY…"

"Take that off his head before I decide that your shell would look nice on my wall…"

But it seemed it was actually working, and a screen showed the news.

It seemed New York was getting back to normal after the invasion, and that the Justice Force was back in action, helping the clean-up efforts.

"Hey, it's my pal Silver Sentry! You go, super dude!"

The screen turned to static again as Leatherhead moved.

"Awww…They were just getting to the best part!"

Cat leaned her arms on the back of the couch.

"Mikey, it's the news…it's never good…"

Mikey seemed not to hear her.

"Thanks, LeatherDORK."

There was a growl, and Cat saw his pupils narrow to slits.

Cat covered his mouth.

"He didn't mean it, buddy! Honest!"

Don moved to his side.

"Easy does it, Leatherhead. Don't listen to him. Mikey makes EVERYBODY crazy."

"It's his secret mutant power." Cat added jokingly.

Master Splinter came out of his room.

"Donatello, have Leonardo and Raphael returned from Miss O'Neil's?"

"Not yet, Master Splinter."

"Come, Michelangelo. You are only causing trouble here." Master Splinter ordered.

"Donatello and Leatherhead have important work to do. You and I will inspect the sewer tunnels. They have been damaged in the alien attack."

He turned to Cat.

"Can I trust you to leave them in peace, my daughter?"

"Did I get an orange mask this morning?" She asked good-naturedly.

"I promise not to disturb them. I'll just meditate in the dojo. Turtle's Honor."

Splinter nodded, walking away with a sullen Mikey.

She smiled at the two brainiacs.

"I'll just get off your backs. Call if you need a little juice."

Her hands sparked to show what she meant before she headed for the dojo.

Slipping into a meditative trance, she did as her sensei had advised before.

'Try to control the transformations…control how far you go, how much pain is caused…'

Trying to control her breathing, she peaked an eye open when someone opened the door to the dojo.

"Hey, Donnie. Need something?"

He closed the door, looking awkward.

"Actually…I wanted to talk to you…"

Cat opened her other eye, relaxing.

"About what?"

"You know…when we were on the Triceraton home world before…"

Blushing slightly, she gestured for him to sit down.

"I know, I know…We should've told you guys…"

"But when? How? I don't really…"

"Understand? There's not much to it. We love each other."

She smiled slightly.

"I would've explained at the time, but under the circumstances…"

"I know…"

He looked at the ground a moment before locking eyes with her again.

"…Why didn't you tell us?"

"I was…worried…scared…I'm not really sure…"

She sighed.

"I've been meaning to, honest…But then Mikey found out…"

"MIKEY found out?"

"It was a lucky shot, bro…He caught us kinda…making out in a tree that first time we went to Casey's grandmother's place…"

"…That's why he always seems so happy whenever he sees you two together…"

"Maybe…or he's just weird…"

Don smiled slightly at the joke.

"But, Donnie…please don't tell Leo and Master Splinter…"

She sighed.

"If they don't take it well…well, you know what'll happen to Raph's temper…"

"Yeah, I know…you can trust me, sis."

She smiled, catching him in a good-natured noogie.

"Of course, Donnie-boy! I can always count on you!"

Don broke free.

"Well, I still need to pay you back for something you did…"

Cat quirked an eye-ridge.

"What?"

"Well…remember when we were little? When we first got our weapons?"

Flashback:

The young turtles were in the dojo practicing kata with their new weapons as Splinter made some tea.

Mikey was bragging that his 'chucks were the best weapon, which Raph argued against.

He said his sai were the best, and Leo got in by saying that katana were obviously better.

Cat stayed out of the argument at the moment, knowing their sensei could hear the fighting.

"Well, at least we know Donnie's isn't the best. It's just a big stick."

Don became a bit defensive.

"It's a Bo staff…"

"Same thin' as a stick…" Raph added to his previous statement.

"What can ya do wit' a big stick, anyway?"

Cat finally had enough.

"Donnie-boy?"

He turned to her, and she tightened her jaw at the unshed tears in his eyes.

"Hand me your Bo. I'm gonna show you something."

Don did so.

"What are you going to do?"

Cat tested the balance and weight.

"You'll see…"

Master Splinter walked in when, SMACK!!, the Bo smacked Raph on the head.

"OW!! HEY!!"

Cat glared.

"A Bo staff is a weapon, too. When handled by a master, it could defeat a katana or a sai. I bet Donnie-boy will be able to whoop your shell with this one day."

She handed it back to Don, smiling.

"Don't let them get to you, bro. They're just jealous you have a big staff to fight with."

Master Splinter couldn't help the smile on his face as he saw the scene, a silent chuckle escaping him.

Don smiled.

"Thanks, Kitty…I owe you one…"

End Flashback:

Cat smiled.

"Oh, that…At the time, that felt good…"

"I think that's when we saw you more as a protector than a leader…Like a guardian…"

Cat tilted her head slightly in a questioning manner.

"…I never really thought of it like that…but I guess we all play an important role…"

"I've always considered each of us like a part of the human body. Master Splinters the skeleton, Raph's the muscle, Mikey's the stomach…"

Cat laughed slightly at the joke.

"Leo's the skin, I'm the brain, and you're the heart. Thing is, that doesn't completely define you. It's like we're all part of the heart somehow, and you are, too…but it's like there's a part of you outside of it, defending it…"

"Aw…that's sweet, Don…but I only do as much as I can."

"And you always manage to save our shells, no matter what you're up against."

Cat smiled.

"I'm doing pretty well then, huh?"

Leatherhead peaked in.

"Is something wrong, my friends?"

"Nothing at all."

Cat smiled.

"I won't hold him any longer, Leatherhead. I know you two need to get back to work."

"Actually, would you mind lending us your special power?"

"Of course not."

They headed to the living room, and Cat saw the open wires.

"Hope I don't short-circuit anything…"

"I promise you won't." Don assured.

"Well…If you're sure…" Cat muttered.

Letting the electricity out of her fingertips softly, she saw the screens start coming to life.

As Don got on his computer and Leatherhead adjusted a satellite dish, Leo came home.

"Hey, aniki." Cat greeted, still concentrating.

"Has Raphael come home yet?"

"Not yet."

"Haven't seen him."

Cat looked worried.

"I thought he was with you…"

"He should've been back by now…knowing Raph, he's probably gotten himself into serious trouble…"

Cat sighed, shaking her head.

"What am I supposed to do with brothers like these?"

"HEY…" Don and Leo stated.

"It's not like you two have given me any problems…yet…"

After a while, Cat sat with her Les Paul, tuning it as Leo paced.

"…You done yet, aniki? I think that's a pretty nice groove in the floor…"

The elevator door opened, and Raph came in.

"Raph!" Cat greeted, smiling.

"Man, Raph! I always knew you were slow, but come on! What happened?" Leo questioned.

"Guys, you won't BELIEVE this!" Mikey's voice sounded from the front door.

"I have, in my possession, a briefcase OVERFLOWING with possibilities!"

He snapped it open, revealing money.

"A truckload of rare comics! Twenty-two new televisions! Eight hundred and twenty-three consecutive days of Chinese take-out!"

Raph smirked.

"Actually, Mikey…I've gotta better idea…"

--

Cat went with her red-banded brother to wherever he wanted to give the money, genuinely confused.

He knocked on a door in an alley, and Cat tensed when the old woman that opened it didn't seem to see anything.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Mrs. M. Raphael. I brought my girlfriend this time, Caterina."

"It's nice to meet you." Cat greeted.

"It's nice to meet you as well. What brings you two here?"

Cat smiled slightly.

"Actually, we found this briefcase on your doorstep."

"Yeah. It's full of money." Raph added, handing it to her.

"Well, who would do such a thing?"

The two turtles shared a glance.

"I think ya have a guardian angel that's tellin' ya yer exactly where ya oughtta be." Raph answered.

Cat smiled, kissing Raph's cheek.

'He can be so sweet…That's why I love him…'