One more chapter to go after this! I hope you guys have been enjoying it :) This whole thing has been a trip down memory lane for me. I did cringe during the editing process but I didn't want to change too much: I wrote this back in the day when fanficiton was my only real writing outlet, and so I see this as a kind of homage to the series as a whole, and how far I've come as a writer :) xxx

Chapter 7

"LEATHERHEAD!" Venus cried as her friend was thrown into his computer station. She kicked the two cronies she was fighting away and ran towards him. The alligator pushed himself off the panel, shaking his head rigorously as Venus came to help him up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I believe so."

She looked back into the living room where Bonesteel's men were being knocked down by April, only to get up again a couple of minutes later.

"We're outnumbered. We'll never take them all alone."

"I'm afraid you're right Miss Venus," Leatherhead agreed, when he noticed a faint beeping coming from the computer station. He followed its sound to find that his fall had activated a distress signal. "But maybe we won't be alone for long." Venus frowned before spotting a small screen flashing 'SOS' on the panel.

"Leatherhead, what have you done?" she asked, horrified. If the guys came to their aid, then they would know that she and April lied to them. Leatherhead just looked at her sternly before nodding towards the report Venus had folded and secured underneath her belt. She followed his gaze and tucked it in tighter. He was right: they needed help, and the guys were going find out soon enough anyway. She had just hoped in better circumstances.

A sudden click behind the pair made them twist round sharply.

"It's been a long time little Sheila," he smiled, pointing the dart gun directly at her. "But we can catch up when you're safely caged up with the rest of my collection." He fired but Venus ducked and dived at him. She knocked the gun out of his hands and kicked him in the chest. He lay on the ground, winded whilst Leatherhead bent the gun in half. A shout came from the living room, and Venus saw April cornered by five men, wielding a mixture of knives and ropes. Venus ran towards them, kicking two in the back and drawing her sword against another. April busied herself with a rope bearer whilst the other whipped his around Venus' right arm and yanked it back. She dropped her sword and another man came with a second rope for her left arm. Both were pulled back, causing her shoulders to burn, as the man she had originally been fighting held his knife towards her throat, his eyes gleaming.

"Should've have stayed down, ya' green freak. Bet your shell will make us a few bickies." He smiled, revealing a serious lack of teeth, before making a thin cut from her right cheek to underneath her chin. She didn't wince, only scowled.

"Mason, skipper wants em' alive for now. Says he's got a 'special way' of dealing with them." Mason looked at the man holding Venus back, who was pulling at the ropes with all her might.

"Well then, Hayden, where are the darts?" The guy restraining Venus pointed his head to the floor, and Mason followed, picking up the gun and aiming at the giant turtle.

"Have a nice sleep, greeny."

"You too!" April suddenly cried, using her pipe to knock the guy out. As it hit his head, Mason crumpled to the floor, landing on top of the gun. April turned to face Hayden, who was panicking slightly. Without being threatened, Venus could focus a bit better and kicked the guy behind her, sending him moaning to the floor. When he released her, she fell forward, so tight was his grip. But April caught her friend and looked sadly at the cut on her face.

"How are we gonna explain this to Leo?" she asked, aware that they were being surrounded by more of Bonesteel's cronies. Were they ever going to give up?

Venus turned her head slightly, as if she'd heard something.

"We won't have to," she smiled, and readied herself in the defensive. April followed suit but gasped as four more turtles and a rat came running through the entrance to Leatherhead's lair.

"Alright, whoever you are, I suggest you-" Leo began, before noticing Venus in the middle of some very confused cronies with blood on her face. "Venus? What are you-"

"I'll explain later," she hushed him, before beginning an attack whilst the men were distracted. "We could use some help though."

Her family, although confused, jumped into action, knocking down cronies repeatedly. Venus heard a growl coming from Leatherhead's lab.

"Raph!" She yelled, holding a guy with a hunting blade. "Leatherhead's in his lab with Bonesteel!"

"BONEHEAD?! He's behind this?" Raph asked, kicking his current adversary in the head before running to his friend's aid.

"And it looks like he's created a club or something," Mikey commented, following his brother, using his nunchucks to clear himself a path.

Venus pushed the man with the blade off, punching him in the face before fly kicking him to the ground. Another tried to creep up on her, but she met his blade with her own and parried a little before they locked together. These guys lacked skill, but they had strength on their side. She saw Leo fighting a couple of guys off but another snuck up behind him and caught his arms with rope. He dropped his swords and stood there immobile as the others looped more and more ropes round him. Fierce determination bubbled up within Venus as Leo struggled against their grip, and she kicked her assailant before leaping across the room to deal with the others. She kicked aside one and punched another. Two were still holding Leo until Venus swept her leg under the pair. They crashed to the ground and Venus kicked them across the floor before slicing the ropes that bound her husband. He threw them off and picked up his swords.

"Thanks," he smiled, before frowning at the cut on her face. "Venus, what-?"

"It doesn't matter. We need to get these guys out of here." The pair rushed back into the fray whilst Raphael and Michelangelo helped their friend.

"Leatherhead! You okay dude?" Mikey asked, helping him to his feet. He had a gash in his arm and seemed a little bruised but otherwise there wasn't any damage.

"I am fine Michelangelo. But there are too many for us to handle. We must escape."

"No way dude. This is your home! We've already had to move twice, we're not gonna make you share the same fate."

"Yeah," Raph added, grappling with Bonesteel. "Besides, this guy aint that good." Raphael punched him to the ground, pointing his Sais towards his throat.

"Ahh, the alpha male. So strong, so powerful. Surely protective of his mate, the only female." Bonesteel commented, smirking, never taking his eyes of Raphael who straightened up slightly.

"Dude, we aint part of some wildlife documentary."

"So, you're not strong Raph? Not 'powerful'?" Mikey teased, supporting Leatherhead as he tried to stand on his own.

"I didn't say that-" he was suddenly kicked to the ground by Bonesteel, who pulled a knife out of his pocket. Raph rubbed his head in the ground, before standing.

"Listen here wackbag; you're gettin' on my last nerve!" He growled. He went to attack but was kicked back in the stomach. Mikey came in, spinning his nunchucks. He hit Bonesteel in the head and sent him stumbling back, but he pulled out another knife and moved towards Mikey.

Venus noticed and gasped. "Mikey!" While she was distracted, one of Bonesteel's men took his chance and kicked her hard in the stomach. She dropped her sword as she went flying across the room.

"Venus!" April cried, going to help her friend. Donny stood in front, and noticing a piece of paper had dropped from Venus's belt, he picked it up.

"'Gravid'?" He muttered, before turning to Venus. "Hey Venus, what's-?" he was suddenly knocked to the floor by Venus as a tranquilizer dart came flying through the air. As Master Splinter went to deal with its shooter, Venus put her arm on Donny's neck and looked at him in all seriousness, pinning him against the wall. Her worry at the pain developing in her stomach was quenched by furious desperation.

"Donny, if you tell the guys, I will personally make sure that all of your inventions spontaneously combust."

Donny gulped at the severe tone in her voice, giving her the piece of paper that he fully understood. She released him and went to collect her katana blade.

"We have to get you out of here-"

"No Donny. I'm not leaving until Leatherhead's home is safe."

He nodded at the resolve in her voice and entered back into the fray. Venus took a moment to take a deep breath while holding her stomach, the pain fading out a little before she ran towards the lab. Raph had recovered from his hit and took turns with Mikey to try and batter Bonesteel.

"Need some help skipper?" One of his men suddenly asked, aiming a tranquilizer gun at the guys. Venus went to attack him but he'd already fired when her foot made contact with his jaw. She turned to see Raph and Mikey dodge, but heard a wince. The pair stood and the dart was embedded in the computer station behind them. However, Mikey was rubbing his arm. She went to inspect it and saw a small cut.

"Mikey can you feel your right arm?"

"Yeah sure Venus, it's just fine," he smiled, before frowning suddenly and dropping his nunchaku. "Wait, I can't feel it! Why can't I feel it?"

"The dart must have grazed your arm. It won't knock you out completely, just make your arm numb." She turned to see how things were going in the living room; most of Bonesteel's men were fleeing the scene, running out into the sewers. The remainders were trying to fight against April, Don, Leo, and Master Splinter...unsuccessfully.

"Give it up, Bonehead" Raph growled behind her, pointing his Sais towards his chest. "Your cronies have been wise enough to chicken out. Why don't you do the same?"

Bonesteel looked at the weapon before raising his head and smiling. He grabbed three knives from his pocket, flung them towards the turtles and gator before grabbing a discarded net gun, firing it at Donny, who fell in a heap, and pulling him out into the sewers. Leo, April, and Splinter were too busy fighting to see the events unfold at first, and were struck dumb by the sight of a human dragging a huge turtle with ease.

"Donny!" Mikey cried, running after him. The others in the living room followed as Raph shook his head and winced.

"Ahh nuts," he muttered, pulling out a knife from his calf. He turned to see Leatherhead assisting Venus and went to help, frowning at the deep concern on the alligator's face. He crouched down to her level, grabbing her arm. Venus turned her head, revealing a deep cut running from her forehead to her scalp.

"Whoa, that looks nasty," Raph commented, easing her to her feet. She smiled.

"I didn't duck quickly enough." She took the cloth Leatherhead was offering her and dabbed her head with it.

"Are you sure you are alright, Miss Venus?" He asked, worry clouding his features. Venus nodded.

"I'm-"

"Relax Leatherhead," Raph cut in, leading them out of the lab. "Venus is made of strong stuff."

Venus smiled at Leatherhead before the trio ran out into the sewer in pursuit of the others. They found them on a bridge above a collection pool. Bonesteel was aiming his gun at the others whilst resting his foot on the netted Donatello.

"Come any closer freaks and I'll kick him over the edge!"

"And then you'll lose your prize!" Leo yelled, pointing his Katana directly at Bonesteel. "You're outnumbered, and it's not as if none of us would dive in to get him!"

"Yeah drop the act Bonehead!" Raph hollered from the other side of the bridge. "You're surrounded!"

"It's me you want, Bonesteel. Not the turtles. Let Donatello go!" Leatherhead appealed, but the human smiled.

"Oh really crocky? I reckon four turtles are worth more than one alligator. Throw in a rat and I've got a dun-deal." His eyes flicked over to Venus, who he just realised was present. "Heck, one male turtle and one female turtle in my possession would set me well for life. Especially since the female is apparently...unique." He smiled and aimed the gun. He fired. The Leatherhead and Raph ducked whilst Venus jumped, landing in front of the other two. She stood defiantly before the hunter as he shot a net again. She dived to the side but it caught her ankles, causing her to trip. She crashed to the ground, Raph immediately running to help her. But they heard a click and raised their heads. Bonesteel was holding another gun. A real gun. One that wouldn't just send you to sleep if you got shot. And he was pointing it at Donatello's head.

"Ah ah ah, red-face. Back up, or your brother here gets to sleep for a very long time. Dead or alive, he's gonna make me millions." He smiled as Raph stood up from Venus and raised his arms, whilst Venus stopped struggling with the net.

"Good. I could make a nice little collection with these two."

"I already told you, we ain't part of no psycho documentary!" Raph shouted.

"No, but your little friends here will be once I start selling their descendants," Bonesteel smirked.

"NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" Leo suddenly shouted, and leapt towards Bonesteel, kicking him square in the chest. Chaos ensued. A gunshot echoed round the chamber as Donny was knocked off the bridge. Raph jumped forward and grabbed the net as Leo grappled with Bonesteel. Splinter kicked the gun into the pool below whilst Venus drew her katana and cut at the net that entangled her feet. She rose up and caught Leo as he was thrown off Bonesteel. She saw an angry passion within the turtle's eyes, which didn't suit him. She realized that his pride had been hurt whilst she had merely cringed with embarrassment. She touched his shoulder as Splinter and Mikey made their move on the deranged hunter, the latter doing his best with a numb arm. He turned and stared directly at her eyes. She willed him to calm down, trying to reach into his emotions and quell them a little. His eyes relaxed and became their usual blue. Venus smiled before looking beyond Leo; Master Splinter was using his reflexes to defend every blow made by Bonesteel whilst Mikey sat slightly dazed behind them, rubbing his head. April crouched down.

"Only having one arm makes it hard to fight," Venus heard him say. The fight between the hunter and rat was getting more intense until Leatherhead roared behind them. Leo pulled Venus to the side as the alligator stormed through and crashed into Bonesteel. The human fell limply into the pool below and Leatherhead would have too had his tail not been grabbed and his weight pulled up by five turtles. Slowly, they pulled him up back onto the bridge and fell the ground, panting.

Leatherhead calmed down and helped his friends up.

"Well that was humiliating," Donny commented, although Venus was unsure whether he was talking about him being tied up in a net or Bonesteel's plans for the pair of them as he avoided her eyes. Master Splinter chuckled softly before leading the team off the bridge and back towards Leatherhead's home.