A/N: Hopefully something closer to inspiration will hit me next time and I will be able to do something with this story. I am just stuck. I know what I want, I know what my characters want, but I can't seem to get it out. I've come back to this so many times and I can't seem to find a good way to piece everything together so I'm sorry for how forced all of this seems… and how long it took. I'd be surprised if most of you didn't think I had died.
A soft voice woke her, pulling her out of a dream of darkness. "Hey, I've let you sleep in as much as I could." That had to be Bea. She grimaced at the light that shone through the windows. "So-So?"
"At school already, Becca came over and took her. I've got you some clothes ready. Do you want a shower?"
"Yeah," Tabitha drawled, still dazed. "God, why is it so bright in here?"
"Sorry."
"Nah, just… what time is it?"
"It's nine. You don't have to be to work until ten, right?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"The clothes are in the bathroom." Tabitha nodded dully. Her head warned of a migraine; her throat and mouth felt dry and rough. She turned her head and found that she'd slept on it wrong, a shooting pain lacing its way from behind her ear to her shoulder.
She hadn't forgotten what had happened last night. There was no sudden realization that it had all been a dream. There wasn't a ray of hope for her semi-normal life. She could tell that by the concerned look on Bea's face. "You gonna be okay?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I'm going to become friends with them. I'm just not going to tell anyone. I don't have to meet them again, right?"
"Um…"
"Bea?" Tabitha asked when her friend didn't reply.
"At least Mikey, and probably Leo too." The blond responded flatly. "Mikey won't let anyone else give Sophia those comics. It's just the way they are. If Mikey comes here, then Leo will follow, at least until he's sure that you're not going to have some weird ass kind of trap planned for them. After, oh, a couple months or so, they'll feel comfortable enough to come by themselves."
"But, besides the comics, why would they come back around?"
"To make sure you're not snitching on them." The blond was now rustling around her apartment, cleaning up the last remnants of the mess from last night. Her agitation causing her to move around. It might have just been her still tired mind playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn she heard something in her friend's voice. "Bea? Have they ever… done something…"
"Huh?"
"Is it safe to be around them?" She asked, concerned for her friend's safety. They had had more contact with Bea than just checking in, but Bea was on edge. It was clear now.
"Oh, yeah. I don't think there is anywhere safer in New York, sometimes." There was that tone again. Bea wasn't saying something. She was shy about it, and Bea being shy wasn't normal, in the least.
"Just don't fall for them, okay? It's not… natural. I love Becca, she's one of my best friends, but I don't think she should be with Mikey." Then with a hesitative sigh she added, "Even if they are kind of made for each other."
Tabitha nodded and accepted her friends warning. It wasn't something she was interested in either. They were turtles, even if they were sentient. Like Bea said, it just wasn't natural. At the same time she couldn't hold any kind of ill feeling toward Becca for her choice.
Mikey had seemed like such a nice guy. Leo was tense and guarded. While Raph was just imposing with his size and attitude. She chuckled as she stumbled her way to the bathroom, remembering Sophia's scolding of Raph's behavior. To stand so fearless in front anyone of them it seemed you had to be seven and think they were super heroes.
*)O(*
"Raph calls dibs on the new girl," Mikey joked as he elbowed his brother in the side. Said brother replied with harsh physical abuse to his own side. Then a hand slapped his shoulder. "Mikey, you can't just say stuff like that." Becca scowled at him.
"Aw, come on, you saw the way he ogled her."
"Ain't nobody doing no olgin', so shut it, Mikey." Raph warned. Mikey wasn't fooled, he could see the small bit of blush that Raph tired to hide.
"Raph and Becca are correct. Tabitha is not like Sara, or even you, Becca. She already has a child. It hurts my pride to say this, but each of you have gotten far too close to being seriously hurt since you've lived with us. I'd rather not have to go and rescue Sophia or Tabitha next." Leo dictated to them from his spot in the chair where he was reading something. Mikey pulled Becca into his uninjured side and looked down at her. Leo was right, being with them instantly made their mates a target. It hurt his pride as well, but he wouldn't give Becca up.
"So," Becca drawled, gaining his oldest brother's attention. "You have thought about hooking up with her." Leo wasn't as good at hiding the blush that started to form. Mikey chuckled at Leo as he sighed deeply and pinched the area between his eyes. "Aw, come on, leave Fearless alone." He cooed into Becca's ear. "I need help getting some of my copies out of the closet anyway."
They were going to see them tonight over at Bea's house. He promised he'd make it up to Becca's friend by bringing some food. No matter how much Bea might not like him as Becca's boyfriend the easiest way to her heart was through her stomach. She was quite the little foodie once you got to know her. He planned on bribing his way into her good graces for the rest of his life with his potstickers and cookies.
*)O(*
He wasn't sure how, but he'd been dragged along. He'd planned on staying at the lair and helping his children-burdened siblings. Still, there he sat in Bea's kitchen munching on a potsticker Mikey had brought. Tabitha held Sophia on her lap as the child tried to grab for another cookie from a plate his youngest brother had purposely placed too close to her eager fingers. "I said no more, you have to go to sleep sometime tonight to get up for school in the morning."
"Aww," the child whined, trying to wiggle away from her aunt. Tabitha adjusted her grip and firmly held the tiny girl still without hurting her or letting her closer to the cookies. The warm darkness of Tabitha's skin was dulled by a dark gray of a t-shirt that merely said 'Love' on it in hot pink letters. Plain jeans completed the simple look. "Your Aunt is right, too much sugar at night will make you grow up short." Donnie tried to help. Sophia huffed at him and crossed her arms while turning her head, letting him know that she didn't care if she grew up short or not.
Leo almost said something about Jillian one day doing the same thing, but stopped himself. They hadn't told Tabitha about the babies. It would be some time before they could trust her with that kind of information, if ever. "Alright, don't go crying to your aunt when you still can't reach the cereal on your own in a couple years." Leo watched as Sophia looked over to Donnie then the cookie. She pouted even more then stopped trying to get free, which he noticed meant that Tabitha granted her freedom. Still, the girl didn't move far from her aunt.
So far Sophia had treated them in a much calmer manner than she had the night before. He guessed it was because there wasn't as much sugar in her system, remembering the putrid smell of regurgitated ice cream. He tried not to shiver at the memory. He went back to quietly observing the new people.
There was a calmness in Tabitha's eyes when it came to anything to do with her niece. He recognized it as a firm protective stance that he'd seen on his own father's face many times, and recently on Donnie. Once again he wondered as to why it was Tabitha taking care of Sophia. "Why isn't Sophia with her mom?" He nearly smacked himself. He'd not meant to ask, but it seemed curiosity had gotten the best of him. Sophia went quiet and Tabitha leveled him with a glare. "That is none of your bussiness."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." He apologized.
"It's okay, my mommy is sick and she is getting help."
"Sophia!" Tabitha scolded. "You don't have to tell people that."
Leo nodded in understanding and pat Sophia on the head. "I hope she gets better soon." He put the pieces together and understood why Tabitha was being defensive. He knew that having a drug addict in a family caused problems. "Me too, but I like living with Aunt Tasha, she's nice."
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed." Leo teased. It earned him a smirk from the child but another icy stare from the woman. Mikey and Becca also snorted, but hid it behind their hands and turned away when Tabitha moved her gaze to them. He hadn't noticed before, but her eyes were a deep, warm brown color that darkened slowly as the iris faded into the pupil.
Sophia pulled him out of what he guessed was a stare by literally climbing up his arm. He tried not to show that she'd spooked him, although she had. He was a ninja and here he was getting so side tracked that a seven year old had snuck up on him. For a moment he also worried over his weapons then remembered taking them off earlier. As long as Sophia couldn't hurt herself, he was fine with her climbing on him. She didn't pinch or pull anything too hard and her meager weight was almost unnoticeable. He could feel her secure her position before she tapped him on the shoulder. "Mush!" She commanded.
If he'd had eyebrows they would have stood up as high as possible. Sophia ordered him again this time pointing forward. "Sophia." Tabitha gasped in shock. Leo turned back to the rest of the group, shrugging. He stood up and walked around, earning laughs from almost everyone. He like the little girl and he figured he'd be doing this with his niece and nephew soon anyway. "Faster!" The seven year old screamed in glee.
"That is enough." Tabitha scolded and grabbed Sophia from the back of his shell. He felt the small tug and stopped. "You can't just do that to people. And they are not jungle-gyms, you can't be crawling all over them."
"I don't mind, really." He put up his hands as he turned to her. He knew she was still nervous around them. He didn't want her upset anymore. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it. He noticed a heavy raise and fall of her chest indicating a few deep breaths as she sat Sophia down.
"You need to ask before you do things like that next time, okay?"
"Okay." Sophia replied before turning to him. "Thank you, Leo." He knelt down to her and smiled. "It is okay, I'm glad we got to play." He put his hand up for a high five. Sophia smiled back and touched her small hand to his. Mikey chose that time to intervene. "I almost forgot! Your comics, my little dudette." Mikey pulled out the copies and Sophia all but forgot about him.
"Just because you're a giant turtle doesn't mean you can interfere when I'm trying to teach her manners," Tabitha hissed at him in a whisper. Leo looked at her, giving her a once over. He took in what she said and thought it over. "You're right." Tabitha raised a brow at him before nodding. "I'm still not comfortable with you guys, and even though Becca said you were safe, you'll have to earn my trust."
"I understand that, and I hope that one day we will." Leo said honestly. If her trust was on the table it meant she would be more willing to keep their secret. Her straightforwardness was a nice perk to her personality. Seeing her calm herself after he'd offended her had been a nice insight as well.
The rest of the night was spent on lighter banter and activities that didn't provoke the same kind of protectiveness from Tabitha. They talked about her job, which kindled a small amount of kinship between her and Mikey as they started to talk about food. Raph and Bea argued about what to watch, Bea threatening him when he held the remote above her reach. Leo mused at the two of them being together. It might have been possible, but he sided on Bea's claim of never dating any of them. It was a line he didn't think she would cross, and he felt bad for Raph, who he thought might harbor some hope of being with the woman. Donnie sat as the odd man out, not imputing too much but he could tell his brother was doing to the same him, watching everything.
It grew late and they left. Not before Sophia went to each of them and gave them a hug though. Tabitha and Bea waved them off. Leo was pleased, everything had gone well. They took an extended path home, even more wary of bring home any threats than they had been before. He took the protection of the babies as seriously as Donnie did and for once neither Mikey or Raph complained.