Hello my reader-sans and reader-chans! It feels like it's been forever! I wanted to make this chapter really special and end of the year exams and word have been nothing but a pain. I never seem to have enough time to finish a chapter when I want to. But I've finally managed to finish a new one! (I DON'T OWN THE TURTLES OR THE SONG QUOTED! RIGHTS GO TO THE WRITER AND SINGER!)

"I can't help but love you,

Even though I try not to.

I can't help but want you,

I know that I'd die without you."

Ruelle, War of Hearts

Leo bounds swiftly, but soundlessly across the roof of Murakami's noodle shop and the city lights become dimmer and dimmer. It's not a full moon tonight, but it's white light becomes the brightest among the others and casts an abundance of shadows to hide in. The teen turtle has no problem keeping completely unseen. 'No wonder it's so easy to see the moon from up here. It's almost pitch black,' Leo thought to himself, 'It would look even more beautiful if the roofs were damp as they were last night with this moon."

The differing levels of the buildings almost feel like a ninja playground to him. "This would be a great place to play Stealth Hunter. I'm still itching to top Mikey's score. I wonder if Tess would like that game." The moment he thinks of her, he starts fumbling over his thoughts. He keeps going over and over in his head what he'll say to her.

'Chill out. You've been more nervous when going up against Master Splinter in Blind Fighting. Meeting a girl is the last thing that should rattle you. Just ask how things are going and-" but he doesn't finish his thought. A dark chilling feeling creeps over him and he grunts to himself. After safely landing onto the next apartment roof, he closes his eyes. He has to know if it was just simply paranoid thoughts nagging at him.

The sense felt fleeting as he ran, but the moment he stops, he feels it again. He feels it's actually there. Whatever it is or whoever it is, I don't like it. They could harm or possibly endanger Tess. He keeps going.

He sees Tess's roof just up ahead, three buildings away. Onto the first one he speeds up only a little so that he can quietly fall into the dark below. He grips the sill of window to slow his descent, then bolts to right and under the next building and slips off of the side and underneath a fire escape. He can sense him close by and fingers a kunai between his fingers. He realizes too late that if he engaged the one stalking him, he would be put at a disadvantage because the stalker would have the higher ground than him; which in common fighting tactics, was a crucial mistake.

The pursuer perches above him. Even though he can't clearly see him, he can feel eyes searching for him. He holds his breath for five minutes and doesn't move an inch. Even if he is spotted, the pursuer won't find Tess. He wouldn't let him.

A form leaps over the gap between the two buildings and lands into a crouch position as he looks for him. He's cloaked in pitch black so that only his eyes can be seen as they searched. Sweat dribbles down the sides of Leo's face as his eyes close. The stalker's eyes pass over the shadows in the dark.

Like a dog being called by his master, the masked stalker turns his head in the opposite direction of Leo and disappears, as if someone had just ordered him to return.

"That was strange. I wonder who that was, because it sure wasn't a Foot Ninja and the Kraang are not near as stealthy as whoever that was."

Leo perches onto the roof of the building, no longer sensing a presence. "Well, whoever he was, he's gone now. Best to keep to the dark as much as possible, should he come back."

He finally reached Tess's rooftop. All the way he kept rehearsing and going over what he would say to her once he got there, but now that he was here he starts to question how she would react. Whatever was following him, he better make his trip and get back before he can pose any kind of danger to her or her family. He may have given him the slip, but it doesn't guarantee that he's completely in the clear.

Suddenly, he freezes completely still. A light voice echoes from inside the vent He creeps closer, keeping his footsteps soundless so as to not blur out the beautiful sound. As he leans in, he can make out words as he listens.

"….When frogs and thrushes….praise the world, from the woods….and rushes….

Sleep….my love….Sleep my only deep…..in the dark."

He quiets his own breathing to hear the voice clearer.

"Fragile and magical shadows, Silently start to appear….Lovely and lyrical, Silvery miracle…..Charlotte's Web…."

He climbs into the vent without a sound, slightly swaying to the melody, which seemingly dissipates the fearful feeling he felt moments ago.

"Carefully spinning her tracings, Lacey and gracefully shear….Over and under, The infinite wonder….Of Charlotte's Web….Why is she spinning and weaving away all night long?

….What is she trying so hard to convey with her silent….song?"

There's a long pause as the voice hums a little tune and then breaks into song again. "Who is that? Wait! Is that Tess?"

"Sometimes when somebody loves you, miracles somehow appear….and there in the warp and the woof is the proof of it….Charlotte's Web.."

Leo closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall of the vent, soothed by the gentle song. His brothers and he would most often turn up their noses at any soft music, but this…

His eyes pop open when he hears a small thumping inside the tunnel. He carefully climbs out and listens as the almost inaudible sound of small legs crawling through the duct grows louder. His heart speeds up a little, when a brown haired head comes into view and surveys the area. Her hair is arranged in one long braid down her back, but just as greasy and unwashed as when he last saw her. And come to think of it, she's wearing the same old tattered clothes she had on before. "Does she just prefer to wear the same clothes all the time? But why the heck would she not be wearing a coat in this weather? This is late autumn in New York City."

"Hey Tess."

She squeals and Leo's smile disappears. She slaps a hand over her heart and shoots him a cutting glare.

"Leonardo….if you keep scaring me like that, I really am going to have a heart attack!" She yells.

"Sorry. Next time I see you again, I'll make sure Don hooks me up with defibrillators," he chuckles crossing his arms.

"Gee thanks, but I'd like to keep my heart beating for as long as possible," she says balling her hand into a fist and brandishing it angrily at the astounded turtle.

Leo stands up and takes a step back with his hands raised in surrender. "Hey, I said I was sorry," says laughing, "There's no need to get violent."

She drops her angry stare and sighs. The corners of her mouth turn up in a small smile. "Humph. Well, I can't say I'm not pleased to see you though. In fact, I'm actually really happy you're here."

"Really, well that's good to hear. And….exactly how much happy are we talking?"

She crosses her arms. "Don't push your luck ninja boy. You keep sneaking up on me like that and I may take it back."

"Alright. Calm down. I was just joking." She seemed to be joking with him, but he still detected some pent up frustration in her voice. "Did I catch you at a bad time or something?"

Tess relaxes her arms and her eyes turn to the ground. "No you didn't."

"Then why are you so….you know,...up tight?"

Tess kneels down on the ground and leans back against the mouth of the vent. "It's just been a long day….for both me and my siblings."

Leo sits beside her. He could still feel some kind of tense strain in her voice and he was determined to probe, but slowly so she wouldn't notice. "Busy day huh? I get that. Speaking of which, how are the other two?"

Tess cringes. "They're….okay. Joven is still his goofy self, but Katherine is still avoiding me like the plague. I don't know how to speak to that girl anymore. Oh,...and I want to thank you….you know, for talking with me that night on the roof. It really put me at ease to….just think clearly without so much anger clouding my head."

"She really is sweet. What kind of guy would not want to get to know a girl like Tess?" Leo shrugs. "Eh, it was no big deal. It's often a good for a person to just talk out their feelings to a friend. Unless you're my brother Raph. It takes a good deal of talking to…." I then realized that she was staring at me, and grinning. "What is it?"

"You called me….a friend."

"Yeah. We are friends, aren't we?"

"For sure, for sure. I just like hearing you say it. Oh but listen to me ramble on and on. Am I keeping you from going somewhere you need to be? Cause if I am, I can-"

Leo rubs the back of his head with a goofy grin on his face, "No. No, you're not keeping me. I….um, actually came to see you."

Tess smiles. "Me?"

"No the foreman. I owe him money for my last stay in one of his apartments. Of course you! Consider yourself lucky. It's not like I let any human see me."

Tess looked surprisedly at him. "Wait….so I'm not the first human you've met?" Although, the moment the words were out of her mouth, she mentally slapped herself in the face. "Of course I'm not the first human they've ever met! The Purple Dragons know about them, so without a doubt they've seen them too. But who else, besides them, know about Leonardo and his brothers' existance?"

"Nope." Tess leaned closer him, listening eagerly.

"Believe it or not, we've met a lot of humans. And not counting the Purple Dragons, other street thugs, or victims that we've saved."

"So this is what, a hobby for him? Saving people in trouble every night? I should've known I wasn't the only one he's saved from being robbed or assaulted. It's a job he's committed to. However, if he hadn't come to help me in time, I probably would've been gut like a fish. Or worse…. "Really."

"Yeah, but….most of them screamed and ran the first time they saw us."

Tess canted her head with sympathy in her eyes. "But who couldn't like you Leo? You or your brothers?" She stands up and begins to pace back and forth, counting on her fingers. "You're just like any other human teenage boys if ever there were any. You laugh, joke, and love just like a human. And I'll be honest, you possess virtuous qualities that most human males your age don't have."

Leo laughs humorlessly and his eyes soften, almost sorrowfully. "Thanks Tess. I'm glad you think about us that way. I guess….some people are just not willing to look past exteriors and just jump to conclusions before they even get to know someone."

"True. It sure is a bunch of crap though."

Leo laughed, and so did Tess. Not a hollow laughter, but honest laughter. "Not all the humans we've met have all reacted that way. A handful of them have actually become close friends with us. It's my turn to be honest. Out of all the people we have ever met, I can't say that many of them have been as accepting of us as you Tess."

He then glances at Tess with a look of what she understood as admiration. She blushes and hugs her arms closer to her body.

She then folds her hands behind her head and leans her head back against the vent again as a breeze swishs and plays with her hair.

"Leo, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. You can ask me anything Tess."

"There are so many things I want to ask you, you don't even know."

"Weeeellll….we do have time. Ask away."

"To start off, who taught you to use those katanas and do all the flips and stuff? Ninjutsu?"

Leo scoots closer to her, but Tess doesn't seem to notice because her eyes close again. He notices dark rings around her eyes, like she's not slept well in days. "My father's been teaching us from the moment we could walk. We live, breath, and dream of everything Ninjutsu. Except Mikey. Most his dreams are just chock full of jelly bean, anchovy, and jalapeno pizza growing on trees."

Tess laughed, her eyes still closed. From the way she teetered back and forth on her seat, Leo can tell that she's trying to muscle past the urge to fall asleep. "Your father, huh? Cool. Is he a turtle like you?"

"Actually, no. He's a giant rat."

"You're family just gets more and more interesting, Leo. I'd really like to meet him sometime, your dad."

"He wants to meet you too. I've….told him a lot about you."

Leo's head perks up, but just slightly. The same chilling feeling makes his skin crawl. "That freak is headed this way again. I need to get Tess out of here quick before something happens, and right about now the lair is the safest place for her."

He sits up. "Why don't you?"

Tess opens one eye with a large yawn. "Huh?" A harsh wind blows up around her and she then remembered how cold it really was outside.

Leo stands up, trying to suppress the anxiousness eating away at his insides. "Raph won't believe this." "Why don't you come to the lair and meet him?"

"What? Right now? But it's the middle of the night."

"He won't mind. Besides, he meditates late into the evening. He'll be glad to meet you."

Tess hesitated. "I can't believe this is happening. I want to see Donnie and Mikey again, and of course meet their sensei. But Joven and Kat….I can't leave them here by themselves. I'm putting them in danger just by being outside of the cellar."

"I don't know. I'm not sure I should leave Kat and Jo by themselves. And besides, I didn't really make a good first impression last-."

"Come on. It's not like you're staying the night. I'm sure they'll be fine. If it makes you feel better, I'll make sure Raph stays off your back," he coaxes, trying not to sound too insistent. He's glad he can put on a mask in front of her and not worry her about some vigilante chasing him. "But why don't you get a jacket first? Aren't you cold?"

Tess looks away and rubs her hand over her arm, trying her best not to let her teeth chatter. "Oh, uh, the cold doesn't bother me that much."

Leo cants his head and places his hand against her upper arm. Tess flinches, but feels unable to break away from his touch.

"How the heck can she not be cold!? Her skin is like ice!" "Tess, either you've grown a second skin or you've become numb to cold because you're freezing."

Tess sighed."Okay. The truth is….I don't have one. I just deal with it"

"Well you could've just told me that. You don't have to make up stories. If we head to the lair now you can warm up there. Plus the guys would love to see you."

"Well alright, but not for too long." This may be a good oppurtunity. I really need to tell him….for the sake of my siblings' survival.

She looks at Leo a little weird when he bends down to let her climb on. She really looks cute when she's blushing, Leo thought to himself. "Sadly it's not suited for a lady, but it's the fastest way to get to the lair."

"It'll serve," Tess says smiling.

She carefully laces her arms around Leo's neck. It takes all his effort to not get giddy at the feeling of her skin on my his. I'm glad she can't see if I'm blushing or not. Snap out of it Leo! Keep it together.

But you know….

"And by the way Tess?"

"Hmm?"

"I think you have a very beautiful singing voice."


"Edge tells me that you have made up for the lost money, but with a costly price; By selling….female workers to the winners.

The man clenched his fists tightly behind his back to keep them from shaking out of control. Beads of sweat sluggishly dripped along the sides of his forehead and down his cheeks. "Yes sir. I'm sorry-"

"I commend on your creative imagination Albert. However, I do not deem these decisions you've made very acceptable. Need I remind you of how precious they are to our cause?"

His calm tone made Al crunch on the floor like a frightened dog with his tail between his legs. "No sir. I understand. Forgive me sir! Please forgive me! Our enemies have by now have stolen a large portion of what was meant to be the prize money for this week's cage match."

"I am aware of the situation. Our reputation as a ragtag band of ruffians, no less than men searching for a fist fight is just as important to me as every life that strives everyday for the sake or the Cause. Yet you still did not consider that without the labor our diligent workers, we will lose our position rather rapidly, should we let the reins slip from our fingers."

Al stopped shaking so much and cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not sure….I understand, sir."

"A bridle can control a temperamental horse, but if we let go or lose that control of the reins, we will fall hard and be left behind in the dust like a neglected useless tool. So long as we maintain control, so long as we have the children to grind out a profit, we will grow and prosper from their labors, little by little. We must be patient."

"I will….do my best sir. If I may ask, what kind of solution would you have us apply to this problem?"

"Why of course Albert. Let me ask you. How are the younglings?"

"Well, we have worked them as hard as we can drive a whip into their backs. We have cut rations and water, just enough to keep them alive and going. They are strong-willed, but I'm certain that it will soon be purged from their minds and hearts."

"It certainly will Albert. And from this moment on, I allow you to sell out the teenage females that prove more trouble than they are worth or can no longer work. They can have their share of bliss as a reward for their contributions. Although, I have conditions for Andrew's female offspring. They are not to be touched under any circumstances. They are far too valuable to become the toys of greedy men."

"Understood sir."

The door opens, a woman with bleach blonde hair leaning lazily against the door frame.

He grins contentedly. "Thank you Albert. You may leave us."

Once Albert exited the room, the woman sauntered over to him.

"Tallia, my love. I wasn't expecting you until later."

"Of course you were," the woman caresses his face with her hand. "Rough evening at work?"

"Nothing that cannot be handled, my dear. Soon Andrew's brats will be broken and we will seal our deal, so long as Albert and my other trusted men follow my orders."

"Oh, I'm sure you will deal with them appropriately. You know, I'm starting to feel a little neglected. It's awfully lonely in a penthouse with a huge comfortable love seat in it when a lady has no one to share it with." She kisses him soundly on the lips and touches her forehead with his.

"My dear, I beg for your patience," He touches her hand and brings it to his lips, "Soon you will suffer no more. Before long, you will have me all to yourself."

She touches both side of his face and pulls him closer for another passionate kiss. When they break apart, the corners of her red ruched lips turn up in a devious grin."

"Hmm, I tingle with anticipation.

Will Tess finally confess the secrets she's been hiding from one of her only friends?

What will Leo think of her if she does?

What kind of evil is hiding in the shadows?

Will Leo save Tess and her precious brother and sister?

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