Disclaimer:…Rah, ta-ta!

Chapter Fourteen

The mutant turtle was a vampire. Blood dripped from the turtle's chin and with that went all of Owen's theories of transformation and vampirism.

He watched on, speechless, as the turtle was lead down the fire escape and into the street. The 'leader' "hugged" him as they walked, as if comforting him. 'Bandages' was silent also, looking on sadly. They acted as if a tragedy had occurred that night.

'Which it did.' Suddenly needing another smoke, Owen reached into his right pocket to retrieve the half used cigarette. Instead he found nothing.

'What the hell!' He looked down only to see his fingers poke through a hole in the bottom of the pocket. The cigarette was no where to be seen.

"Damn it!" He cursed aloud, but hid when he realized how loud he was. Leo looked up that very same instant, only to see an empty roof top.

'But I swear I heard something…" Leo's eyes searched the roof top, but to no prevail. The shadows were still, no one was up there. Well almost no one. Owen leaned in against the opposite side of the nearby protruding vent. He did not breathe, feeling the eyes as they scanned the open roof top.

'Well, I guess I must be imagining things.' Leo let it go, continuing their homeward journey. Everyone seemed to be oblivious to the transaction; Raph in his own little world, Donny still sobbing into Leo's shoulder.

Owen breathed, that had been too close. He sighed.

Now he really needed that cigarette.

However, his mind couldn't help but wander back to the turtle's situation.

He peered over the roof top once more. They looked absolutely miserable. He couldn't help but feel sorry for them. That turtle would die, that was almost certain. He doubt if any of them knew what to do for him, or how to help him. The turtle would surly die a long and agonizingly painful death.

'Not unless you help them…'

Owen froze to the small voice in the back of his head. That was preposterous. Still, his mind argued the case.

'How so? He's a new vampire, just like any other new vampire.' Owen blinked.

'"Any other new vampire?!" He's a freaking turtle for Christ's sake!'

'All the more reason to help him!'

Owen snorted. Yeah, like that was possible. What would he do, walk up the giant turtles and state his name and mission? "Oh, hey! I'm Owen, and I would like to help your little friend there!"

'What's wrong with that idea?'

Owen snarled. That was the dumbest thing he had ever heard. Angrily, he turned away from the scene, preparing to go home.

He did not need this.

But the voice pulled him back once again.

'So, you're just going to let him die?' Owen froze.

'They are endangered as is. Before, you wouldn't have had to think about saving an animal species, why do you hesitate now?'

He sighed, facing the turtles once again. By now they had made it to the manhole of which they had come.

'Sometimes, I hate having a conscience.'

He leapt down, landing before the turtles, stepping out of the shadows.

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Leo turned back, disturbed as to what he sensed.

'Someone is following us.' He knew what he felt, and he felt a presence, no matter how much he had wanted to deny it. But one look at Donny and Raph told him that they could not handle a confrontation right now. But still, he felt that presence.

'Damn it! We don't need this.' He knew that he was exhausted, and one look at Raph told him the same thing. Although Donny had stopped sobbing, he was still in no condition for a fight.

They would lose.

The pack was weak.

Still, the presence followed.

His heart began to beat faster, it was coming closer, and so was their escape. The manhole cover was now in sight. With a determination in his heart, he promised that his brother would get home safely, even if he had to fight to the death to make sure of it. However, fate saw it another way.

He felt nothing. The presence had stopped moving.

'Finally!' They were almost home free, the man hole coming up fast. However, just as quickly as it had stopped, it started up again, moving faster than ever.

It was upon them.

As if on cue, he watched as someone dropped down from the shadows before them. Raph stopped.

He had seen it too.

The both of them had exchanged glance. Raph drew his sais; he would not go down with out a fight.

However, fate once again had its way.

Raph immediately recognized the figure.

'No, it can't be.' But he knew what he saw.

White hair.

Black eyes.

Giant ass sword.

"You!" He pointed accusatively with his sai, suddenly angry with the turn of events.

Owen turned to Mr. Bandages, a small smile on his lips.

"Yeah, it's me."

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Leo watched on; His gaze going between Raph and the new stranger.

"Um, do you guys…know each other?" Leo couldn't help wonder. Even Donny looked up at the change in events, also throwing a gaze towards Raph and his "friend." At Leo's question Raph turned, his eyes wide. It was as if he had seen a ghost.

"No! Well, yeah. Not really. Kind of?" Raph stuttered and stammered, only to have Owen step forward.

"Well, we have met, but that is not what I am here about." Owen directed his answer towards Blue, and just as he had thought, he had guessed right. This turtle watched him differently that the others, scooping him out to see what he was about. Finally the turtle's gaze landed on his sword, a frown on his face. Owen sensed what he wanted immediately.

"I mean you no harm." Owen undid the harness on his sheath and let it fall to the ground. Leo caught his gaze.

"Well then, what do you want?" There were no pleasantries in their exchange, just business. He didn't trust this character, but he would give him a chance to explain himself.

Owen cleared his throat. He actually didn't know what exactly to say. This was as new to him as it was the rest of the world.

'Start at the beginning.'

Actually, he didn't want to start anywhere. His entire being screamed at him, wanting him to leave, which he truly wanted to do. Always being one to stay to himself, he barely communicated with his own species, not to mention another. So, why would he stick his neck out for someone else, all of a sudden?

'Because it's the right thing to do!'

"I couldn't help but overhear your predicament." He stated suddenly, once again directing his statements towards the turtle clad in blue. Leo frowned.

'So he had been following us.'

Obliviously, well not quite. He had heard the turtle's thoughts, it was something that was kind of hard to ignore. But he did, and as obliviously as he could, he continued.

"Well, I might be able to help." He motioned towards the downcast turtle. Don met his gaze, before turning to Leo.

'What was this guy up to?' Meanwhile, Leo's gaze never left the stranger's. He furrowed his brow. He did not like this.

"And, how could you "help" us?"

Owen winced slightly from the turtle's emphasis on "help." He did not believe him.

'Could you blame him?!'

Owen sighed, trying again.

"Vampires, in the beginning, need a vast amount of training. Otherwise things can go wrong. He could go insane, or in most cases die of starvation if treated the wrong way, or not treated at all."

Donatello lowered his head again.

Leo kept his gaze steady, although it hurt him to see that this stranger was able to pick up on Donatello's condition faster than his own brothers. However, he did not let that show. On the outside, he raised an eye ridge.

"And you can?"

Owen blinked.

"Well…yeah."

Leo looked over the kid, immediately skeptical. What did this guy know that they didn't?

'Give him a chance…' A voice in the back of his head expressed its opinion.

'Maybe the kid can help us after all… Help him.' Leo looked over at Donny, seemingly looking into the turtle's eyes for the first time that night. He looked absolutely crestfallen.

Again, Owen couldn't help but "overhear."

"He will die if he doesn't get help, that is certain." Owen reminded Leo of what was on the line once again. He did not know why, but his sympathy for the creature seemed to override his former stubbornness. He wanted to help, which turned out to be what he had wanted all along.

However, he could tell that would take more convincing. The turtle in blue still stared at him doubtfully.

'He doesn't know what he is asking!' He wanted them to risk their lives, to possibly split up the group, and to risk everything they had ever worked for on some wild goose chase. But, what if he was telling the truth? What if he really could help Donny? He searched the faces of his siblings, completely at loss. He didn't know what to do.

'Splinter would know what to do…'

But he was not Splinter.

Thankfully, another spoke out before he could pass judgment.

"Give him a chance." Leo turned. Raph caught his gaze. He kept it, speaking again. "Give him a chance. What if he's right and Donny will die. Wouldn't it be better that we tried and failed than if we didn't and he came to the same fate."

Leo smiled clinically.

Raph did have a point.

However, he was not completely convinced.

This was something that would have to be thought over.

"Give us time, we must consult." Leo's stern gaze hit Owen once again. Owen nodded. He knew that there was another turtle; they would probably have to talk the entire thing over as a group.

As they wished.

"One day. I'll give you until sunrise tomorrow."

Leo nodded extending his hand. Owen took it, his own pasty white skin contrasting greatly to the dark green of the other.

They shook on it.

Owen took a step back.

"Until tomorrow." And with that, he was gone.

A new sun peaked over the horizon. The new day had begun.

***

Cooler, got this chapter out in no time (now that I know exactly what I'm doing). I have slight author's notes, so I'll just say it here. When I type like this it's not meant to be telekinesis, even though earlier I used this to represent telekinesis. IN this chapter at least, it's just your old fashioned conscience making its self known. :D R and R