Let me hear your voice

This was previously under the name BlackroseKitsune!

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT! But I wish I did…

Notes: First off, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! I feel wuved. . Secondly, and on a slightly more serious note, because of my schedule lately I am only going to be able to update about once or twice every month or so. I'm SO sorry about the wait! The good news is it should only be this way a bit longer. Curse exams… Curse 14-page reports… .

Chapter One – Silent Surprise

She began to back up against the wall as they took out their weapons and advanced toward her slowly.

She was trapped. And she couldn't even scream.

Donatello sighed as he gazed up at the night sky. His legs swung lazily over the edge of his perch which happened to be the roof of an old apartment building. He knew he should be patrolling the area as he always did every night until Mikey came to relieve him, but he just didn't feel like it for some reason. He could picture the look on Leo's face if he ever found out that Don was skipping out on his responsibilities. A lecture would probably follow. But at the moment, Don couldn't care less. Let Leo preach 'till the cows came home if he wanted.

A slight breeze rustled the tails (a/n: are they tails? I think they are.) of his ninja mask. He heaved another sigh. Lately, he had been feeling more and more depressed. No not exactly depressed. It was more like overwhelmed and slightly alone. You see he loved his family dearly, but he couldn't help thinking that they took advantage of him. As the smartest of the four, he was trusted to have all the answers. He was trusted to come up with some amazing new invention to help them each time they were in a fix. Speaking of fix, he was also expected to fix every little thing that got broken, busted, maimed, etc. Usually the end results of Raph's temper or Mikey's innocent klutziness.

And yet for everything he did, not one of his brothers, even his sensei sometimes ever said thank you. Sure, he got some praise in the middle of a fight when he used a trinket from his 'bag of tricks' to help them. But more often then not the comments were brief and he couldn't even hear them over the sounds of the fighting.

And as for being alone, he just couldn't stop thinking about how he'd never be able to find someone to love. He prayed that his brothers wouldn't find out about this. If they knew about how much he dreamed of being in love, they'd probably laugh him out of the Lair. He also wished for someone who, even if they didn't love him, would understand him. Understand what it's like to be singled out as the quiet one, the one who seems to be ignored or taken advantage of. Not that he'd ever wish that on someone, but at least he'd be able to talk to someone easier. Unfortunately that was never going to happen. All because of what he was. A mutant turtle.

He vaguely remembered the fact that he was supposed to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. Then something caught his eye. Foot ninja were sprinting into an alley not too far away. He found it odd that they were ignoring him, but figured that was probably because they were surrounding someone else. He sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time that night. Time to play hero. Again. And he made his way along the rooftops.

Mariel…

The Foot ninja were getting closer. They'd be within striking range any second. This is it. She thought. I'm going to die here and nobody's even going to know. But then again, nobody cares either. Oh well, might as well try to fight seeing as how I'm doomed anyway. She looked around frantically for anything to use as a weapon or means of escape. Her eyes came to rest on a decrepit old fire escape ladder. One problem: There was a ninja blocking it. Thinking quickly, she grabbed an empty garbage can and threw it. She was rewarded with a THUNK and the ninja falling like a sack of potatoes.

She scrambled over to the ladder and began to climb like a madwoman. Unfortunately she didn't make it very far. One of the bunch came over and grabbed her ankle, yanking it viciously downward. Mariel winced as her hands were scrapped and cut against the rusty ladder rungs as she was pulled down. She struggled against her captor's iron grip furiously, but to no avail. Then she did the only other thing she could think of. She kicked him in the… you know where I mean. With a grunt he let her go but more were there to take his place.

This time, three ninja held her while the leader came over brandishing an old pipe. Well, time to say hello to the devil. She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. The ninja gave a startled gasp and hesitated. The look in her eyes was haunting. It was almost like they were pleading for death. And as for the eyes themselves, they had turned a cloudy grey color. He recovered quickly though. He almost felt sorry for her. Here she was looking like death was the thing she wanted most, and yet their mission was to merely capture her for the Shredder. With a final glance at her, he brought the pipe down over her head, knocking her unconscious.

Her eyes weren't the only thing that had unsettled him though. It was also the fact that the girl had made hardly a noise. No noise at all actually. With a nod to his men, they began to make their way to the rooftops. He turned to follow when the screams of his men reached his ears. His head whipped around in time to see the ones that were supposed to have the girl come crashing to the ground knocked senseless. But where was the girl? Then he saw one of those ninja turtles running off with her. Shredder was not going to be pleased…

"Get them!" he roared in frustration. And the chase was on.

Donatello…

Great, just great. He thought. He was on the run with a troupe of Foot ninja behind him, an unconscious girl in his arms, and was facing an angry Leo waiting for him at the Lair. Isn't life peachy? As he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, he became aware of the decision he had to make. He couldn't leave this girl out here if the Foot were after her, but he couldn't take her back to the Lair, could he? He jumped down into an alley and made his way over to the manhole that led to his home. Now or never, Don. Placing Mariel down gently, he lifted the manhole cover, grabbed her and made his way down into the sewers.

As he walked, he managed to get a good look at Mariel for the first time. For a human, she was kinda cute. Her brown hair swished softly and her face was heart shaped. Her glasses gave her a slightly more intelligent look. She looked about his age but something was wrong. She felt extremely light in his arms and she had a slightly frail form. Also, her clothing appeared to be old, faded, and in some places torn. Must live a hard life. He found himself thinking.

His mind drifted to the alley when he had seen her surrounded by the Foot. He had arrived right around the time she had been hit over the head, but he found it odd that she hadn't been screaming, fighting back, or anything. He concluded that she must have just been in shock. But that didn't explain why the Shredder wanted her. She didn't appear to have anything of value, but then you can't always judge by appearances.

He made his way into the Lair and was surprised that no one, not even Splinter was there. He walked over to the old subway car that doubled as a crude medical ward and laid her on the bed. Noticing her hands, he went to get a first aid kit. He returned a few moments later and began to wrap up her hands.

Mariel…

Mariel was vaguely aware of the sensation of being carried. Her head feeling like a load of bricks had been dropped on it didn't help. Oddly enough she wasn't worried. Even though she couldn't see who was carrying her, she knew she could trust them. She felt herself being placed on a bed and heard the person walking off for a moment.

Whoever it was gently took her sore hands in theirs and began to bandage them. This is weird, she thought. Their hands feel weird. Like they don't have enough fingers or something. And they feel… scaly. Then the hands let go of hers and a warm cloth was put on her forehead. Finally her eyes remembered how to work. They fluttered open slowly and adjusted to the dim lighting. But she could care less about the lighting.

In front of her was a giant turtle wearing a purple mask.

What kind of cruel madness have I become the victom of!