1I sat on the subway staring out the window at the dark walls passing by me. Mel and I had spent a terrific day in China Town. I had spent way too much money and at that point I simply didn't care. I had gotten the Kakashi plushie from Naruto I had been dying to buy for months so I was happy, but I could feel my mood dropping.

We were heading back towards April's apartment. Which meant soon we would be seeing the turtles again and seeing them meant seeing him? I sighed, tugging at the ends of my hair, pulling at the curls. I wasn't completely sure what it was about Leonardo that I found so maddening but something about him just ate at my nerves. He seemed so pompous and self serving. I felt like he was always trying to belittle me. Like my opinion couldn't possible be right when compared to his.

The aspect that annoyed me the most about the situation was even with all of my annoyance with him, I still felt a base respect for him. The way he held himself, the way he spoke, the power he commanded with a simply gesture. I envied him for all of those things. I knew I had really snapped at Melinda the night before when she had mention Leonardo and honor and I had actually surprised myself by how heated my reply had been. I had just felt that by her saying that it made him seem like the type of person I should respect and I didn't want to. I wanted to stay as far away from him as I could. Truthfully, inside I knew he had honor and for some reason the fact I knew that set me off and made me angrier.

"Lea?" Melinda's voice was soft; she was giving me a guarded look, like she wasn't sure how to approach me because I must have a rather annoyed expression on my face. I pushed away my anger and smiled at her. She was so uncertain about her own situation right now I didn't want her to have to worry about me also.

"What's up Sis?" I looked at the map showing the stops. "Oh we are almost there." I smiled, "Are you nervous?"
She nodded mutely looking down at her hands, fidgeting with her purse.

"Do you think its wrong that I want to got back Sis, that I want to talk to him again?" She asked me an honest question and looked at me so uncertain waiting for an answer I sighed, this entire ordeal that was happening to us was beyond my normal perception. I wasn't certain what to tell her, but I knew she needed some sort of answer from me. She was second guessing herself and I knew in her shoes I would be doing the exact same thing. I was struggling with why we were doing this myself, but I didn't let on. I had to be strong for her.

"No, Mel, I don't." I shook my head smiling. "I mean if nothing else, you need to thank him for everything he did for you before you can ever set your mind at ease about all of this. And honestly, Don didn't seem like that bad of a guy. It seems like they like human friends, maybe you could become one of those to him?" I gave her a hopeful smile. Inwardly very glad that it had been Don that have saved her and not one of his brothers.

"Thank you for coming with me, Sis, I know you really weren't looking forward to this." She didn't mention him by name and I couldn't blame her. After the way I had exploded about Leonardo last night I wouldn't have said anything to me either.

"You know I am always there for you, Mel!" I patted her shoulder. "Anyway I can't let you have all of the adventure. I mean how many other times am I going to be able to say I went to talk to mutated turtles?" I smirked. "Now don't worry!" I looked up. "Here's our stop lets go!" I took her hand and we exited the subway quickly before either of us could change our minds.

We arrived at April's doorstep again. This time I knocked. April answered and saw us inside. I was immediately surprised by the fact that only Don was there. I felt odd knowing this fact and became angry with myself. Why should it matter to me who was there and who wasn't? I was doing this for Melinda and no other reason. As long as Don was here and they could talk, I should be perfectly content, but still…

I was half floored when April suggested I go somewhere with her. I could see Mel tense and told her I couldn't leave my friend alone for any reason. I thought it was actually stupid of her to ask, but held my tongue. I knew I had already been too vocal in her presence and didn't want to make a bad example of myself. I was a little surprised when she wanted me to go to the kitchen with her, but sense Melinda seemed all right with that I followed her. Figuring as long as I was in the house that Don and Melinda could use a few private moments to talk.
As soon as we entered the room April threw some popcorn in the microwave and pulled me aside quickly, I started, surprised by her urgent expression. "Look Lea, I know you don't really trust any of us, but you really need to come with me tonight." She seemed earnest so I didn't right out brush her off. I simply crossed my arms again and leaning against the counter considered her words.

"And why, please explain to me should I leave my friend all alone with some "guy" I don't even know?" I knew my voice came out a little more coldly then I meant it to and I emphasized the word guy perhaps a little to harshly, but I simply wasn't buying into this situation just yet.

April slowly shook her head. "Listen, Don and the guys. They are some of the best… people I know. They wouldn't hurt anyone unless they were actually doing something wrong. Don's just very shy and I know if you stay here there is going to be no way he'll be able to talk to Melinda. He'll just worry about everything he says and how you will interpret it and not even try to say what he means. He needs this chance, Lea, please." She looked at me desperately and I realized that these turtles must really be very good friends of hers for her to be so concerned about them. I shifted, uneasy with my position.

"Can you promise me we will be back before the other two arrive? I can leave Mel alone with Don, but I don't know about him." I didn't speak his name and her eyebrows raised at the annoyance in my voice.

She gave me a very baffled look. "You know Leonardo isn't a bad guy, Lea. You two just got off on the wrong foot, actually he is very sweet himself and…" I cut her off with a dismissive wave of my hand.

"Can we be back before them?" I had little interest in her defending him.

She nodded, giving me a questioning look. My eyes shifted away from her gaze. I didn't like the way she was judging me. It made me uncomfortable. "Yes we can be back way before them, don't worry. What I need is for you to set Melinda at ease about you leaving. Don also can't talk to her if she thinks you are being dragged away against your will." She raised a brow at me.

"Don't worry about me April. I can handle myself." I turned and started to walk from the room.

I could hear April hitting the door to the microwave and retrieving the popcorn, she was muttering very low to herself. "You know for hating him so much you sure act like him." She slammed the door and I turned a surprised expression on my face.

"Excuse me?" I looked at her with question. I couldn't understand the implication she was making by that remark.

"Oh nothing." She put on a charming smile. " Let's go and you can tell Melinda." I walked through the door and held it for her as she exited with the food. I sighed, hoping I wasn't making a bad decision at this moment for both my friend and me.

Melinda wasn't pleased to say the last when I told her April and I would be heading out for a while after all. In fact she looked down right frightened and I almost took my comment back until I saw the very hopeful look on Donatello's face. I cursed myself for my good nature and vowed if anything bad happened to Mel I would find some way to hurt this guy myself. Mutated turtle or no mutated turtle.

The apartment was almost stifling as we left and the fresh, cool air that hit my face felt good. I looked at the streetlights as we walked along. Watching lazy bugs circle around them. "Hey, April, is it really a god idea for us to be going to Central Park so late at night?" I turned giving her a curious look, wondering if maybe she had thought about all this as clearly as she should have.
"Don't worry." She smiled. "I told you my friend Casey is meeting us. Trust me no one will mess with us when he's around." She almost seemed proud of this fact. I gave her a rather amused look before rolling my eyes and turning my attention back to the walk ahead of me. Something was nagging at me. Why did the name Casey seem so familiar to me? I shivered slightly and was glad I had brought a jacket with me. I hadn't been planning on being outside so long that evening.

My thoughts kept turning back to Melinda. I just hoped she was doing all right alone with Don. I could see how uncomfortable she had been with the thought of being left with him. I know I was trying to do Don a favor by going, but in a way it almost seemed unfair to Mel. She hadn't been expecting something like this. As formal as a one on one conversation, I sighed. I didn't envy her. Were I in her situation even I would be walking on pins and needles. This whole predicament was too odd for logical thought. I mean who would have thought Mel could wander into a bad part and find a "knight in shining armor". And that wasn't even starting to approach the fact he was a giant turtle.
"So what brought you to the city, Lea?" I turned my head when April spoke. I could see she was mildly uncomfortable by our silence. Something that honestly didn't bother me, but I would try to play the "good" guest and make the proper small talk.

"Well actually I vacation here quiet often. I come here to shop a lot. Mel, well she's been down lately so when I realized I was going to be coming here for a few weeks I knew I had to talk her into coming too." I said with a matter o' fact tone to my voice, but kept a friendly smile on my face so I came across as pleasant.

April nodded. "So you guys are gonna be here for a few weeks. Where do you go shopping? I know some great stores. I find some of the cutest clothing shops." She beamed proudly at me. Maybe it was because I had been forced to leave Mel alone, or maybe it was just because I was high strung from worrying about this meeting most of the day, but my ability to remain sweet and polite was wearing thin.

"I don't come here to shop for clothes." I was blunt. Not really harsh but honest. I could see a slightly surprised look cross her face, like she wasn't sure how to reply.
"What do you come here to shop for then?" She was puzzled.

"Anime." We reached the park and I turned into it, not offering any more information about her question then that one word.

"Oh…" Clearly she was confused and I liked it that way. She had no busy prying into my background. "Well even living here I don't really know where we have any shops for that." She shrugged. Looking apologetic. Her expression made me feel a little sorry for being so sharp with her.

"That's okay, April. Thanks for offering the help, but I know where all my shops are already." I smiled, managing to make it mostly genuine. "So April, it was my try to attempt the small talk, because I was the who had shot her down when she did. "How long have you known Don?" I figured any information I could garner about the guy I had left my friend with the better.

Her face lit up a little, apparently pleased to be discussing a topic she was familiar with. "I've known all the guys for a few years now. They're like family. Like my little brothers. They're each good guys. Some of them may have hard edges, but you can always depend on them." She smiled brightly; I knew she was trying to reassure me.

I nodded we both grew silent for a while. We walked neither talking. The park made me feel uneasy. I grew up in the country so trees and such didn't really bother me it was the knowledge there was so many places to hide in that I couldn't see around me and anyone could be there. I sighed. I wished more and more I had stayed at April's. I had a feeling this was going to be a bad idea.

"What are two babes like you two doing walking around in the dark?" My heart sank as I heard the male voice and the question. I turned swiftly expecting some confrontation, but was surprised when April merely smirked.

"Don't call us "babes" Casey Jones!" She grinned about to introduce us when both Casey and I did a double take.

"Holy crap!" he exclaimed, "You're the chick from the train." He pointed at me. I couldn't help it, the smile returned to my face at the sound of his surprised voice.
"I thought the name Casey sounded familiar now at least I know why. Small world, I suppose." It was April's turn to look surprised.

"You two know each other?" She looked from one of us to the other.

"Yeah we meet on the subway a few days ago." Casey still looked a little surprised. "Never thought I would run into you with April. You guys know one another?" He looked at April waiting for some sort if explanation.

April looked at me with an almost cool expression on her face, if I didn't know better I would say it bordered on jealous. It took all of my power to hide the smirk that was battling to enter my face. "Lea's friend Melinda had a run in with some trouble and got help from Donnie. She's back at my place talking to him right now and Lea and I are giving them some time alone." It was April's turn to be very matter o' fact.

"Time alone?" Now Casey looked very curious. "What kind of time alone?" Casey smirked. I rolled my eyes and had to wonder why on Earth every man that existed was a huge pervert.
"Not THAT kind of time Casey." April was thinking the same thing as me. I smirked; amused that her reaction was so close to my own. "He just wanted a chance to talk to her." She glanced down at her watch. "And judging by the time. I would say its time we start heading back in that direction. If we want to make it back to my place before Mike and Leo do." She smiled at me, knowing that was all I really wanted.

"What's the difference if we get there after Mike and Leo?" Casey fell into step slightly behind us, following as April took the lead and I was slightly at her heel.

April smirked over at me and I tired to ignore it. A bit annoyed she found my dislike for Leo so amusing. "Let's just say not everyone walking here likes Leonardo as much as we do Casey." Casey kind of looked blank for a moment. He was silent I could tell he was thinking. I waited for a while finally figuring maybe he had taken the hint and had decided to drop the subject. We walked alone quietly for a while.

"What's wrong with Leo?" Casey's brain had finally processed the question given to him. I sighed and April almost choked on a laugh.
"We don't get along." I mumbled quietly, wishing April had not brought this subject up.

"Why?" Casey gave me such a simply look, I turned away not wishing to reply. I could feel both Casey and April looking at me, but I didn't feel I owed them any explanation. After all I hardly knew either of them.

I could almost hear the gears in Casey's head turning as he tried to comprehend what was going on. I quietly cursed April for not keeping her mouth shut. "But Don seems like a very nice guy." I tried to change the subject. "He's been really sweet to Mel."

April nodded. "Yeah Don is the sweetest of all his brothers. That why I didn't feel at all uncomfortable leaving him there with Melinda." I agreed. Feeling I had successfully taken the attention off of me.

"Do the turtles do this a lot? Introduce themselves to people?" I had to admit, I was a little curious about all of this. April shook her head.

"No in fact, with the exception of us, this is one of the few times I have ever seen them go out of there ways to get to know certain humans better. Your friend must had made quite the impression on Don." April grinned.

I returned the expression. "Yes Melinda is very special. I'm not surprised he could see it."

"So did like you and Leo fight or something?" Casey's voice suddenly spoke up from behind us. I wanted to smack my forehead. He was STILL dwelling on what April had said earlier. Luckily I was saved by the fact we had once again reached April's apartment.

"Oh look we are here!" I smiled, sounded maybe a little too pleased. I could hear April chuckle and I shot her a dirty look and was surprised when it was more a playful expression than anything else. Was I actually getting comfortable with these people?

"Melinda should be happy to see us." April was getting out her keys… "Or maybe unhappy." She grinned at me. I rolled my eyes. Her key turned and we all entered. I couldn't hear Melinda or Donnie right away. I looked back towards the living room as Casey was relocking the door.
"So you guy have finally returned I see." I froze; turning slowly Leonardo was standing in the hallway with a displeased expression on his face, his arms crossed. He eyes locking quickly on mine a combative look in them.