"MELINDA!"
I was screaming at the building as I could see my friend walking away. I couldn't believe she was just going to leave and go back to that beast Saki. I had seen the look in her eye when she had gotten close to Don; she still had feelings for him. How could she just abandon that, abandon me. I braced myself ready to scream out again when I felt someone grab me from behind, a hand firmly clamping over my mouth.

I squeaked in fear my eyes growing wide and looking up, relief washing over me when I realized the person holding me was Leonardo. He made a sign with his hand for me to be silent. I obeyed. He held me tightly looking up at Don watching his brother descend. I cried out as he squeezed my ribs a little to tightly.

Leonardo looked down at me surprised. Letting me go and backed up his own eyes growing wide as he seen the condition I was in. He growled loudly. Turning to glare at the building I had left from. I could see him warring the desire to go inside. He seemed very anger; I had to wonder if it was over me. If it was, that was silly, I wasn't worth getting so worked up over.

Leo gently pushed me towards the alleyway across the street. In the dim light I could see Mike waiting for us there. Weapons at ready, eyes scanning the street. Leonardo motioned for me to go with him. I wanted to protest. I wanted to go back in for Melinda. But all the activity had my wounds throbbing and I was getting dizzy. I simply listened to him for now. Trotting as swiftly as I could across the way to Mike. Where I collapsed against the building wall. Seeing the world spin around me.

"Whoa, Lea are you alright?" Mike was by my side in an instant trying to help support me. Worry in his voice.

"Yeah Mike." I was breathing a little hard. I was pretty sure the wound in my chest had re-opened. "I just need a minute to get myself back together." I laid my head against the cool mortar of the skyscraper I was leaning against. I couldn't believe my luck. A part of me had really begun to wonder if I would escape Saki's with my life. Then Mel had shown up and she had helped Don and I. I thought maybe that meant she wasn't with Saki and everything had been a huge misunderstanding, but she had stayed with him. Maybe I was wrong.

I wish I could have spoken to her. Even if only for a few moments, but everything kept happening so fast. I wasn't really sure what was even going on half the time. I opened my eyes and looked up as I saw Leo and Don approaching. They appeared to be arguing back and forth. From the expression on Don's face I was fairly certain it was about Melinda. Whatever they were saying Leo didn't appear pleased. I was hoping to find out about what, but Leonardo silenced Don as the two of them approached me.

"Can you travel on your own, Lea?" He was studying me. Looking at my wounds and my general appearance to gage just how injured I was.

"I've made it this far, I am certain I can make it the rest of the way." I tried to sound strong. I didn't want to be a burden. I didn't want to slow them down. I just wondered how far the rest of the way, was. I pushed off the building to stand, so I didn't look so pathetic and clingy as I did I felt a rush to my head. I reached out blindly to stop myself from falling and was surprised.

I stumbled against something solid. Leonardo was there. He had read my appearance and knew I was going to fall. He held me, my head resting on his shoulder. He was warm and I felt safe. The spinning lessoned slightly. The clouded feeling in my mind began to clear.

"What happened to you?" Leo asked gently, I could see him exchange looks with his brothers. I sighed softly. Feeling so helpless, so useless.

"I had a…disagreement with Saki. He's a very… belligerent man." I laughed lightly. My chest throbbing. I felt fear hoping it wasn't infected. I heard a laugh to the side of me and turned surprised. Raphael was there too. I had figured he would be the LAST one to come look for us.

"That's putting it lightly." I watched his eyes rise to meet Leo's, there was challenge in them. "You found her now, Leo, are you happy? Can we go home?" Raphael sounded annoyed to be there. I wasn't surprised. I could feel Leonardo tense against me, glaring at his brother.

"We wouldn't HAVE to be here now, Raphael, if SOMEONE wouldn't have held me back when we were at April's." I was surprised. Leonardo sounded so angry. He didn't need to be. Unless it was because of all the trouble I had put them through. "You are correct thought." Leo's tone cooled as he got control of himself. "Let's head home and regroup and figure out our next plan of action."

I felt panic consume me. Bile rising into my throat. I pushed away from Leo swiftly, he looked at me surprised. I could feel how wide my eyes were how panicked. I faced the four men around me. "I can't leave, not with Melinda in there, I have to go help her!" I started to move away, stumbling slightly, but the rest had helped me regain my composer.

I saw movement, I collided with a form. I raised my eyes and was surprised it wasn't Leonardo that confronted me, but Raphael. "NO!" He stated bluntly. Everyone was frozen. All eyes on Raph and myself. Leonardo had stepped forward to stop me, but now froze; watching the two of us.

"What do you mean, no! You have no control over me, Raphael." I tried to push past him, but injured and weak it was even more of a joke that I would try to confront him.

"No!" Grabbing me Raphael turned me harshly, I cried out in pain.

"Raphael!" Leonardo protested, the spell breaking reaching forward he grabbed me as Raph pushed me roughly into him. I clung to Leo surprised, turning to look at Raphael wide-eyed.

"You hurt Leo once running away. You won't do it again. We are going home! If your friend's stupid enough to stay in there, then hell with her!" Raphael stomped by the two of us and down the alleyway. His mood even more dour than normal. I looked up at Leo surprised and flushed. Realizing the way we were holding each other. I pulled away lightly. Feeling embarrassed. He too drew back, clearing his throat.

"Lets go." He looked at both Don and I. "But I haven't given up on Melinda. We just need time to think and regroup." I looked to Don. He was looking down at the ground. The pain on his face was heartbreaking. Mike walked up behind him. Laying a hand on his shoulder he began to talk softly to his brother. Don brushed him off. I could feel his emotion building to a boiling point. I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what. I watched Don follow Raph, stomping off in much the same fashion. Mike called out to him, following close behind. Worry on his face.

"Lea?" It was Leonardo; it was now just he and I standing there. "Do you think you can make it back?" He was hesitating. I could tell he wanted to help me, to support me, but was afraid to move close to me again. I watched him. Feeling myself flush again at the sincerity of his emotions.

"I'll be fine, thank you." My voice was soft. "Can we please just go slow?" I compromised my pride, acknowledging I was weakened. He nodded.

"I'll take you to my home. You're safe now. The Shredder can't touch you as long as you are with me." I followed him. We quickly caught up to his brothers, Raphael leapt up onto the bottom of a fire escape. Pulling himself up quickly. I watched him wide-eyed. Uncertain how I was going to follow. An arm wrapped around me. Leonardo silently lifted me. I wrapped my arms around his neck without question. I would have to be dependant on him. No matter how much that confused me. I abandoned my pride and just allowed him to care for me. Don leapt up and Mike followed. Lastly Leo, he leapt up holding me closely and caught the ladder with one arm, he swung me up. Mike helped me and then Leo followed me.

I did feel safe. As long as he was near, but that also made me fearful. How much should or could I depend on him? I tried to clear my mind I had a long journey ahead of me.

I woke the next morning in a state I was getting used to. I wasn't certain where I was. My eyes opened to see a sparsely decorated room, with wall hangings and weapons, the only adornments. Sleepily I looked around me. Slowly the events from the last few days started to drift back. I realized I was in Leonardo's room. He had insisted on me taking it and his bed the night before. I had been so tired that I hadn't even put up much of a protest.

I rose now; I could hear muted sounds outside his door. I cringed, I was still very stiff, and the wound on my chest hurt. I had cleaned it before I went to bed the night before and Splinter had helped my wrap my wound. He had wanted to know what happened also. I had given him a very basic understanding. It was too embarrassing letting them know my entire argument with Saki.

I was grateful the nights sleep seemed to have stopped the pounding in my head. That means it probably wasn't too serious. I yawned and reached across the floor to see my watch. It was almost noon, but I think this once it was alright to sleep in late. I looked down at Leo's bed and smirked. It was what I would have expected of him. All that was on the ground was a large floor mat. Very comfortable, I would almost guess stuffed with down, with soft warm covers. It very much reminded me of Japanese floor rolls. He embodied the ninjitsu life style. It was almost cute.

Feeling a little more awake I straightened the messed up blankets. I shivered. It was little chilly and I was only in a tank top. The sweater I had been wearing over it had been so badly damaged from Saki's attack I had thrown it out. As I was trying to figure out what to do there was a knock at the door.

"I'm up." I called out curious. The door pushed open and Leonardo entered carrying bags, he smiled at me.
"I stopped at April's and got your things." He set everything down to the left of his door. "I figured you might like a change of clothes." I watched his eyes; they unconsciously drifted over my body. In the tank top and jeans I was wearing there wasn't too much left to the imagination. I felt myself flush, realizing the desire in his thoughts from his face.

I cleared my throat, shifting uneasy. His eyes widen slightly as he realized what he was thinking and I saw him flush. I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't sure what I felt. "Thank you, Leonardo. I really appreciate everything you have done for me." I smiled warmly at him.

He nodded. He looked kind of sheepish. He scratched the back of his head. "Well I guess I'll let you do whatever you need to. The bathrooms downstairs if you need it." He backed out of the room and turning swiftly left. I watched him go, trying not to giggle. He looked uncomfortable, but it was so cute that it was almost painful to watch.

I pulled my bags over by his bed and sitting on it began to dig through them. I found a floral shirt and some black dress pants I liked. I put them on, being very careful of my wound. There wasn't any blood on the wrappings so Sensei must have done a very good job doctoring me. I realized Leonardo didn't have a mirror. That seemed odd to me, but considering he didn't wear clothes maybe he didn't need one. I pulled my hair up into two loose messy ponytails and yawning tossed my dirty clothes into a bag I had brought just for that purpose.

I noticed my purse sitting in the bag. It was open, the contents were spilling out. My cell phone was laying on some of my jeans. It suddenly dawned on me I hadn't checked it in a few days. I bet my family was trying to contact me. I felt a little panicked, as I realized what day it was. I should have left two days ago. I jumped up. I seriously doubted my cell would work down here. I needed a phone.

Leaving Leo's room, I dashed down the stairs to the side that lead to the ground floor. At first I had been skeptical when I realized the guys lived in the sewers, but as soon as I saw their home and realized how nice, spacious and hidden it was, it made perfect sense. I could hear the clang of weapons and saw Leonardo and Raphael practicing to the side. The two circled one another, both willing the other to attack. Mike was sitting on the couch in front of their like 40 TVs, lounging and watching talk shows. I decided to bother him.

"Mike, do you have a phone I can use?" My eyes glanced at the TV and I smirked. I was not surprised he was watching Springer. Mike looked up, sprawled across the couch, his legs hanging over the side, throwing chips in his mouth.

"Yeah there's one in the kitchen…" He pointed giving me a curious look. "Who are you going to call?"

"Just need to check my messages on my cell phone." I smiled. "Thanks Mike!" I ran off in the direction he had indicated. It was weird. I had barely known the guys for over a week and I was already comfortable with them. It didn't seem possible, but they were just too welcoming and kind to feel threatened. I wish Mel could have gotten to know them better before meeting Saki, because she never would have believed a word he said, if she had. I walked past Leo and Raph and paused for a moment. The two were growling, weapons locked; both trying to unbalance the other. I watched wide-eyed, astounded by the sheer beauty of them.

The primal force they both possessed. I envied them. They were both so strong. I had never felt weak before. Not until I met everyone here. Now I was beginning to realize my limitations. And that only made me respect Leonardo more. He seemed to lack them. He was amazing. He pushed Raphael back with the light roar, knocking him off balance, Leo charged forward at Raph. There was another clang of metal I started to head towards the kitchen to let them finish.

I heard a groan and a thud and turned to see Leonardo lying in the floor. I looked at him and Raphael surprised. "Never look away, Bro… isn't that what you usually tell me." Raphael was teasing him. I was confused. Leonardo chuckled lightly. I could tell he was embarrassed. He saw me looking and he grinned sheepishly again. I looked at him amused and surprised and shaking my head, pushed the door open to the kitchen.

The room was empty, but it only took me moments to spot the phone on my own. I moved over to it and picking it up dialed in the number to my cell phone. I entered in the code to retrieve my voice mail and listened. Apprehensive of what I would hear.

It started with a couple from my friends asking me about my trip, then my family. The first one was curious. Asking why I hadn't called in a few days. More calls from my family, each one growing more desperate, then my work. They wanted to know where I was, why I hadn't shown up or called. I sighed. Finally one more very frightened message from my family. I hung up the phone. I felt so guilty. So much had been going on, I hadn't even considered my family.

I picked the phone back up. I started to dial in the code for the family phone card. We all knew the code; if anything bad ever happened and we needed to call it was an easy way for us to reach one another. I got thought to their phone and it started ringing. I just hoped my grandparents were home. I desperately wanted to let them know I was alright. I hated to make them worry.

My grandmother picked up on the 8th ring; I was almost ready to hang up. She must have been running for the phone she sounded a little out of breath as she answered. "Hello?"

I hesitated suddenly afraid. "Ummm hello, Gram, it's me Lea." There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, and then suddenly she exploded.

"Where the HELL have you been, Lea! I've been WORRIED sick! Why haven't you come home?" I shivered at the intensity of her words. Taking a physical step back.

"Well you see a lot has happened, a lot of well weird stuff. I can't really talk long now, but I just wanted to let you know I was alright that I will be staying a while longer." I was hoping to keep the conversation short.

"You what? WHY won't you be coming home? Are you in trouble, WHERE ARE YOU?" Leonardo entered, smirking with Raphael. They both paused when they saw my expression. I bit my lip fighting back tears from being screamed at over the phone.

"No, I'm not in any trouble; it's a lot to explain over the phone okay. I just wanted to let you know I was alright. I'll be home soon I promise." I couldn't even look at Leo as I said the words. I didn't want to see his expression. It would hurt too much.

"What are you going to come home too?" My grandma just kept going. "You know your job called and you're fired because you never came back. What are you doing Lea, this is stupid. It's NOT like you to act this way." I sniffled a sob, my eyes getting wide at the mention of my job.

"Fired?" My voice was small now. I felt myself fall back against the kitchen counter leaning, shocked.

"Yes, fired! I told you not to go on this trip. Now look at what's happened!" My Grandma sounded so annoyed. I was shocked. I felt tears begin to spill down my face.

"Look Gram, I have to go… I… I can't talk now. I'll call you later okay." I sniffled trying to not start sobbing right over the phone. I had felt pretty good, now it seemed like my life was falling apart again.

"Fine, you do that! How considerate of you to call!" She tone was sarcastic and with the last word she slammed the phone down on her end and the line went dead. I stood stunned the phone still to my ear just staring.

I felt a hand cover mine and take the phone from me. Leonardo hung it up and pulled me into his chest close to him. I started to cry. I couldn't help myself. I had been lost in this little world of there's. It was desperate and fast, and so outside of my own. That when I finally decided to contact my own world again, I realized everything had changed without me.