1"What are they doing?" Casey was looking at the television screen befuddled as two young ninja's squared off, both with weapons in there hands. The small blond with the bright orange jump suit started to yell out an incantation.

"They are fighting, Casey…" I sighed, I had to explain everything that was happening to him about ever five minutes, but he seemed to at least be enjoying the violence of the show.

"Why don't they hit each other more?" Casey seemed disturbed by the posturing between the two characters; he liked the bloodshed not all the plot that led up to it. I rolled my eyes and didn't answer. I had been pretty depressed when I had landed on Casey's doorstep the night before and he had honestly been a good sport about allowing me to stay with him. I had cleaned up most of his apartment before bed the night before. Depression made me want to stay busy and with the chaos Casey was living in I had plenty to do. He had been impressed to say the least and had been even more pleased when he had dragged himself out of bed that morning and I had eggs and bacon waiting for him. He had decided he liked having me there. I was amused.
We had tried to talk to one another, but discovered we really didn't have that much in common and I could only discuss sports for so long before I wanted to hurt Casey. So I had fished through my DVDs and found Naruto. It was my favorite action anime, filled with perverted humor and ninja fights, I knew it would at least be passable with Casey and I was right, he actually seemed to rather be enjoying it, even if his questions were driving me crazy.

"Why does that one guy have tiny dog? Isn't that kind wimpy?" Casey made a face looking at the one character Kiba.

I sighed. "No Akamaru fights with him…" I pointed at the dog as the ending credits for that episode started to roll. I yawned, looking at the back of the case at the episode listing. "Well that's all I have." I tossed the case to Casey so he could see. He looked at it for a moment.

"Oh well. There's a ball game coming on anyway." He shrugged and reached for the remote, which was at my side. I grabbed for it also.

"No way! I am getting so sick of CONSTANT sports!" I whined. Casey frowned as both of us grabbed one half of the remote.
"Hey, this is my house, if I want to watch baseball I will!" He pulled on the remote, but I held steady on it. Pouting up at him.

"NO!" I tugged back, squeaking as he grabbed my wrist and started to twist it. Not enough to actually hurt me, but enough that I could tell he was trying to get me to let go. He wasn't playing fair. I lunged towards him shouldering him in the chest with a growl. He heard him make a soft noise, and looked up to see annoyance paint his face.

"So you wanna play rough, huh?" Casey smirked. Pushing me, I slid off the couch with a whelp and landed on the floor. "PILE ON!" Casey yelled leaping off and almost on me, grabbing for the remote, which I was still clutching in my hand. I screamed trying to scramble away. I could feel myself holding back a laugh. Casey was like that stupid older bother that was always messing with your stuff. I grabbed the remote and stuck it down my shirt, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Can't get it now, Crazy Man!" I laughed, as I watched his eyes narrow.
"Is that what you think?" He grabbed me and started to tickle me, I shrieked out. Trying to kick him to no avail. "Give me the remote and I'll stop." He had a superior grin on his face as he tortured me. I was wiggling around, trying to get free, when suddenly I heard a loud banging like something falling behind me. Casey and I both froze and looked.

April was standing in Casey's doorway, a container with what looked like some sort of meal dropped on the floor, the contents spilling on my clean carpet. April was white as a sheet staring at the two of us on the floor. It only took me a second to realize what it must look like. I scooted away from Casey quickly, my own eyes getting wide. Casey wasn't quite as quick as me. He just smiled up at April, then looked down at the food.

"Hey, April, what going on? What are you doing? Look you made a mess." He stood and pointed. "Lea just cleaned that." Casey had a very concerned look on his face; I cringed knowing that was NOT the right thing for him to say. April was looking with daggers at me. I shifted under her gaze.

"I SEE Lea is here…why IS she here, Casey?" April was breathing hard; I could tell she was trying to control her temper. I didn't even speak. I felt guilty, because I knew I was getting Casey in trouble. He seemed unaware of his situation quite yet.

"She was having some trouble with…something." Casey stumbled over his words and a nearly slapped myself in the face. He was trying very hard to keep his promise to me not to tell anyone what was going on, but unfortunately it only made us look guiltier.

"Oh trouble." April's tone was deadly. "That's too bad." She glared at me. "Well you two have fun having trouble together!" April turned on her heel and stomped out of the door, slamming it shut so hard behind her, some of Casey's things fell off the wall. Casey looked at me baffled again.

"Did April look mad to you?" I sighed, I felt bad. I didn't know what to tell him.

"Come on, Casey, I'll make you some lunch." I took his arm to direct him to the kitchen. His face lit up at the mention of food.
"Oh good! Can we have soup?" He looked at me excited and I sighed. I felt very guilty now because my issue was becoming everyone's issue and I hadn't meant for it too. I was also worried. If April knew where I was and she obviously wasn't happy about it knew it wouldn't be long before the rest of the guys knew.

I sat Casey down at the table and started to dig through his cupboards to pull out a few cans of soup. He already had the game turned on, on the small TV in his kitchen. The implication of the incident with April hadn't hit him yet, I actually wondered if it would until he tried to speak to her again. I started to open cans.

I wondered if any of the guys would even care that I was gone. I knew Melinda would, but I would love to have her come, I missed her very much. I wondered if Leonardo had even noticed my absence. If Mel had to tell him I was gone before he even realized it. If he was still with the pretty Asian women. He probably was. My heart began to break as I started to doubt he would even coming looking for me if April called.

Casey was cheering for his team, I started to warm the soup up. I knew I had a choice to make; I had to go home now. I would speak to Mel, set things straight with April for Casey's sake. After everything he had done for me in the last few days it wasn't fair to leave him out on a loop like this. Then I would go home. Leonardo had made his choice, now I have to grow up, live with it and move on. I wasn't wanted and I had to live with that. No matter how much it hurt.

My face felt wet and I knew I was crying. I tried to keep my back to Casey, I didn't want him to see me cry anymore. I felt so alone. I knew I should be used to it, but I had gotten to the point where I had actually felt half way comfortable with Leonardo and then… he had hurt me. I sighed stirring the soup. I needed to go home as soon as possible.

Casey and I went shopping later and got all the ingredients for me to make him a casserole. I was checking it in the oven, kneeling down with a fork, poking at it. Casey was watching the news in the living room. He yelled at reporters every once in a while when he didn't agree with them. I heard someone knocking on what I assumed was the living room window and my head lifted. My eye grew wide, there was only one set of people I knew who would use the window as there way of entrance, I quickly shut the oven and rushed into the living room as I heard scuffling and yelling start.

My eyes grew wide as I entered the room. Raphael, Leonardo and Melinda were all there. Raphael was holding Leonardo back, standing between his brother and where Casey was sitting on the couch. Casey was looking at Leonardo surprised and shocked. I caught the tail end of what Leo was saying as I entered.

"You better tell me where she is, Casey. I am not kidding!" He was struggling against Raphael glaring at the black haired man. All eyes turned to me as I entered the room. Leonardo stopped, his eyes turning to land on me. His expression a mixture of pain and confusion. I too wasn't sure what was going on. I boldly stepped forward, placing myself in-between the Turtles and Casey.

"Leave him alone, Leonardo." My voice was cold. "He's only doing what I asked him to. I told him not to tell anyone where I was and HE is a man of his word apparently." Leo's eyes narrowed hearing the implication in my voice. Melinda looked at me bewildered, I sighed, drawing into myself. I couldn't understand why everyone was here. Looking at Leonardo hurt too much inside, I looked down.

Raphael stepped forward; I could see his gaze fall on me, then Leo, then myself again. He shook his head. "Look!" He pointed at me, facing his brother. "Can you see, she's alive, can you STOP FREAKING OUT NOW, LEO?" Raphael growled.

Leonardo gave his brother a hard look. "That STILL doesn't explain why she is HERE!" I still couldn't face him, I felt my mouth open. Words wanting to form, but I wasn't sure how to explain to him, what he had done to me. I was surprised when I heard Casey's voice rise to my defense.

"YOU made her cry Leo and she came here to get away from you. And I really doubt she wants to see you right now." Casey moved past me as he spoke. I looked up at him surprised by his insightful words as he stood toe to toe with Leonardo. Leo glared up at him, his expression was deadly.
"I don't know HOW this is any of YOUR business, Casey, but if you DON'T get out of my face I am going to…" I cut him off. The last thing I wanted was a fight and I felt the tension in the air building to one. I could see Raphael's gaze shifting between his brother and his best friend and I knew he would jump in too, but I wasn't certain which one he would side with. I grabbed Casey's arm.

"Casey, go check on the casserole!" My tone left no question for the taller man, he looked down at me surprised, but I held my ground. He glared at Leo for a few seconds, before he turned and stomped out of the room. "Raphael, would you like to help him." I didn't even look at the other Turtle; my eyes were locked with Leo's now. He was looking at me with such an expression of betrayal it made me want to scream.

'Yeah, whatever…" Raphael too stomped out of the room. I didn't ask Melinda to leave. I knew by the end of this I would need her support.

"Don't look at me like that." My tone was hard as I felt tears filling my eyes again. I couldn't stand the way Leo was staring at me, like I had done something to him. I hugged myself, readying myself for whatever was said.

"Look at you like what? Like you hurt me… like I don't understand WHY THE HELL YOU ARE HERE!" Leonardo's voice rose almost immediately. I really hope Raphael could keep Casey in the kitchen; this was my battle to finish and end it I would.

My eyes closed for a moment. I could feel all my emotion draining away to a cold empty void. I had been hurt so much in the last 24 hours I was almost numb, finally I looked back up at him. "Why would you care? Why don't you just turn around and go home to your "FRIEND" who you desired so badly. And I'll just stay out of your way." I choked, the tears rushing back, harder and faster as I once again saw the picture of him holding her hand, so gently.

Leonardo looked back at me confused. Like he wasn't certain what I was implying, I could have slapped him I was so hurt, instead I simply stood and hugged myself and cried. "What do you mean?" His voice was thick with emotion. I could see him fighting the urge to move closer to me. If he embraced me, even trying to help me I wasn't sure what I would do. It would kill me.
"Don't touch me…" I sobbed. "Don't touch me with the same hands that you were touching her with. So sweetly, so carefully I watched you stroke her hand, her fingers. Whispering so softly to her about what an amazing warrior she was, how proud you were to fight with her." I was shaking now my emotion was overwhelming. "You lied to me, you said I was special to you, you are a horrid man." My voice was inhumanly low… "I hate you."

I watched, as his hands feel to his side, unmoving. He looked at me in horrified shock. I was surprised when tears started to fill his eyes; I could see his bandana getting moist. Melinda was standing off the side behind him, her expression confused, looking between us uncertain what to say. "Go back to her and leave me be, Leonardo, I don't know what kind of stupid girl you think I am, but I won't be played with like a doll. You want your Ninja, your prefect match, with honor and swordsmanship. Take her, take her and leave me the hell alone." I broke down, falling down onto my knees, unable to stand any longer, barely able to breath as I tried to control myself. I felt Melinda at my side in an instance, hugging me. Trying to calm me. Leonardo was staring down at me with a crushed expression on his face. Like he wasn't sure what to say.
"But I don't love her." His voice was small, plaintive. He looked at me with a simple, hurt expression on his face. "I helped her because she was a comrade, but she doesn't mean anything to me. How could you think… why would you think?" His voice cracked as his emotion started to eat at him.

"Liar!" I wanted to scream. I wanted to make the genuine sounding plea he was giving me go away. Was he still toying with me, was I wrong? But still I had seen them and it had looked so real. "I saw the way you touched her, it wasn't simple "help" you were giving her."

I looked up at him and cringed as I saw his eyes narrow as I accused him of being a pretender. He frowned at me. "So what… you THINK you see something and you immediately run away to fool around with Casey of all people?" The heat was returning to his voice. As he grew angry I could feel my own quell to meet it.

"I NEVER fooled around with Casey, excuse me if April was too stupid to see that. We were fighting for the remote, I was sick of watching baseball!" I pushed up and Melinda backed away, I knew arguments frightened her, but I couldn't help myself. I was NOT going to be blamed for HIS dilemma.

Leonardo's face set I could tell he still felt justified in his actions and words. "That still doesn't explain why you would run away without even talking to me and to another man's home?" He was glaring. I returned his expression with one of my own.

"Maybe because I DIDN'T feel like interrupting your snuggle-fest with little Miss Ninja! I have some pride you know! Believe it or not, it HURT me when I saw you all lovey-dovey with her. It hurt me really badly and I just wanted to get away!" I could feel my strength collapsing again; I was fighting a losing battle. I felt like I was going to break down.

Leonardo looked at me for a minute, considering everything I had just said. I could see him studying the situation, trying to stay calm and react in the best fashion. Finally he started to step forward. His movements were slow. I had already screamed at him not to touch me and he didn't want to further aggravate me.

"Lea… I don't love her… I swear…I never have… I…"His voice strained on emotion, my eyes lifted to look at him, our expressions locked. "I love…"

"What in the hell did you make her cry again!" I nearly leapt as Casey was suddenly behind me. He pushed me to the side getting between Leo and I and glaring at the Turtle. "I don't care if you're my friend or not, Leo, I won't allow you to do this to her." I looked up at Casey surprised. Raphael had followed him from the kitchen, trying to drag his friend back away. "No, Raph, back down! I can't stand this. Leo's beating down on her because of that Ninja chick, don't think I can't hear. I've seen the two of them together, I wouldn't doubt something WAS going on and now he hurt Lea's feelings and she's crying again."

Leonardo just stared at Casey in complete shock. Like he couldn't comprehend what was leaving the other mans mouth. "Get him out of here, Raph. I wont let him hurt her, not in my house. If he won't leave, I'll call the police I swear it. I don't care." Casey punched his fist into his other hand. Leonardo breathing started to grow rapid, my eyes widen as I saw his rage building at the accusing words Casey was using against him. Raphael saw it too and I actually saw fear flash across his face.
"Come on, Leo, not now. We can all talk later, AFTER we all calm down!" Raphael started to push his brother back towards the window, Melinda just sort of watched in shock.

"Yeah tell Leo's he not welcome back here until he can act like he has all his honor and stuff!" Casey frowned. I stood frozen in place, watching as Leonardo allowed himself to be pushed from the apartment. He knew he was losing control too and I think he was scared of what he might do.

"Fine, but you touch her Casey and I swear… I'll kill you." Leonardo glared at the other man as he leapt down from the fire escape. I squeaked stepping forward afraid for his safety, only to my stopped my Casey's arm.

"He'll be fine. Let him go." Raphael shook his head as Casey spoke.

"Come on, Melinda, Don will be worried about you if you don't come. We just gotta let these two idiots sort this out." He leapt out the window himself, still shaking his head. Melinda hesitated and looked back at me.

"Go to Don…" I told her softly. "He needs you." I watched her nod and leave without words. I knew she would worry, but that it would kill her to be away from him.

Casey stood glaring for a long time. I wasn't sure what was going through his mind. Finally I sighed. "The food has to be done by now, Casey…it's going to get cold." I turned and started to walk away. I could hear him grumbling as he moved behind me. Leonardo's words still hung in my head… He had said, "I love…" But what or who was he going to say that he did.