A/N: I will give a warning in this chapter.

Warning: This chapter does go into some semi-graphic (Not crossing the line graphic) detail where abuse, rape, and beatings are discussed. If you don't like such things, you may want to skip to there the space between the (This is only marking where the graphic part takes place). Don't worry, you will not miss a whole lot.

Chapter 8

"Her Past Revealed"

Leonardo entered the room he and Callista shared. A bath towel was around his neck, giving the hint that he had showered before coming to the room to most likely draw. His eyes wandered to the bed where Callista faced the wall, her carapace to him. He smiled as he walked over to his dear mate. He sat next to Callista and began to massage her shoulder. After no response from Callista, his smile fell off his face.

"He pried again, didn't he?" asked Leonardo as he sighed, guessing what happened.

A nod was all that he got from his dear mate. He lied next to her and held her close to him, hoping to comfort her like holding her usually did. Lightly, he kissed the back of her neck.

"He worries about you," said Leonardo as simply as he could.

"And I understand that but he doesn't know what I went through," bitterly said Callista.

"I know. Not even I know your pain. I will not force you to tell me," said Leonardo as he snuggled the back of her neck.

Callista turned in Leonardo's arms, facing him. Their eyes met before kissing lightly. She cuddled Leonardo, knowing how much he enjoyed cuddling.

"It was horrible there," she said her voice thick from crying.

"In Master Splinter's study?" asked Leo, moving away from his mate to look at her.

"No, there…in that place I came from," she said, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

Leonardo looked at his beloved Callista. He held her close, not saying a word, hoping that she would go on. He knew it was a horrible place but she never went farther than that, making the hope of going on usually a false hope.

"We were beaten everyday, regardless of the reason. It could be as small of a reason as being a second late giving eye contact. Our pain meant nothing to anyone there. We learned to fear any male who came near us. This is why I feared all of you when I first awoke," she said as tears fell from her eyes.

Leonardo's eyes widened as he listened to his mate. Anger and sadness stirred in his heart, hoping and praying that one day, he'd never meet the one who did this to her for he would kill him on sight. He held her closer to him, staying quiet, allowing her to pour her heart out, telling him what happened.

"My stab wounds and scratches were because I had gotten sick of the beatings and I dodged the one who beat me. It didn't just end there. He…he…he forced me to mate with him," sobbed Callista into Leo's neck.

Leo's anger levels grew as he held her tighter and more protectively. He forced his anger down for her sake. He kissed her forehead, trying to comfort her. No one rapes the one I love and lives to tell the tale, may I run into that guy and run him through, thought Leonardo angrily.

"The minute he was finished, he was done, he decided to kill me. That's when you found me, my Leonardo," sobbed the teal masked female.

He lost his voice after hearing her story. Rape. Abuse. Beatings. No wonder she didn't want to talk about her past. Undoubtedly Elara experienced similar.

"Where was this horrible place?" asked Leonardo.

"I…I don't know," cried Callista.

Either she doesn't really know or she's afraid to speak, thought Leonardo as he continued to hold her tiny body close to him. He put his anger behind him and kissed her forehead, trying to comfort her. His hand came up behind her head and stroked her head gently, allowing his fingers to comb out her mask tails.

"Oh Callista, why didn't you tell me this?" asked Leonardo, feeling tears well up for her pain.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't love me anymore," cried Callista.

As little sense as it made, he knew just how much sense it made at the same time. He had heard of women remaining quiet after getting out of an abusive home or away from an abusive husband or boyfriend. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe that anyone so near and dear to him would have gone through that. How he wanted to kill the one who did it.

"Callista, I would love you no matter what. Nothing will ever change that. I love you, my love, my Callista, my mate," he said, reassuring her of his feelings and love.

Callista looked at Leonardo and held him tightly. It felt like a million pounds had been lifted from her however, some weight was still there. Another was still in that horrible place and she didn't even know where that horrible place was.

"And I love you as well, my Leonardo," she whispered before she kissed him deeply, allowing their lips to dance for a while.

They stayed that way for a while before breaking their kiss, denying their lips of the pleasure of dancing again. Their eyes locked on to each other's, seeing the pure love and emotion that they had for each other.

"As soon as we get rid of Shredder, I intend to ask Master Splinter to hear our vows which could be our way of being married," said Leonardo as he sighed contently.

"Yes, that would be nice. I look forward to that," she said as she cuddled Leonardo.

Oh my gosh, Master Splinter, thought Callista, suddenly feeling rather guilty about the conversation that had taken place earlier that day.

"Oh my gosh! I must have sounded so disrespectful to Master Splinter," gasped Callista.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that he'll understand and he knows how much that you hate to talk about your past. I'm sure he'll let it slide since he was the one who provoked you," assured Leonardo as he kissed her again.

Callista smiled as she snuggled her love again. He always knew what to say and how to make her feel safe. They snuggled closer to each other, content to stay together until a knock was heard at the door. The two turtles sighed. Another interruption, another moment disturbed.

"Who is it?" called out Leonardo.

"It's me, Don, Leo. I need to talk to you," called the voice from the other side of the door.

Leonardo sighed as he kissed Callista again and got off the bed, feeling relieved that she had finally told him what happened to her in the past.