A softer look

2011, sometime around midnight.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" A woman screamed as she stood away from the man she called her lover. "She came back with her ass covered in white shit crying about her clit hurting!" The young girl winced around the corner, staring into the room where her parents were, tears streaming down red and puffy cheeks.

"It's MY daughter, you have no right to accuse me of anything!" He screamed back.

"I'm the one who carried her for 9 months, who told her to run when you choked me, you are no fucking father!"

She became aware of a click..the safety of a gun switching off. "What are you doing?! Joel!" she cried

"I've had enough of your shit." Was the last, cold words he said before a loud bang was heard..The young girl's mother fell to the ground with blood leaking from the open wound right in front of her baby eyes. She stood there, but didn't cry..it didn't even process what had just happened right in front of her.

When the man became aware of her presence, he kneeled down to her. Giving a softer look..

"If anyone asks, mommy hurt herself..Daddy tried to stop her, alright?" When he didn't receivea response, he sighed. "Daddy won't ever let you leave him..but if the time comes, don't dare trust another adult. They're all cock-stabbing, selfish motherfuckers. Repeat that to me now."

"Don't trust an adult..they're all cockstabbing and selfish."

"You missed a word." he said dangerously, pulling the gun out again.

"But mommy said not to cuss-"

"Mommy's not here now!" He said, pointing the gun under her chin. "Repeat!"

"Don't dare trust another adult, they're all cock-stabbing, selfish motherfuckers!" She screamed in fear..He pulled the gun back. "Good girl. now get cleaned and go to bed, daddy will be there soon."

Current

"Leonardo, you sound distressed. Is something the matter? Are you in danger?" Splinter answered the phone to Leo's disappointed tone, Leo only needed to say "Father, we're not going to be home for a bit" For splinter's anxiety to peak.

"N-no, Nothing bad like that..i mean it's bad..We're just handling something."

"Do I need to come over?"

"I..i don't know, sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever handled anything regarding.." He trailed off..pacing around the bathroom he'd shut himself in for privacy..It was awkward to talk about sex to his sensei, but pushing it to rape? But someone needed to know, Whether dai wanted it secret or not..an adult that's more knowledgeable should know.

"Regarding what?"

"Rape." He said it plainly, shaking a little.

There was a pause, Leo could envision his father's furred ears pointing up in shock and surprise on the other end of the line.

"Your brothers-" he started until Leo cut him off, knowing he'd ask if something happened to his brothers.

"No..It's dai.." He sighed, Waiting for a response from his father.

"Tell me what happened." he said in a solemn voice, though he doesn't know this girl well..he knows no one should go through this, he holds the phone and grabs his robe with the hood and puts it over him, making his way to the front entrance.

"i..i don't want to reveal too much, someone she knew was demanding nudes and pornagraphic videos of her, he came to her apartment and tied her up and.." He trailed off.

"Is she safe now?"

"Raph beat up the guy, donnie untied her and helped her, Mikey threw the guy off the fire escape."

"Did Michelangelo kill him?" He was surprised, he knew Mikey can have overprotective violent moments, but actually killing a guy? Though that does make sure the man will never tell another soul of their existence.

"I don't know, We didn't check.. Raph used her phone to order us dinner, we're going to stay with her the night."

"Would you need anything?"

"Donnie wants his medical stuff to check her over, he said he would come over later."

"I can take them over."

"You...Want to talk to her, don't you?"

Leo could tell by the rare offer to leave the safety of the lair, He heard a sigh on the other end of the line.

"I'll be over in 30 minutes. Will that be too long?"

"No, it's ok. Thank you sensei." The phone went silent..He stuffed it away in his belt.

A breeze, soft against her black eyelashes, against the red tint of her distressed face, a million miles away from everything around her, the metal platform beneath her feet, the hair blowing loosely in the city air.

Raph stood, watching her..Mikey came next to him and lightly tapped the small bulge of his muscle on his shoulder. He turned his head and whispered.

"Yeah, mike?"

"Go talk to her." He said simply

"About what?"

"Anything, Just..so she doesn't feel alone?"

"How can you tell she feels like that?"

"Just do it, you can't be the loner all the time bro."

"I'm not a loner, I just don't like people."

"exactly, just..please?" mikey pleaded, with a sigh..Raph stepped closer to the girl, Mikey knows raphs soft spot, he knows it's hard to make a connection to people, but..mikey's hoping there'll be some connection.

She seemed peaceful, yet crestfallen. He felt his heart drop almost, yes..she was sick in the head, but no one deserves that type of shit. He stepped over and leaned on the railing next to her, staring off into the city alongside.

"You don't have to stay." She said finally, Letting her gaze drop from the stars to the white markings against the street.

"I mean..you may need help unpacking, you got a lot of boxes?" an excuse..a pretty bad one at that, but at least he's talking to her.

"I know you're just doing this for pity."

"What on earth gave you that idea?"

"It's always the same."

"And what if we actually care?"

She let out a cold scoff, laughing to herself as if recalling the lesson she was taught as a child, the lesson that proved itself yet again. "No one loves or cares about anything."

He grabbed her hand that was gripping to the railing. "That isn't true"

"How can you say that?"

"You cared enough to help us, You cared enough 'bout that jackass to..." He stopped, He had to be delicate, "The point is, it's rare..but people actually give a shit."

She finally looked at his hand around hers, A sense of anxiety flowed in her for the bleeding of her wrist under her long shirt. But she still smiled.

"You know..I don't think there's anything wrong with your weight." He added, staring at her frail figure. Her arms were thin, anymore weight loss and you'll be able to see bone.

"Others would say the opposite.."

"Well..they're pricks."

"Raph..right?"

"That's my name, yeah?"

"Why?"

"Why what? "

"Why did you push him off?"

"Why wouldn't i? You were getting raped!"

"Most people just see it and keep walking, Most people don't care-" He grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him.

"Hey, we've already been over this, We aren't like most people and we do care."

"And how am I to believe you?"

"What would it take to make you believe me?"

He looked deeply in her eyes, only dropping his gaze when the breeze picked up, Her hair blowing beautifully and the silk nightgown she changed in for comfort.

"Whatever is going on in your head right now..It's not true."

"How do you know?"

"I don't..But by an assumption..i'm sure i'm right."

"Just because you're right, doesn't mean i'm wrong."

He looked inside, Mikey was watching wide-eyed. He waved his hand in a motion to silently say "Keep going"

"I..look.." He sighed, unable to get any words out. She smiled up at his distressed eyes that were only a few inches above her head.

"You can't find the words..can you?"

"No.."

"Sometimes words don't need to be said."

He looked again to mikey, he opened his arms as a signal for him to hug her, He glared, refusing, Mikey put his hands on his hips and glared back at his elder brother. He looked back at the girl in front of him, He pulled her in, hesitated, But wrapped his arms tight. Her body was chilling, Freezing, But somehow it brought a strange sense of comfort he usually doesn't feel when hugging somebody outside of his clan..She was surprised, but leaned against his shoulder.

He looked beyond her, Seeing a shadow, He grabbed her close and moved her behind himself, His tension fading once the figure leaped before them, Standing graceful and tall, The elder that cared for him since a baby. He held a toolbox of medic supplies, he sighed, letting her loose. They both stood before the sophisticated rat.

"My son, do you mind delivering this to donatello?"

Raph scanned his father, taking the tool box from his hand and heading inside, leading Mikey away from the scene.

Dai stared at the mutant, then leaned against the rail yet again. "Glad you could join the party."

"We both know this is nothing of a party."

She sighed, looking at the body far below her..silently referencing a small, beautiful song in a hushed whisper. "I know you love him but it's over mate..it doesn't matter, put the phone away. it's never easy to walk away let him go-"

"It'll be alright." He sang along, She looked up in interest.

"You know it too?"

"My sons listen to the radio often, I typically block it out."

"Most music now is shit anyways."

"Swearing isn't always necessary."

"No..but it's calming."

"Dai..may i call you that?"

"It's my name, isn't it?"

"Then, You may call me Splinter."

"Splinter..badass name, i was in a highschool rock band named the bleeding splinter." She smirked

"May I ask..what was your relation with that man?"

"Which man? There's a dozen in my life."

"The corpse underneath us."

She sighed, that smirk was only ephemeral as she stared longingly at the stars.

"Whoever said you can always trust family must've had a silver fucking spoon in their mouth, because that's a blatant lie."

Splinter put his hand on her shoulder, she was small, his heart ached for her.

"Why did you come here?" she asked,

"Because I want to help you."

"What? are you a therapist?" a bitter laugh with narrowed eyes, He could feel the aching, feel the urge to leap off the platform. He pulled her gently away from the edge.

"I don't think there's anything you could do to help me.."

"We can always try."

"It'll get tedious."

"I raised 4 boys, I'm used to it."

"..I ran here to get away from it all.." Flashbacks, Her running to the nearest airport with a couple bags, all her shit with her friends..When her father was screaming at her from his car, the police sirens behind her as fresh hot tears streamed down her face..She just wanted to start her own life, to escape the constant torture. Rape, molesting, Guns and screaming, The fear day by day of losing her life until she stood up..but even the authorities could care less. A warm drop leaked from her drowsy eyes as the rat starred.

"Dai?" A small voice spoke, Donnie by the window staring at the two. "I..well i have some of the things i need ready, would it be alright to examineyou? I could try to call a friend if you-"

"It's ok..I've had tons before."

"Sensei, Can you help me get some of the equipment set up?"

He nodded, Stepping inside, needing to lower his head a bit to get inside and stepping around the pool of vomit and blood. They looked at her.

"Are you coming?"

"J..just a second." They turned away from her.. She looked at her fire escape. She climbed up on it, Letting the wind blow through her body as she stared down at the murder her friend commited. When she lifted her foot to take that final step, a force pushed her down back to the platform, her head slamming against it.

She felt a rough hand force against her mouth. "Don't scream you little bitch, You owe me big time."

"Hun!" Leo screamed as he ran to Dai's rescue, He slowed in his tracks when he saw a gun.

"Come any closer and I'll splatter her brains."

She lifted her knee fast, striking into his stomach, He let out a grunt, but kept his hold, She kept kicking, distracting him long enough for Leo to grab his chain and force him off of her, The chain snapped in his grasp as Hun stumbled back, Gripping on the railing for extra support.

"Dai! Get out of here!"

She tried running back inside for her gun, Hun grabbed her by her ponytail and yanked her to him, He pushed her off the escape. She made a quick grab for his shirt, if she was going down, he was sure as hell falling with her. Both of them landed hard on the sidewalk, Hun's fall was broken by the frail girl's body..unluckily for her, the impact of her skull on the concrete caused her to fall unconscious yet again. Hun was slick to grab her and carry her away, Leo jumped below, trying to chase him, but lost in an ambush by the other members, Old faces and new, Fighting them alone trying to avoid knives and occasionalgunfire.

The rest of the clan raced to the fire escape to the sounds of screams and bangs akin to a firework explosion. "Oh no.." Donnie gasped, They jumped down, swiftly fighting their foes, Master splinter was able to take out most of them using simple pressure points he learned in his youth, in his years of ninja training. Whenever Leo tried to break away to save Dai, he'd be stopped by a passing car nearly running him over or a bullet almost shooting through his chest and shell by a gang member.. Soon they were all down, all on the cement in immobilizing pain.

"Let's go! We gotta get Dai!"

"They kidnapped her?!" Raph shouted in angered surprise, Following the leader as they ran aimlessly down the streets.

"Did you see where he went?" Mikey shouted through pants for needed air

"No..He got away.."

"We will find her, my sons." Sensei sweared as he looked to his distressed sons with a softer look.