Chapter Fourteen: Gentle Dragon

HUGE THANK YOU TO ALEXLUKE! Words can not express my full, utmost gratitude for your continued feedback and patronage. You are beyond AWESOME!

AN: I try to keep chapters 10-14 pages, but this one got away with me a bit. 18 pages. I apologize for the length.

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The two traveled in silence for nearly an hour when Sable's voice echoed in the dark.

"I need a break. I'm exhausted," she said, leaning against a tree to catch her breath.

Donnie checked the sky. The clouds were threatening either a heavy downpour or a white out. Without his electronics, and lacking wilderness experience, it was difficult to judge when it would be dawn.

"We need to keep moving," he said, examining the wooded area that had offered them shelter. "The more distance, the better. If you will allow, I can carry you so you can rest."

He held out his hand, patiently waiting for Sable to make her decision.

She stared at his three fingers. So thin and yet, so strong, able to snap a man's neck with minimal effort. But with her, his hands had been nothing but gentle.

Long, lanky arm. Narrow, but somehow broad appearing shoulders. A rounded shell. Tall and lithe, towering a foot above her. And geeky glasses, glinting through the dark, his green eyes hidden behind the lenses.

Sable placed her hand in his in quiet acceptance. He offered a brush of his fingers before scooping her up bridal style, and taking off at a hurried pace. She gaped at their speed, as he could have easily left her behind to fend for herself.

But, he didn't.

He had remained by her side though he was far faster than she ever could be.

She didn't even have to bother holding on to him for balance. His arms were able to cradle her, and though he wasn't squeezing her tight, his hold was firm. And quite comforting.

To Sable's surprise, he was also warm. She expected him to be cold and maybe a little clammy, like a reptile, but his chest was warm on her cheek. She snuggled into the heat, her gaze traveling up to Donnie's face and above, where the sky was rolling with grey threats.

"We'll travel as long as we can," Donnie explained in the dark, darting between the trees. He tried to keep his mind off the fact Sable was curled in his arms. "It should be dawn soon, though with the oncoming storm, there's no way to give an exact estimation of daylight."

The trees thinned, and there was the distinct sound of early morning commuters. Donnie slowed, sticking to the shadows. He kept an even measure with the road, and within a mile, found a sign.

"Berwick 2 miles?" Donnie grunted.

"We'll need supplies, so head to Berwick," Sable suggested. "But first, put me down. I need to see how much money we have."

Donnie pursed his lips, not liking the thought of being bossed around, but obeyed, retreating into the trees a little. The winter had been mild so trees and bushes were already burgeoning with new leafy shoots, offering them a thin cover.

There was a small stream nearby, so he sat Sable down and knelt at the water's edges, scooping up cool water to quench his thirst.

His stamina was still taxed due to his captivity and experimentation. Luckily, Sable hadn't been too heavy or he would have faired worse. But she was light. In fact, she was rather thin.

A little –too- thin by Donnie's estimation.

Sable appeared beside him, opening up the wallets of the four dead men she had stripped. Her fingers were frozen, making it difficult to count the money. Knowing the credit cards could be traced, she left them alone and hooted in triumph upon finding a gift card.

There wasn't a way of telling how much was on it, but if the man had kept it, good chance it still held cash value.

Wallets devoid of cash and gift card, Sable searched along the creek bank and found a rotten log that had washed up on shore during a flood. A hollowed place was in the middle, probably once a squirrel or bird's home, but it served her purpose well.

Carefully she stuck her hand inside and found the usual yuck, mud and sticks and probably dead bugs. She tried not to think about the bugs.

Instead, she jammed the wallets into the mire, cringing when the slushy muck oozed up to cover the wallets and her fingertips. As an added precaution, she grabbed a handful of leaves from the forest floor and stuffed them in the hole, effectively hiding her evidence.

Donnie watched her with admiration and fascination. He was taken aback by her courage and foresight. He couldn't help but stare as she knelt beside him and washed her hands, her teeth chattering in the chill.

He shivered, but it wasn't entirely from the cold, though he definitely detected a drop in temperature. Donnie shifted, adverting his gaze from the woman who had displayed such insight and strength, not hating or judging him for his appearance or actions, but placing her trust in him.

It was beyond humbling.

"Come on, there should be a gas station or country store the closer we get to town," Sable said, rising and dusting off her cargos.

Dawn broke with an ashen pallor upon the world, the sun attempting to shine through the threatening clouds.

To Donnie's astonishment, she grasped his hand and tugged him toward the road, using the sound of traffic to guide their way. There was a noticeable hitch in traffic noises, and slowly burgeoning light, which helped the duo travel faster.

Sable's guess proved correct. Not more than half a mile, there was a bend in the road and sitting innocently on the side was a small mom and pop store.

Now there was more daylight, Sable retrieved the money from her pocket and counted it out.

$311.00

And a gift card with an unknown amount.

Not much, but beggars couldn't be choosers. It would be enough to see them the couple hundred miles to home. Unfortunately, small stores and gas stations were notorious for high prices, knowing that if an item was needed, a person would be willing to pay whatever was marked. It was a sneaky thing to do, especially when a customer was on a budget.

"I'll see what I can do with this," Sable said, motioning to the money and tucking it away. It occurred her she didn't know what Donnie's diet consisted of. "What can you eat?"

She hoped it didn't sound too forward or confrontational, but she had no idea what a giant talking turtle could eat, and he needed food as much as she.

"Anything," Donnie said with a shrug. "Not picky with food, though I do love Pop Tarts."

"Pop tarts?" Sable asked faintly. She was guessing he'd want something gross like live nightcrawlers or mealworms, but it was a huge relief to hear him want something so mundane. At least she wouldn't gag watching him eat a pop tart.

"Chocolate, preferably," Donnie grinned goofily, making him appear more gawky teen than mutant turtle.

Sable shook her head, straightening up her clothes to appear less disheveled, and not so conspicuous wearing combat boots and clothes a mile too big, and walked the hundred or so paces to the road. With the cooler weather, a lot of people dressed in layers, so she didn't stick out too badly.

Waiting until it was clear, she got on the road and started toward the store. A couple cars passed but none offered her a ride, nor slowed to engage her in conversation.

To which she was extremely grateful.

As she was climbing the stairs to the porch of the store, a shriveled up face appeared in the glass, smiling pleasantly before flipping over a sign that read 'open.'

"Timed it just right,' Sable muttered under her breath.

She entered the store and smiled at the elderly owner. "Good morning."

"Good morning, dear," the lady said in a croaky voice. "Can I help you find something?"

"Just grabbing a few supplies while the kids are sleeping in the camper," Sable lied smoothly, offering a half hearted smile. "Heading south to get away from the cold."

"Good idea," the elderly woman said, offering a little shiver and pulling her sweater tighter around her bony shoulders. "Wish we could move south but the husband wouldn't hear of it."

"Nope," came a man's voice from the hidden stairway around the corner of the shop. He pulled on a heavy plaid jacket. Like his wife, he resembled a raisin. "Been here all my life. Not moving south. That's where the crazies are."

Sable laughed, glancing along the store to plan out her shopping. She picked up a basket and hit the food aisle first, collecting several tins of Vienna sausage, chicken, individually packaged peaches, box of granola bars, two boxes of chocolate pop tarts, a can of string cheese, and a box of crackers.

Sable grabbed two large bottles of water from the cooler and estimated the food would last them at least two days. Hopefully it wouldn't take that long.

Keeping a mental running tally of her bill, she went to the automotive section and found a bottle of lighter fluid and small box of matches. If she and Donnie needed to camp, they'd have to have provisions. Which also included a cheap roll of toilet paper. She wasn't keen on wiping with leaves.

A box of mixed tarps, (priced nearly twice what they would be in a retail store,) caught Sable's eye, but with her limitation of funds, she didn't want to risk using up all her money before she was close to home.

But they needed a shelter, and there was promise of a storm on the horizon.

Biting the bullet, she sorted through the jumbled sizes, happy they were camouflage, no doubt used by hunters as blinds during hunting season. A pack of zip ties was added to help keep the tarps secured during a storm. Though if it came a bad winter storm, the tarps would offer very little protection.

Hoping she'd have enough, Sable approached the counter and sat her basket down. She frowned as the clerk rang up her purchases, the numbers getting higher and higher and threatening her limited funds.

"One hundred twenty-eight dollars and fourteen cents," the elderly woman said, adjusting her wire rim glasses on her bony nose.

Sable held up the gift card. "I don't know how much is on this, but can we use it first?"

"Sure dear," the lady said, taking the card and running it through the keyboard on the register. Sable waited with bated breath as the machine buzzed in thought.

"Sixty-four-o-six," the cashier said brightly.

Sable sighed in relief. Knowing she and Donnie were going to be stuck roughing it a couple of days and would be needing extra insulation, Sable grabbed fuzzy blankets off a nearby display. They bore the lurid colors of an animation show popular with small children. But they were warm and cozy and would provide some protection from the elements, especially if the weather threatened freezing rains.

The cashier added the three blankets (at $18.99 each,) smirking at the character choices. "Little ones, hun?"

Sable played along, rolling her eyes. "Yeah. They've been really good and we still have several miles till Florida, so I thought I'd give them a present for being good."

Grabbing a handful of Hersey bars, Sable tossed them on the counter as well, winking at the elderly woman and added, "Long drives deserve a little extra spoiling."

"One hundred Forty-three dollars and three cents," the lady said, bagging up the groceries and accepting the cash Sable handed her. "Hardly see folk along this neck of the wood. Most stick to the interstate."

"Our camper can't do high speeds, so we're taking rural roads," Sable lied, accepting her change.

"All the way to Florida?" the lady asked, getting out another bag to hold the non food items.

"Yup, husband got a good job offer, so we're relocating from Maine," Sable exaggerated easily. Knowing that country folk enjoyed idle chitchat, Sable added, "My family is from Virginia, so we're going to stop in and see them for a couple of weeks. Then I have a sister in Georgia. It will be nice to see my family. Been about eight years since we all got together. Boy, I miss the holidays with them."

"I bet, dear," the old lady said sympathetically. "I have four grandbabies in Texas. Have never met them in person, but their momma knows all about that computer stuff, and I get to see them on the internet."

"Yeah, but it's not the same," Sable sighed dramatically.

"No honey, it sure isn't," the old lady repeated sadly. "I wish they lived closer. Might move down closer to them when we finally retire." She glanced around the general store. "We've operated this store near fifty years. Took over from my husband's daddy."

"Shame to leave all the history and tradition," Sable put in, collecting her bags. "Well, thank you very much. You have a great day and I hope you get to see your grandbabies soon. I'm sure they would love to meet you."

"You too, honey," she called, waving a gnarled hand. "Have a safe trip."

"Thank you," Sable smiled, exiting the store with her arms laden with supplies.

When she strolled down the street, as to not draw any unwanted attention, she ambled down the road and slipped into the trees, where Donnie greeted her.

Immediately he grabbed the bags, taking on their burden. "What took you?"

"Ladies like to chat," Sable said by way of explanation.

Donnie's eyes darted around the wood, then he motioned for her to follow They walked for half a mile before he sat down the bags, his stomach growling. "Are you sure no one followed you?"

"There wasn't anyone around save for a few drivers," Sable said, opening the bags and extracting food. "I hope I got enough to last us until we reach home."

"Oh, chocolate!" Donnie exclaimed, immediately opening a box of pop tarts and shoving half of it in his mouth. Sable stared, slacked jawed at him. While chewing, he spoke. "I can eat practically anything. No diet restrictions."

"Well, that's good," Sable grinned, withdrawing a box of granola bars and tinned meat. "Now we need to work on your table manners."

Not wanting to act like a pig, Donnie slowed his eating and dusted the crumbs off his plastron. Grinning sheepishly, he offered to share his favorite food. Sable smiled and opened a tin of sausages, handing it to him and causing his cheeks to heat.

The two ate for a few moments, the sky hanging heavy overhead. Spring birds were singing, encouraging the world to wake up. The trees and scrubby brush was crowned with new green buds that awaited the passing of winter.

Sable yawned around her pop tart, shoulders and eyes drooping. She had been awake all night, something she wasn't used to doing. Add to the fact she had been through a roller coaster ride of emotions and physical exertions, fatigue was weighing heavier and heavier with each passing moment.

Donnie was fairing no better. His limbs ached, muscles knotted, his own eyes were dropping. Needing a place to rest, if only for a little while, Donnie found a tall pine tree nearby, its branches thick and protective. It would offer some shelter while they rested.

He helped Sable to her feet and escorted her under the boughs, which were so low he had to nearly bend in half to get beneath them. A thick carpet of pine needles provided a little padding. The evergreen canopy hung above, protecting the two under its boughs.

"We need to get some rest. Should get in a few miles before it gets dark and we lose our bearings." Donnie explained, opening one of the small tarps and spreading it out.

Sable settled down next to him, causing his back to stiffen apprehensively from her proximity. She offered a yawn in agreement, pulling out one of the large blankets and grinning at Donnie when a cartoon character was revealed.

Donnie rolled his eyes. "Don't let Mikey see that. It's one of his favorite shows."

Sable snorted and placed the blanket over Donnie's legs. She opened up a similar blanket of the same character and placed it over herself, before drawing close to Donnie, seeking his warmth.

Donnie hesitantly scooted closer, spooning around her to keep her safe and warm. Despite the many layers she wore, he sensed how small she was. He knew females were usually petite in nature, but Sable seemed to be thinner than what he expected.

Idly he wondered if she had been starved at the facility.

He had noticed how light she was when he carried her through the dark, but didn't mention her physical state, lest she become uncomfortable. But it still bothered him how thin she was.

If they were out in the elements for any length of time, her health could seriously decline. She lacked the proper insulation to keep her healthy.

Well, Donnie wouldn't allow her to come to harm. He would do whatever was necessary to ensure her survival.

"Just a couple hours. Then we have to be on the move." He muttered absently, closing his eyes.

Sable was already sound asleep and didn't hear him. She knew she was safe from any monsters that may be lurking in the dark and scary woods. Her hero was more than capable of taking care of them.

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Donnie was startled awake by the sound of voices. He found Sable curled in his arms, resting peacefully, but he didn't have time to admire her beauty. The voices were getting louder. Carefully he shook her, her liquid brown eyes fluttering open to stare up at him with trust and acceptance. The moments stole his breath away.

Sable groggily asked, "What is it? What's going on?" as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and snapped Donnie out of his spell.

He held up a finger to his lips in silence and extracted himself from the blankets. Using his ninja skills, he remained hidden, ferreting out his foes by using their voices and found himself ready to pounce on several children.

They were laughing and joking, backpacks slung over shoulders. They ranged in age from kindergarten to high school, keeping together and scuffing their shoes down a winding dirt road.

Donnie cursed under his breath, racing back to Sable. She was already packing the blankets and tarp in the plastic shopping bags, ready to move.

"What is it? The scientists, looking for us?"

"Children returning from school," Donnie said, glancing to the sky. The grey was turning black. A big storm was brewing. "We need to get moving. Put some miles behind us before we settle for the night."

Donnie mentally cursed himself. He had slept too long. If kids were getting out of school, that meant most of the daylight, for what it was worth, was already gone. They'd have a lot of miles to make up before setting up camp again. He chastised himself for sleeping so long. It wasn't like him to be unconscious for longer than a couple of hours. It wasn't in his nature.

He must have been more exhausted than he thought.

"We need to move quickly. Make up for lost time,' Donnie said, gathering up the bags and nodding toward the direction they needed to go.

"Okay, but remember, my legs are shorter than yours," Sable scolded around a yawn.

She could have slept all day and probably all night, but Donnie was right. They needed to get going. She frowned when Donnie handed her all the shopping bags, but she took them, the plastic rattling as she tried to balance them. A squeal erupted before she could stop herself as Donnie swooped in, holding her in his arms. He offered a cheeky grin, then took off, his bare feet a blur over the forest floor.

"We need to make up for time," he reiterated.

It was true, but there was also an underlying need for him to keep her warm. The temperature was dropping. He could feel it in his bones. It was doubtful she could maintain a fast pace to keep her blood pumping to keep her warm for an extended time.

Sable snorted at her carrier turtle and nestled their supplies in her lap. She opened the pop tarts and took one out, offering it to Donnie as he ran. He made a happy noise, chomping down on the chocolate confection and picked up speed.

After a couple of hours, Donnie slowed. His heart was pounding in Sable's ear, his breath coming in short bursts that plumed in front of his face. Despite wearing several shirts, Sable was shivering. Her nose and fingers were frozen.

Sable placed her hand on Donnie's plastron, directly over his hammering heart.

"We're far enough away. You need to rest."

Donnie slowed considerably, eyes scanning the surrounding terrain. They had left a highway about a mile behind them when they came to a clearing. A couple downed trees were flanking a large rock lined fire pit. The whole area was decorated in empty beer cans and bottles and a few deposited condoms.

Donnie's head swiveled around, taking in the surroundings.

"We should be safe here," Sable said, wanting Donnie to put her down, but he refused. If anything, he held her tighter. "It's safe, Donnie. It's a bonfire site. Kids come here to party and make out. It's safe because it's out of the way, so the fire or loud music won't draw attention."

"You're sure?" Donnie asked skeptically. He clutched Sable protectively. "Seems unsafe. High risk due to broken bottles, rusted cans, and possibly needles from drug use." Donnie saw a condom and curled his snout. "This place is a toxic dump."

"Which is why it's a fave hangout for kids who want to do illegal stuff from the prying eyes of their parents," Sable said, taking in the familiar scene. "But from the looks of this place, it hasn't been used in awhile. It would be safe to say here tonight."

"No," Donnie said flatly, becoming a silent wraith amongst the trees as he took off at a run.

Ten minutes later they found another clearing, though this one lacked potentially dangerous paraphernalia. Donnie sat Sable on her feet and pointed to several closely knitted trees.

"We'll camp here. I'll check the perimeter."

Sable didn't argue. Using her booted foot, she scratched and scraped the ground, clearing it of leaves and sticks, making sure nothing could catch fire unexpectedly. She had finished sweeping out a good ten foot arc when Donnie appeared out of the dark.

She gaped at him, startled he could move so quietly. His arms held several sticks and logs. He deposited his load next to a grouping of tightly knitted trees and disappeared back into the darkened wood.

Sable collected the fallen limbs and sticks around their makeshift campsite, hoping to find enough to last through the night. She made sure to keep within eyesight of the clearing.

Arms full of twigs and sticks, she returned to find Donnie dropping several rocks on the ground where she had cleared the area with her foot. He placed the rocks into a crooked ring, then began pulling out the tarps and zip ties, working on their shelter.

As Donnie worked, he watched Sable from the corner of his eye. Though he knew she was tired, she worked diligently, collecting sticks and smaller rocks to forge their fire pit. She used the lighter fluid and matches to get some of the leaves and smaller twigs burning, adding a couple larger sticks to allow the fire to grow. When she bent over to pick up a bigger log Donnie had found, he took a moment to appreciate her backside, still petite and nicely rounded, despite the double pair of pants she wore.

Embarrassed for his obvious stalking behavior, Donnie busied himself with making a shelter. The large tarp was slanted backward to keep rain from pooling in the center, the base secured to the ground via zip ties and tree roots. Donnie used one of the smaller tarps to construct a side wall to help trap in the heat coming from the fire a few feet away. The other tarp he placed on the ground, glad there wasn't any rocks to dig into flesh and bone and shell when they slept.

The fire ate up the sticks and twigs with voracity. Fearing they'd run out of wood before the dawn, Donnie searched around the perimeter for more wood. A couple of broken limbs offered promise.

Using the skills Master Splinter taught him, Donnie broke the limbs into several pieces, building quite a stockpile of firewood. He placed them with the handful of logs and found Sable seated by the fire, warming her hands.

She stared into the mesmerizing flame, wondering how her life had taken such a strange and drastic turn.

Less than forty-eight hours ago, she was drugged and used as a sex object. Doctors, the ones sworn to heal the sick and uphold an oath of doing no harm, had allowed her to be violated against her will.

Who knows what else they had planned for her and Donnie. She shuddered to think what depraved and inhumane things the 'doctors,' (if she could still call them that,) would have inflicted on them.

But they escaped.

Donnie had done what was necessary to get her out of there. He took care of her when he could have easily left her behind. Though they had met under the worst of circumstances, and she had witnessed his strength and violence, she felt safe with him.

She started when a blanket was draped around her shoulders, Donnie tucking it in to give her warmth. She stared at him, the fire light flickering over his reptilian features.

He was so strange.

Obviously not human, at least not completely. He had green skin, scales, flat short snout, and no one could miss that giant sheet-wrapped shell on his back. His three fingers and two toes were also a hint to his species.

But he was more than those things. More than the sum of his biology.

He was he was gentle, protective. Intelligent. Oh my! Yes, he was some sort of a genius. He could speak. Perform complex marital arts moves as graceful and deadly as any action movie hero. And as she watched him open up tinned meats and hand her a can of Vienna sausage, she saw him flash a bashful smile. He had teeth. And opposable thumbs. He wore glasses.

He was also sitting next to her, watching the growing flame and tossing on a couple more sticks, the amber light dancing on his thin, wiry features.

Kind, generous, thoughtful, and when he realized what had transpired between them while in a drug induced haze, he was shamed, asking for forgiveness for something that neither had control over.

Despite him breaking the necks of the security guards, she could tell from his demeanor that violence was not a natural part of him. Sure he knew how to take care of himself, but he was more of a diplomat than a fighter. Relying on diplomatic or scientific answers to solve a problem instead of physical violence.

The ease he carried her, without compliant, as they escaped through the woods. His consideration they find a suitable place to rest. His vigilance of their surroundings and willingness to protect her.

He was so much more than the green skin and shell.

He was timid and so deceptively strong, in body and spirit.

Sable shook her head to clear her thoughts. She didn't like where they were traveling. She scowled into the fire. The flames cackled and danced in the growing darkness, providing light and heat but Sable was feeling too warm.

Her attention was drawn to Donnie, who nudged her. He handed her a granola bar, some crackers and cheese, and a pop tart. He smiled in a disarming, innocent way. Expectant. Like what one might find a child presenting a gift of a rock or stubby flower.

Sable accepted the dinner graciously, her attention once against drifting to the unique and fascinating mutant who had saved her from… -she shuddered to think it!

The two ate in silence, Donnie bowed over his portion of pop tats and crackers, the fire light glinting on his glasses.

Sable tried hard not to stare, but she kept finding herself taking in his features.

It was different being locked in a room with him. Though here was no denying the sexual encounter they unwittingly shared, she had monitored his movements for anything hinting of untoward or illicit behavior.

But he had been respectful. Polite. Sweet, even.

When she became fatigued, he carried her without compliant or hesitation. Even the makeshift lean to he constructed was more for her benefit than his. No doubt he could tuck into his shell and be fine.

She on the other hand, was exposed to the elements. And given her previously sickly state, she lacked the proper immunity to fight off illness from exposure.

Donnie added several larger sticks to the fire shoving the hot coals and partially burnt pieces to the far side of the impromptu pit. She wasn't sure how he was able to break the larger pieces to use as firewood, but given his hidden strength when fighting, she guessed he had simply snapped the pieces in half.

She paused for a moment, realizing she didn't fear him for this strength. She found it… comforting. Safe. And somewhat, charming. A knight in shining shell. She smirked at the metaphor as the first drops of rain began to fall.

"Into the tent," Donnie commanded, giving the fire a last few pokes and placing a large log on it.

Sable didn't argue. She scrambled into the tarp abode, finding their food supplies tucked neatly in the back, out of the way. The blankets were folded as well, ready to be put into service.

Donnie joined Sable a moment later, a drop of rain hanging from his glasses.

It took a bit of repositioning and trying different things, but they finally settled with Donnie in back of the tent, Sable near the front, closest to the fire. She could feel its heat though the rain was beginning to pick up.

As a true caregiver, Donnie made sure to drape her with a blanket before himself.

"Hopefully the rain won't last or be too heavy and put out the fire," he explained softly, as he was a few inches from her ear.

Sable thought it would be uncomfortable or awkward to be lying in a tent, on the ground, wrapped in a blanket, a giant turtle behind her. Her shoulder bumped into his chest seeking reassurance.

Though their situation was dire, being miles away from familiar territory, not truly knowing each other, possibly having crazed scientists and commandos chasing them with the intent to capture or kill them, Sable felt safe in Donnie's shadow. She shivered, the thought of being caught and kept in a lab chilling her worse than the winter storm.

Donnie mistook her trembling and grabbed the other blanket, placing it over her.

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, and cuddled closer, taking his arm and draping it over her midsection. Donnie tensed, keeping himself rigid for a moment, before relaxing into the comforting embrace.

"Donnie, do you think the doctors are going to come after us?" Sable asked after a moment, staring up at the pewter grey underside of the tarp hanging above, keeping them dry from the rain.

"I hope not," he answered sadly.

Sable turned in his arms to face him. It was when she was laying so close their size difference became comically obvious. He was so long and lanky, with a wide shell. Quite formidable to one not accustomed to his gentle nature.

"Is there someway we can hide? Move across country or something?" she asked. She didn't like the idea of moving so far away from her family, but if it meant never being a lab experiment again, she'd do whatever was necessary. Even if it meant never seeing her loved ones again. She couldn't risk dragging them into this horrible, sordid mess.

Donnie hesitated, his gaze drifting aimlessly, refusing to meet Sable's inquiring expression.

She surmised he was hiding something and reached up, grasping his face.

"Tell me," she commanded softly.

Donnie took a deep breath, heart hammering in his chest. This was the closest (physically) he'd ever been to a female. Well, other than being drugged and mounting her, but he had no recollection of that.

He'd hugged April a few times. But this?

This was different. More…personal.

April was family. A big sister.

Sable wasn't. She was small, and fragile, trusting and oh, so beautiful, inside and out. She was strong and smart and yet, so delicate and feminine.

He wasn't sure how much he should tell her, but judging by the fear in her eyes, he decided to tell the whole truth. Besides, lying wasn't a part of his being. And she had witnessed some truly awful and horrible things at his hand. He honestly expected her to hate him or be disgusted by him and his physique, but she had shown remarkable courage and acceptance, even being so bold as to place his arm around her waist while she lay in his arms.

"When I hacked the system, I found the environmental controls," Donnie started slowly, hoping Sable wouldn't hate him for what he'd done. He didn't feel any guilt over it, but maybe later, when their lives weren't at stake he could reflect on the moment and find the appropriate emotional response, but as of right now, he held no remorse for his actions.

Sable waited patiently, her face a few inches from his own, her tiny frame pressed close to his. It was nice, but a little distracting. Donnie focused on his explanation, hoping to distract himself from the tingling along his shell at her proximity.

"We were held at a genetics and biological research facility. They had a foothold situation installed. I initiated it."

"Foothold?" Sable asked.

"Total lockdown. Nothing in, nothing out. In case of outbreak or contagions." Donnie explained, his thumb subconsciously tracing Sable's side. "When the terminal was accessed, no doubt they went to check logs to find out the approximate time of our escape to realize how much of a head start we had, the program initiated."

Sale squinted at the nerdy, yet cunning turtle. "You did something else, didn't you?"

Donnie ducked his head a little, heat rising in his cheeks. "I turned off the ventilation system, and reversed the air pumps from the main lab. When the lock down initiated, it sent all the fumes from the dangerous chemicals out into the base."

"Making the torture chamber into a giant gas chamber," Sable guessed slowly.

Donnie gave a curt nod. "Hopefully I got Mr. Point and Mr. Bishop in the trap," he admitted without shame. "If either survived, I have a feeling they have the resources to find us."

Sable gulped audibly. She didn't want to be an experiment. She could only imagine what Donnie must be feeling.

"What about their data? The tests they ran? The samples they took?" Sable asked, the depths of the situation crashing down with the force of a bomb. If anything got out, samples, specimens, findings…some truly horrible things could come of that vile and wretched facility.

"Took care of that, too," Donnie added sheepishly. "Transferred all their data to my own secured network."

"How?" Sable had a feeling the sneaky turtle had more than one trick up his shell. "But, won't they trace the transmissions and do that pinpoint ISP stuff they talk about on cop shows?"

Donnie shrugged though it was hard to do in the confines of the tent. His shell scratched the tent and made it flap.

"I'm good at covering my tracks," Donnie assured her. "And once the data transferred to my network, I wrote a virus to crash the main system and sent out Trojans to any back up feeds." Donnie grinned, showing off his even teeth in the firelight.

Sable closed her eyes and shook he head. "I'm not even going to ask."

Donnie chuckled. "I have wireless transmitters that give me full autonomy."

Sable settled closer, the warm fire still burning at her back and the gentle heroic turtle who was more than she ever imagined.

"How can you have mobile transmitters? Do you have satellites strapped to birds?"

Donnie laughed a light, hearty sound that mirrored his boyish grin.

"A lot of newer cars are wifi enabled. Designed some transmitters and placed on the vehicles." Donnie stared out at the dancing firelight and continued, "While cars are stuck in traffic, it's easy to slide a manhole cover aside and attach a small transmitter. Then when the car moves on, I still have a signal. And since its mobile, it makes it complicated to track."

"Genius," Sable breathed, earning another goofy grin.

How could she ever think of this amazing, wonderful person as being anything less than what he was? How did she only perceive him as a lowly animal?

She wanted to pinch herself, making sure all of this wasn't a dream. But the rock next to her head was a definitive reminder she was in the real world, and there were real bad guys that could hunt them down. She didn't know who Mr. Point or Bishop were, but she sincerely hoped Donnie had caught them in his trap.

The fire cackled on, despite the steady rain murmuring on the tarp overhead.

"But, we're safe, right?" Sable asked, uncertainty still pecking at her like an angry chicken. She couldn't rest until she knew she wouldn't be woken up by gunpoint and dragged to another lab to be experimented on.

"We're safe," Donnie reiterated, hand firm on her side in reassurance. "Hopefully the trap I set, and the loss of all their data, will make it impossible for them to recover."

"Good," Sable sighed, leaning into Donnie and tucking neatly at his side. Within moments she was sound asleep.

Donnie caressed her side, marveling at the small human female. He knew he was lucky to get her to trust him, especially after he had his way with her. He couldn't help but think he raped her, though he had no control over himself, nor apparently did she. But being drugged had not taken the sting off the fact he had done the unthinkable to a helpless female.

The fact she trusted him enough to not only sleep with him, but so closely, humbled the tech turtle.

She had every right to scream and shout, beat and rip off his shell for what he had done. But she was understanding and accepting, at least now.

At first, he knew she saw him as nothing more than an animal, a brute. Didn't help he took out fully armed men without even breaking sweat. Most would have realized how dangerous he was and fled in fear.

But not Sable. She stuck with him. Trusting him. Depended on him.

He was going to make sure she made it home, regardless how long it took, how many people he had to take out, or the distance traveled. He would make sure she got home, safe and sound, so she could get on with her life and forget this whole ordeal.

Maybe even him.

He didn't know.

It was up to her if she wanted to keep in contact.

He hoped so. She was so nice. She sighed in her sleep and Donnie smiled tenderly at his charge.

Yes, he would do everything in his power to ensure she made it home.

Rain pattered on the top of the tent, lulling Donnie to sleep, his arm draped protectively over Sable.

-o-

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o-o

Awwwww… aren't they sweet? Donnie is such a cute little dragon!

Sorry for the longer chapter. It kinda got away with me! Feedback would be greatly appreciated. :D

Are there readers who would like to see this continued?