The next morning, November 30, Natasha woke, still snuggled up close to Leo. Breathing in his musky scent, she sighed happily and thought, this is what true happiness is like. Never thought I'd have it. Bein' a girl ain't so bad, as it means I have Leo. She looked at him, as he snored gently, his chest rising with each breath and thought, he's so beautiful and he's mine. Leo stirred a few minutes later and catching her staring, smiled and said, "Morning, Tash."
"Mornin', baby."
"Last night was wonderful. Thank you. What time is it?"
"Little after four," Natasha said, glancing at the digital clock. "And thank ya. It was amazin' and just as special as I hoped my first time would be."
Leo shifted closer, rolled onto her and was kissing her deeply when the door opened and Mikey barged in. "Shit. Sorry," Mikey said, turning around. "I didn't know you had company, Leo!"
"That's why you knock," Leo chided. "How many times do I have to tell you to?"
"I'm sorry, bro."
"What is it?" Leo asked, pulling away from Natasha and sitting up. She did the same, covering herself with the bedsheets.
"April says that Sensei's responding to medication now and it's a good sign that he'll get better, but the medicine supply is running out fast. We need to get more and we don't have much time before the humans go to work, so we have to go now."
"Give me a couple minutes, Mikey."
"Okay, bro, and I'm sorry," Mikey said, and left, closing the door behind him.
"That's great news, Leo," Natasha said. "I'll come with ya."
"No. It's dangerous out there, Tash. Stay here and keep the bed warm," Leo said with a smile, as he dressed. Then he pressed a kiss to her beak and added, "I won't be long. Then we can continue where we left off."
"I can look after myself," Natasha huffed. "Let me come."
"I said no. It's not safe topside, Tash, and I don't want anything to happen to my girl. Not just when I found her. Not ever. Stay here."
"Leo, I really can look after myself."
"Tash, no offence, but you're a girl and it's better if you stay home. I'll bring you back something," Leo said, and left.
Natasha growled and threw a pillow onto the floor in frustration. He ain't gonna leave me, she thought. And pullin' that sexist shit and thinkin' just because I'm a girl I can't protect myself pisses me off! Natasha got up and slipped into her old room, thankful no one was around. She found one of her old belts, but it was too big for her with her new form and she sighed in exasperation. Then an idea hit her. Grabbing a ball of yarn from her closet (she'd knitted in the past), she fashioned a belt. Then she removed a spare set of sai from the weapons rack on the wall and slipped it into her belt. Satisfied, she donned a trench coat, which was also too large for her, but it would have to do. She headed out of her room and out of the lair, still not meeting anyone.
Sniffing the air, Natasha soon located Mikey and Leo, who'd had a good ten minutes start on her. She moved quickly, sticking to the shadows.
Sometime later, they all reached the surface and Mikey and Leo headed to the chemist, Natasha behind them. Mikey and Leo went inside, while Natasha stayed outside, keeping an eye out for any trouble, as she window shopped.
A few minutes later, Hun and his goons walked past and seeing a girl, who was distracted on her cell phone, Hun said, "Easy pickings. Let's get her." His men nodded and immediately accosted the girl, who began to shriek and kick out her legs, as they held her in a steel vice, emptying the contents of her purse, searching for money.
Natasha heard the girl's screams, and so did Mikey and Leo, who also came running out of the chemist, but Natasha was faster and she advanced on the men, discarding her trench coat and wielding her sai menancingly. "Drop her now, scumbags," Natasha growled.
"Whatever you say," Hun said, and indicated to his men to drop the girl. She fell to the ground with a dull thud and started to weep. "Now for you weirdo," he added. "No one tells me to what to do, least of all a freak. And since when is there a girl turtle? I thought there were only four of you freaks!" He lunged at Natasha, who flipped out of his reach, coming up behind him. "Here I am, creep," she taunted, slicing the air with her sai, displaying expert ninja skills. "Come and get me!"
"Natasha?" Leo said in shock. "What the hell!" He knew that fighting style that Natasha displayed. Only two people could have taught her that. Splinter and Oroku Saki. He'd have to question Natasha about it.
"You bet I will get you, freak!" Hun roared, springing at Natasha, who leapt out of his way and Hun crashed into the wall with a sickening thud and collapsed into a heap on the ground. Natasha held her sai to his throat and growled, "Ya ever hurt anyone again and ya will have me ta deal with. Do ya hear that, psycho?" she demanded, kicking Hun in his side. "Answer me."
Hun groaned and said, "Yes."
"Good. Any of ya wanna take me on?" Natasha asked, looking at Hun's men. They shook their heads, stunned at quickly their boss had been felled. "Good," Natasha said, sliding her sai back into the belt. "Then clear off and take him with ya!"
The men quickly lifted up their boss and left. "Wow," Mikey said, looking at Natasha in amazement. "You sure showed them, Natasha. Where did you learn skills like that?"
"Yes, Natasha," Leo said coolly, turning his sapphire eyes on Natasha, who studied the ground. "Where did you?"
The girl whimpered, still not moving and Mikey said, as he went to her side, "You okay? Hey, they're gone. Let me help you." He placed the contents of her bag back into it and said, "You're going to be all right. Hey, you have a name?"
"Laura," she sniffed. "You're a turtle. My sister met one the other day. Do you know him? His name was Raphael."
"He was my brother. I'm Mikey and these are Leo and his girlfriend, Natasha," Mikey said, placing the strewed contents back into her bag and helping her to her feet.
"Was?"
"He died," Mikey said simply and Natasha's gut churned at Mikey's words, feeling a bit guilty for her deception, but she knew she couldn't reveal the truth. Leo would dump her so fast, her head would spin and she couldn't have that. No, it was better everyone thinking Raphael was dead.
"I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose someone and it's very difficult. Thank you, Natasha."
"No problem," Natasha said, still looking at the ground, knowing Leo would demand answers as soon as the girl left.
"Why are you out at this time of the night?" Leo asked. "You don't look very old."
"I'm thirteen and I was at a friend's house, but something happened and I decided to go home. Thank you again."
"You shouldn't be out alone. We'll walk you home, but you must promise not to talk about us to anyone else."
"I promise," Laura said, looking at Mikey, and his blue eyes. She thought they were beautiful and he seemed sweet. "Why would I betray the people who helped me? I'm indebted to you always."
They walked her home in silence and upon reaching her front door, Laura paused and quickly hugged Leo, making him blush. He wasn't an openly affection guy. Then she hugged Mikey and Natasha and said, "Thank you again and I promise I won't tell anyone about you." Then she reached into her bag, withdrew a piece of paper and a pen, scribbled something and handed it to Mikey. "My number if you guys ever want to talk. I know I'm young, but I'm a good listener. See you guys later," she said, and unlocked the door and went inside.
"Wow!" Mikey said in disbelief, studying the piece of paper. "She gave me her number!"
"She gave all of us her number, bonehead," Natasha said.
"Yeah, but she was looking at me when she gave it!"
"You can fight later," Leo hissed. "We need to get back to the chemist, grab the medicine and get home."
Chastised the two younger turtles followed Leo to the chemist and he quickly went inside, while the others stayed outside. "Where did you learn moves like that, Tasha?" Mikey asked.
"Self-help books."
"No way. You can't learn skills like that from books!"
"Ya callin' me a liar, Mikey?" Natasha asked, jabbing a finger into his plastron.
"Hey!" Leo snapped, appearing with the medicine. "Cut it out!"
"Sorry, Leo," Natasha mumbled. "But he was…"
"I don't want to hear it. Let's go home," Leo said icily, sending a chill down Natasha's spine at his tone. She knew she had to come up with satisfactory answers fast for his questions.
When they arrived home, Leo told Mikey to go give the medicine to April and Donnie. Then he said, "Natasha, bedroom now."
Natasha followed him into his room and after he closed the door, he slammed her up against the wall, pinning her arms at her side and growled, "Who the hell are you, Natasha? Are you a spy?"
"Let me go, Leo! Yer hurtin' me!" Natasha begged, trying to get away.
"And I'll do a whole lot more if you don't answer my questions. Who are you? Only two people could have taught you those moves. Sensei or Oroku Saki. And my money's on the latter. Did he send you here to spy on us? Answer me." Natasha let out a sob, trying to stall, as she figured out what to say, but Leo was on to her and he said, "Trying to stall with your crying? Not going to work. I want answers now."
"Let me go and I'll tell ya, Leo. I'll tell ya everythin'. Please. I won't run. Let me go."
Leo backed off and Natasha let out a sigh of relief. He'd been rough and bruises were already showing on her wrists. "Now," Leo said crossly, folding his arms and glaring at her.
"After my mutation in Stockman's lab, Oroku Saki bought me and instructed me in ninjitsu, teachin' me everythin' he knew, with every kinda weapon ya can imagine, but I was best with the sai and no sword on earth can match my skill with it. He trained me ta be the best and when he thought I was, he told me ta go down into the sewers ta make friends with his enemies, the turtles. He knew that bein' a female, I was likely ta make ya guys fall in love with me and ya'd tell me things ya'd never tell anyone else. After a while I was ta go back ta him and report, includin' the location of yer lair."
"So you are a traitor," Leo said, narrowing his eyes. "I can't believe I allowed myself…"
Natasha held up a hand, cutting him off and said, "Then I met ya, Leo, and I couldn't do it. I fell in love with ya. Ya have ta believe me. I love ya and I would never betray ya. Yer the best thing ta happen ta me and I wanna be with ya forever. I haven't told him anythin', baby. I tossed the phone he gave me away and I….Leo."
Leo narrowed his eyes again and said, "Where did you find the sai?"
"In Raphael's room. Ya said he fought with sai."
"I don't remember telling you that," Leo said, looking at him suspiciously.
"There's a photo of Raphael on your dresser with his sai, Leo, and I figured he had a set of them in his room, so I went in there. I'm sorry. I just…."
"You deliberately disobeyed my orders, Natasha, which were to stay here. What if things had gone wrong and you'd died? How do you think that'd have made me feel? I'm the leader and I expect…"Leo blinked and said, "I used to have these talks with Raphael all the time! Why am I telling you this…I…"
"Leo, I'm sorry. I just wanted ta help if there was trouble and if I hadn't been there; those guys would have hurt that girl worse."
"Perhaps, but you still disobeyed me."
"Ya ain't the boss in our relationship, Leo," Natasha said furiously, golden eyes flashing, old anger and resentment surfacing at Leo still trying to boss her around. "We're equals. That's what a relationship is 'bout."
"In the bedroom, yes," Leo snapped. "But not otherwise. I'm leader and my job is to look after my family and keep them safe! If you want to be part of this family, you will listen to me! Actually, I'm not sure I want you to be after these revelations and your deception. I need to meditate on it. You can have Raphael's room until I've decided what to do."
Leo slammed the door behind him as he left and a sob escaped Natasha's throat. Nice goin', Raphael, she told herself. Even as Natasha, ya screwed things up with Leo! Ya better pray he gives ya another chance or yer gonna be out on yer ass. If ya'd only listened ta him, but ya just can't, can ya? Ya always have ta go against his wishes and ya could never keep yer trap shut either!
