(BETA) This Story has not been read through thoroughly so there will be some lingering mistakes, apologies! This will be rectified once read though...when I have time... (BETA)

OTHERWISE ENJOY!

This is my second story posted so be gentle, I've not written in a long time...

xxx

...

Later on that evening Alice hadn't come out of the room just yet. No one wanted to disturb her so they let her be. In the Kitchen Mikey was raiding the fridge.

"Alright dudes, who wants a pepper anchovy, pizza omelet…thing?" He turned from the fridge with a massive grin on his face pleased with his concoction for dinner.

The others didn't look quite as chuffed. They crossed their arms over their chests and raised their brow at Mikey.

"What? Alright well you come up with something better then!" He sulked.

"Mind if I have a go?" A soft voice came from behind them.

The brothers turned round to see Alice standing there in new clothes, a soft blue dress that stop just above her knees and short-sleeved pink cardigan.

Nothing was said for a moment, she felt slightly embarrassed with how they were looking at her. "One of my jobs was being a chef, maybe I could whip something up for you." She hobbled to the fridge and bent over to look inside.

"You wanna have bash! Go ahead! Though good luck coming up with something better then pepper and Anchovy pizza omelet." Mikey crossed his arms sulking slightly.

Alice rummaged around for a while before finding what she was looking for. She moved to the cupboard finding the other ingredients she needed.

"How about pork Ramen with all the trimmings?" She looked to the turtle brothers who just shrugged and looked at each other.

"Seriously, you've never had Ramen?" she cocked at eyebrow at them.

"Well, what's in it?" Donnie asked curiously.

"It's noodles in a pork flavored stock with pork slices, boiled egg and fish cakes. Usually you can other stuff with it too, but you guys are seriously limited here." She jested.

When she came out of the cupboard again she looked to the turtles and smiled, watching as they tilted their heads back and drooled with hunger.

"I'll take that as a yes?" She chuckled.

Setting out the food in front of her, the turtle sat round the table watching her closely. She filled a pot with water and put it on the stove to boil then turned her attention to the pork, cutting the pork into thin slices she placed them in a frying pan, which started to sizzle with the pork fat. Taking the fish fillets she chopping them up as finely as possible before rolling them out into a log of fish, then cutting it thinly she placed them in the frying pan as well. Turning her attention back to the now boiling water she placed the eggs in the water and took out the fresh egg noodles placing them in another pot filling it with water.

The turtle brothers watched Alice as work until finally she pulled all the ingredients together and set four bowls on the table filed with noodles in a pork stock, decorated with pork slices, boiled egg cut in half and fish cake slides.

"Enjoy!" Alice perk folding her hand behind her back.

All four turtle picked up their chop sticks and slowly picked up some of the noodles hesitating slightly before putting them in their mouths.

Alice bit her lip in anticipation wondering how they were going to react. She thought for a moment she saw their eyes explode before bending their heads down and scoffing up the noodles.

"Oh wow! I haven't tasted anything this radicle since we first had pizza!" Mikey mumbled through a mouthful of noodles.

They held out their empty bowls to Alice with pleading faces Alice rolled her eyes and filled them back up.

"What is that exquisite aroma?" Master Splinter came into the room sniffing the air.

Alice poured a fifth bowl holding it out to him with chopsticks. "It's Ramen, would you lie some?"

Master Splinter took the bowl and joined his sons at the table digging into the food. He sighed appreciatively. "Ah, this reminds me of Ramen from my home."

"You have to cook more often!" Raph exclaimed from behind his bowl.

"Yeah totally! Breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, three o'clock lunch, dinner, sup-" He was counting on his fingers when he was hit with a chop stick. "Ow!"

"She's not a slave Mikey…" Leo argued. "But seriously Alice, this is the best!"

Alice smiled warmly. "No problem." She turned to see to the dishes as the turtles ate with Master Splinter. They bantered as she finished up the dishes, feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time. Like she was part of a family. Her smile disappeared when reality smacked her in the teeth; she was putting these guys in danger, what if they became hurt, or worse because of her? She slowed her motions for a moment looking down deep in thought.

Master Splinter noticed her worried look. "Are you alright, Alice?" His tone soft.

Alice snapped her head up her smile returning. "Of course, just weary."

Donnie stood and made his way over to her putting a hand on her forehead. "You're burning up, you should get some rest." He bent slightly to take her arm around his neck. "I'll help you up." Donnie helped Alice up the stairs to Raphs bedroom. Once inside he set her down on the bed and covered her with the blanket.

"You didn't eat anything, do you want me to bring you some food? I can give you some medicine to lower your body temperature if you eat. " He fussed slightly.

"I'll be alright, I just need some rest…" Her voice was weary as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Alright then." Donnie tucked the blanket up to her chin and left the room closing the door behind him.

Alice watched him leave before her eye slammed shut.

…

Alice felt her breathe hitch in her throat as she woke, breaking out of yet another nightmare. Luckily she managed to wake up before she saw most of it. She sat up and put a hand to her throat. It was so dry; looking around she realized her glass was empty, heavy in thought for a moment she decided to go down stairs for a drink.

Her ankle was easing up slightly so it was easier to at least hobble. She grabbed the crutch from the side Donnie had made for her, leaning it under her arm. When she reached the stairs she saw Raph fast asleep on the sofa. She smiled slightly, he was in such a vulnerable state; his arm slung over his eyes with his mouth wide open snoring with each intake of breathe. She shook her head; her eyes were caught on the red band that was resting on the sofa arm. She hadn't seen any of the turtles without their bands before; she suddenly scolded him for having his arm over his eyes, curiosity getting the better of her.

She finally reached the bottom of the stairs without making a large amount of noise and by the looks of it, without waking Raph up. She moved to the Kitchen grabbing a new glass and filling it with water from the tap. She downed the lot sighing afterwards and filling it back up, she went to bring it to her lips when a voice caught her off guard.

"Thirsty much?" Alice jumped at the sound and turned round to see Raph standing behind her, his arms crossed over his chest, and alas his red band was back on. Damn him…she thought.

"Sorry if I woke you…" She started softly.

Raph just shook his head. "You didn't, but the crutch hitting the metal stairs, did." He teased.

Alice recoiled for a moment. "Sorry…" She downed her second glass of water and set the glass in the sink turning back to Raph. "You can go back to, er well the sofa, I'm going back up now." She took a couple steps with her crutch before Raph moved to her side hooking her arm under her knees and the other around her back.

"Oh no you don't, you'll wake everyone else up with that thing." He nodded to the crutch she held in her hand now.

She just looked up at him whilst he moved to the stairs slowly taking her up to his room. They were silent the way up to the room, both of them keeping their eyes ahead, when they finally reached the door Raph kicked it open and walked in, kicking it back closed again. Setting her down on the bed he took her crutch and leant it against the wall nearest to her.

"Next time you need something just ask…" He said gruffly.

Alice frowned confused. "You were rather grumpy when woken up by accident, I can't imagine what you'd do to me if I intentionally woke you up!" She hissed under her breath so she didn't wake anyone else up. She knew he was trying to help in his own way but there was no need to put on such a tone.

Raph scowled down at her, she could se him steaming again, his hands balled into fists.

"You shouldn't be walkin round in ya state!" He growled a little too loudly.

"If it wasn't for your tone, I'd think you actually cared!" She hissed back leaning up on her knees on the bed.

"Don't get the wrong idea princess, I don't do the 'care bear' stuff, I just don't want all our hard work go to hell when you just end up hurting yourself!" He growled from between his teeth.

"Thank you for your concern, but trust me, I'm not pushing myself! I think I know what good for me!"

"Says the girl to busy to take care of herself!" Raph growled angrily.

"Well at least I don't have a self destructive temper!" She shot back.

"Self destructive!? I always thought of it as others destructive!" He scoffed.

"Isn't that worse, your temper builds a wall, forcing people away form you, no matter how hard they try to care for you!" Her voice was calmer now.

"My brothers know me more then you lady! They've learnt to live with it so who's left to push away!"

"Everyone else, friends, you're truly telling me, you've never wanted a friend to talk to about your needs or just to share something you can't with your brothers!?"

"I don't need anyone else, who's gunna care about a mutated turtle anyway!? It's pointless!" He barked.

"You don't know that! You mutation is an excuse, you're holding yourself back for no reason! There's nothing wrong with the way you look, for the love of shell I've seen humans uglier and they weren't mutated!"

Raph just growled his teeth clenching. "You're so naïve! No one thinks that way! When they see a giant mutant turtle they run screaming! And what? I'm supposed to take that as a compliment! No one sees us that way! No one would want to be close to a mutated freak like me!" His voice became a bellow, he panted slightly at his outburst.

"I do." Alice said softly, her scowled still furrowing her brow.

Raphs features softened, looking at her as if she had two heads.

"I see you. I see Raphael. I don't see a Mutated turtle. I don't see a freak. I see, you. Your temper has nothing to do with you being a mutant; it's part of who you are. You have a personality. You all do. There is nothing wrong with any of you."

There was a long silence between them, exchanging looks. Raph watching as her features softened, relaxing. Raph straightened up, realizing he was leaning forward as he yelled at her. He didn't say anything; he didn't know what to say. He turned to he door and left closing it behind him. When he was on the outside he leant against the door. Closing his eyes for a moment before making his way downstairs to his temporary bed, at least he hopes it's just temporary.

He slumped down on the sofa looking up at the ceiling of the lair. He felt so confused. What did she mean by that? She thought to himself.

"She is right." A deep came from the far corner of the room; Raph shot up and looked in the direction seeing Master Splinter standing there just outside of the Dojo.

He sighed. "You heard all that huh?" Raph asked before slumping back down on the sofa.

Splinter nodded and hummed. "I did." He moved closer to Raph on the sofa. "She is right."

"About what sensei?" Raph sat up looking at him.

"That is for you to decide." He simply said.

Raph just shook his head confused. "No offense sensei but I'm not in the mood for riddles." He grumbled.

"It is not a riddle, take what you will from what she said, it could change your life."

"How so?"

"It could either change it in the most precious way, that will forever be with you. Or, it could become a festering anguish that will only haunt you and deform you into the thing you hate most." He said simply.

Raph looked down. What did he mean by that!? He shook his head confused, slumping back down to the sofa. "Night sensei."

"Goodnight, my son." Master Splinter smirked before laving for he dojo.

Raph closed his eyes wondering what Splinters words meant. What I take from it, take form what? What she said? What did she say? He contemplated to himself. Grumbling feeling more agitated he rolled over and squeezed his eyes closed forcing the thoughts form his head so that sleep might claim him instead.

...

I hope you enjoyed more to come!

xxx