"Can we keep her?"
"Mikey, for the last time, no, we can't keep her. She's not a pet."
"Aw, c'mon Donnie, I'll take her for walks and everything!"
"Shut it, shell-for-brains, I think she's comin' around."
Four turtles peered curiously at the figure lying on the couch. She groaned, then blinked.
"Damn. Now there's four," she muttered, rubbing her head. "The hell just happened?"
"Hey, Raph, she's got a mouth like you!"
"Shut yours or I'll shut it for you."
"Both of you be quiet!"
The girl sat up suddenly. "Where am I? What's going on?"
"Take it easy," Don said, trying to push her back down. "You just… passed out. You're in our lair. Don't worry, it's safe here."
She stared at him wide-eyed. "Lair?" He voice squeaked. "W-whaddya mean, lair? Like in them horror movies? You monsters or something'?"
Raph rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the giant talking turtles are just normal people. But the fact that they live in a lair, well, then they must be evil!"
Her cheeks coloured. "That ain't what I meant."
Mikey eyed her curiously. "What did you me-"
Leo cut him off. "Only in the broadest sense of the word. Now. You have some explaining to do."
She glared at him indignantly. "Like you don't? Of all the…"
"Hey! Do you want our help or not?"
"I never asked for your damn help!" She had jumped up, balling her fists. Leo immediately reached for his swords.
"Guys, wait!" Don held out his hands imploringly. "Leo, back off. She has a right to be angry; we did bring her here against her will. And…uh…you, you've probably got a concussion so sit back down. We understand that you're scared –"
"I ain't scared!"
"-but we're looking after you so we deserve some answers. Now sit down and stop threatening my brothers."
She glared at him for a minute, then, judging his words true, sat back down on the couch with a huff.
"Fine. I'll answer your stinkin' questions." She crossed her arms.
Raph laughed. "I like this kid. She's got spunk."
Her lip twitched. Don took this as an encouraging sign. He decided it was probably best to start off slow. "So, uh, what's your name?"
The girl flipped her ponytail arrogantly. "Frankie Cutler."
Mikey sniggered.
"Think there's something funny 'bout my name, Orange?"
"Well, yeah! Who calls a girl 'Frankie'?"
"S'called a nickname, dumbass."
"For what?"
"Francesca." She rolled her eyes as well as the r. "Stupid name. Too long and frilly."
Raph smirked. "Orangey here shouldn't be talking, eh, Michelangelo?"
"Hey!"
Frankie Cutler grinned too. "Sweet, I ain't the only one with a stupid Italian name!"
"Hey!"
Everyone except Mikey laughed. The latter crossed his arms and pouted.
"At least I'm not an angel, Raphael. Ooh, look at me, I wear a dress and have white feathery wings! Ooh! O-ouch!"
Leo pinched the ridge between his eyes in exasperation as Mikey and Raph rolled around on the floor. Frankie watched with amusement.
"They're nuts," she stated appreciatively.
"Don't need to tell me."
She treated Don to a lopsided grin. "You got a funny name too, Purple?"
Don had to smile back. "I'm Donatello. That's my brother, Leonardo."
"I see the family resemblance."
He chuckled.
"So, Frankie," Leo began, "what were you doing in our garage alone at night?"
"I told ya already, Leonardo. I was just lookin' for somewhere to crash for a coupla days. Then when Purple and Red there showed up, I figgered I was in someone's place and I'd better get outta there quick 'fore they got me. But man," she looked at Don in awe; "I ain't never seen someone dodge my knife like that. You got skills, Purple, I'll give you that."
Don rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well," he muttered.
Mikey had shaken off Raph and came running up, doing a flip over the couch and plopping down beside a surprised Frankie. "That's because we're awesome!" he proclaimed. "We're ninjas!" He did a showy punch in demonstration.
Frankie tensed. "Ninjas?" She eyed him suspiciously, unconsciously rubbing her left wrist. "You with the Foot?"
"The Foot? How do you know about them?"
She scowled. "Had a coupla run-ins with 'em. You on their side?"
"No. They're our enemies."
Frankie relaxed visibly, slouching down into the sofa and stretching. "Well, any enemies of the Foot're friends of mine."
Don watched her, pondering her reaction. When Mikey mentioned the word 'ninja', she'd looked positively terrified. He wondered what could warrant such a reaction from the girl. It was obvious to him that she wasn't telling them something; he could also see that she wouldn't react well if he tried to pry it out of her. Talking to her gave him the unnerving feeling of a female Raph.
Leo apparently hadn't made that observation yet. "Why were you alone?" he pressed. "Shouldn't you be with someone older?"
Her mood abruptly darkened again. Don noted her stormy expression and quickly took a step back. Mikey looked from Leo to Frankie and back to Leo.
"Someone older? Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are? I'm a damn adult, I can take care of myself, you overgrown aquarium reject!"
Leo backed up, hands in the air. "I just meant, someone your age-"
"Someone my age? You don't even freakin' know how old I am, don't start givin' me a bullshit lecture about how I oughta have someone lookin' out fer me; there ain't nobody, and I don't need nobody, got it?"
"But I-"
"You what? You 'got my best interests at heart', or 'it's for my own good'? I gotta newsflash for ya, Blue, I heard it all before and then some. I'm old enough to take care of myself, I don't need people like you tellin' me what to do with my life! So shut it."
Raph had to admit he was kinda enjoying seeing a kid – a girl, no less – giving Leo a piece of her mind like that. Even better was the fact that his perfect brother was hardly able to get a word in edgewise. Kid had a set of lungs in her.
Leo was getting angry. Finally, he lost his cool and shouted "Fine! I'm sorry, okay, no need to bite my head off!"
The tension was so thick Mikey thought he should be able to sit on it.
After glaring a moment, Frankie exhaled loudly. "Eh, sorry, Leonardo. Age is kinda a touchy subject for me."
Mikey cocked his head to one side. "How old are you then?"
"Nineteen."
Mikey fell off of the couch.
"Dude! I thought you were, like, thirteen or something!"
She frowned. "Yeah, I get that a lot." When Leo tried to apologize, she waved it off. "Nah, it's good, I kinda overreacted."
"No kiddin'" Raph muttered under his breath.
Frankie didn't hear him, and continued: "It's just a lot ta take in, y'know? I mean, I spend all day – uh, lookin' for, uh, a spot to chill, and I finally find this warehouse but it's full of cars and shit and then you guys show up, and…"
"Yeah, we are pretty intimidating."
She laughed. "You ain't, Michelangelo." She pronounced his name Mike-langlo.
"Just call me Mikey." He stopped suddenly. "Hey, what do you mean, I'm not intimidating?"
She just grinned sarcastically. "Nothin' at all."
Mikey scowled for a minute.
Don broke in. "Frankie, would you like to stay here for the rest of the night? I mean, you were looking for somewhere safe, right? You're not going to get better than the lair."
"Donnie, what're you doing?" Raph hissed. "We barely even know her!"
"Oh come on, Raph, you're scared of a girl?"
"I ain't scared, and you know it."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Uh, look, guys, I don't wanna be an issue."
"It's not a problem," Leo assured her quickly.
Frankie was eyeing Raph apprehensively. "Not so sure I believe you, Blue."
"It's Leo."
"Whatever. I'll just go kip up in that warehouse."
Mikey was aghast. "Wait, you're gonna just sleep on the floor?" He scrunched up his face at just the thought of lying on the concrete floor."
"Well, yeah," Frankie responded, giving Mikey a look that said plainly, Are you stupid?
"We'll at least give you a pillow and some blankets."
"You don't have to-"
"Drop it," Leo advised, "Once Donnie sets his mind on something it's really hard to get him off it."
Frankie accepted the proffered blanket shyly. "Well, uh, thanks." Then she smiled happily. "Thanks!"
-x-
Geeze, they wouldn't shut up this chapter. More coming soon, don't worry!
Special thanks to TMNT Redneck, for being the first person to review chapter one, and
Poisoned Dark Angel, whose review I just saw now; I shall definitely take your considerations to heart and a more thorough response will be forthcoming ;)
It's very gratifying and inspiring to see people actually reading what I write. I love reviews, if the hint was too subtle there.