A/N: I am so bad at doing these. I get too caught up in the story and forget! So sorry! Just a side note, the description of Melanie is pretty much my own description, and yes, I have a patch of freckles on my upper lip and I am constantly asked if it is a scar or chocolate. I know, rather random. Anyways, hope you are enjoying this! Please R and R!

Don't know if I like the rewrite. It seems really babbly to me. Let me know what I can do to fix it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

Leo found Melanie a few blocks from the nearest manhole to their home. She was leaning against a billboard, gazing down at the thick lunch traffic below. She sat at the edge, and a shadow conveniently fell inches from her. Leo knew it was no coincidence. Smart girl he though to himself proudly.

"Hey," She said just as he had opened his mouth to say the same.

"I see your hearing hasn't dulled." He said as he sat down next to her, hidden in the shadow. He noted the streaks down her cheeks and the puffiness around. "You okay?" he whispered.

She was silent for a few moments, keeping her eyes on the streets, and he waited for her to speak. "Why didn't you just leave me for the police to find?"

Leo hadn't expected a question and it took him by surprise. He thought about it for a moment, then said, "It never even crossed my mind."

"But why?" she asked, turning to face him. He saw several emotions buried in her golden brown eyes.

"Because it was so obvious that you didn't want the cops to find you."

"You could have taken me back after I fell asleep."

"I could have, but you made it so obvious that you didn't want that. You didn't want to go to a foster home. You didn't want to be there. You were stubborn, just like four turtles I happen to know. And besides, Mikey wanted to keep you and name you Penelope." She smiled and turned away. "Hey," he said softly, placing a green finger under her chin and turning her back to face him. "You don't have to be brave Mel for me. You're my Lanie, remember? You don't have to hide your emotions from me."

A tear trickled down her cheek and Leo wiped it away. "I just don't understand how someone could be so bitter and angry that they would kill their own family. He abused me didn't he?"

"Donnie found signs of abuse, yes." Leo answered sadly. "I'm the same way you are. I could never imagine our family like that. But I think the reason that happens is because people don't really understand what love is. Out here, there are so many distractions and things that don't matter, that people take the things that do matter for granted. They think things like family and love can be easily bought and replaced. Our family is different. Just look how we were raised. We've had to fight and struggle for every single thing our whole lives, but I think that it has made us better and realize how lucky we are to have the things we do, and we know how valuable each and every person is." Leo wrapped his arms around Melanie and she buried herself into his chest. He pulled back when he felt tears running down his arm. "Mel, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," She sat up and brushed the tears from her face. "Just, lately, I've been thinking about how I'm almost eighteen and most people my age are starting to leave home and look for that someone they want to marry. But now I'm too scared. What if I end up like my mom?" She fell back into his embrace and he ran a hand through her hair.

"Melanie, I know you. You won't settle for anything but the best. And besides, we'll be around to keep him in line."

"I don't think I'm strong or brave enough to leave and risk it, though."

"Yes you are." Leo said quickly. "If it's really what you want, I know there's no stopping you." Leo suddenly had a gut wrenching fear of losing the delicate prize in his arms. "But the lucky guy had better be one shell of a gentleman or you know what Raph will do."

Melanie smiled. "No, Leo. I won't ever find anyone better than you guys. I don't want to leave. I'd miss you too much. And there's no one on this blasted planet that will love me better than the family I have now. For right now, I'm happy just being with you."

"Well, whatever path your life takes, your brothers and Splinter, and I will always be here and protect you." Leo squeezed her shoulders and held her out at arms length, taking in the sight of her. He didn't know how she had no boys on her tail yet. Leo thought his little sister was the image of an angel. Her wavy brown hair fell in soft curls halfway down her back. Her light peach skin was covered in faint freckles that had faded over the years, all but one small cluster resting on her upper lip. From arms length, it looked like some kind of scar or a smudge of chocolate, but closer up one could make out five individual "angle kisses" as Melanie had called them. Her golden brown eyes nearly matched his hazel ones, but when Leo looked at them, he could see Splinter's chocolate brown eyes. Melanie hardly ever wore make up, but Leo didn't think she needed it. Her body was slim and slender, but she had what Mikey called a "model's envy" body. She was slightly shorter than him, standing at 5'6", and her small size allowed her to move with a grace and speed he and his brothers could never manage.

Melanie smiled and looked up at him. He lost himself in the honey colored pools. They were the same eyes that had first stared up at him eight years ago. Back then, they had been frightened and tormented, but now they held a spark of life and laughter. Even though at the time it had been a rash decision, he was glad that, for once in his life, he had acted without thinking, because it had brought him the young woman he held in his arms. There were many reasons that he was glad he made that choice at spur of the moment. Melanie did so much for the family. Since the age of sixteen, Melanie had held a job and pretty much supported and few the family. They no longer had to scavenge for food or leech off of April for food when they couldn't find money. Their diet no longer consisted of boxed dinners and pizza take out. Thanks to Melanie, they had an extensive supply of everything. On top of that, Melanie had enrolled in an online high school at age fourteen and graduated by her seventeenth birthday. She applied for and won a full ride scholarship and was now studying to be who knows what. And if those accomplishments weren't enough, Melanie had also excelled in ninjutsu. She was smaller and lighter than her brothers, allowing her more speed and less strength, but that didn't stop her from kicking their butts from time to time. She had also proved her ability to hold her own in fights with the Foot and Purple Dragons. One memory in particular stood out in Leo's mind. It had been about a year ago, on a crisp November night and they had run into the foot while out on patrol. The turtles had been outnumbered, but they had quickly been depleted, until the Elite showed up. Melanie had gotten separated and was fighting a small cluster of Foot soldiers when Leo had been knocked and pinned to the ground by an Elite. Melanie saw the caped figure poise to strike and somehow dodged around the ninjas she was fighting and shoved the Elite away just as his blade came down, meeting the pavement inches from his head. Melanie had dislocated her shoulder and received a nice gash on her leg from fighting the Elite, giving Leo time to recover. Leo was furious, but at himself. He hated to think what would have happened had Melanie not been there. There had been several times, just like this morning, when he or his brothers had been ill or injured and she had jumped right in, her motherly side taking over. There had also been times when he had been not physically sick or injured, but hurting inside just the same. Three years ago, Splinter had gotten very sick and they were all frightened he wouldn't make it. Leo had put on façade and hidden his fear so that he could take care of his brothers. But one night when Leo had been taking care of his father in his room, Melanie had come in and asked him if he was okay. It had been the middle of the night, and Leo was tired and frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help his father. He had gotten angry and even said some things that made him cringe even now, but Melanie had remained silent, and before he knew it, he was crying in her arms. Leo had later been embarrassed and apologized to Melanie, but she had blown it off and told him to come to her when he needed support. And from that night he had, and he had found life a lot easier. Melanie understood things his brothers didn't, and it felt wonderful to voice his emotions and not have to worry about being judged or scrutinized. Melanie was, in his mind, an angel sent to help him and protect him when others wouldn't or didn't understand. She was a guardian angel.

Melanie blushed. "What are you looking at?"

"I honestly don't know how you don't have boys lined up at the door to take you out." He said standing up and tugging her with him.

She laughed, and playfully shoved him. "I told you, boys are jerks out here."

"I know," he sighed. "Race you home?"

She smiled and shot past him without a word.