A/N: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope all of y'alls turkey day are super amazingly AWESOME! I know it's a day early, but I'm gonna be too busy cooking and baking tomorrow so I decided to post tonight. So think of it as an early Thanksgiving present! =]]

Disclaimer: I still don't own nuttin.

Chapter 6: Everything's Gonna Change Now…

"KALLIE!"

"DADDY!"

"KALLIE, SAVE ME!"

"I'M TRYING!"

"DON'T LET GO!"

"YOU'RE SLIPPING!"

"KALLIE!"

"DADDY NO!"

He slipped through her fingers and fell right into the flames, screaming her name. Kallie tried to save him but she wasn't strong enough. She screamed out his name as she watched her father be engulfed by the fire.

"Kallie! Kallie wake up!"

"NO! DADDY PLEASE!"

"Kallie please wake up!"

"DADDY!" Kallie screamed, her throat going raw with the action as she sat up, fighting the hands that were grabbing her. They were going to throw her into the fire too. Kallie elbowed something; she heard a grunt as she connected with flesh.

"Kallie it's me, it's Raph! Ya gotta wake up!" Raphael said, shaking her shoulders. Kallie's eyes snapped open and she looked up at Raphael. Her cerulean eyes full of fear. She was sweating and her curly hair was hanging wildly in her face. She sat up and pushed herself against the back of the couch. She was breathing heavily, panting as if she had just run a marathon.

"Are you okay?" Raph asked. Kallie looked at him, her fists curled into her sheet. She turned her head and saw the other three turtles looking at her with worry.

"Y-Yeah…I'm sorry I woke y'all…" Kallie trailed off, still trying to catch her breath. She was overtaken by a coughing fit; her already weakened lungs not handling the lack of breath well. Donatello went to the kitchen and brought back a glass of water. Kallie took it gratefully and sipped on it for a moment before sitting it down on the floor and releasing a shuddering breath.

"Thanks." She told him.

"No problem. I found an inhaler; can you take two breaths of this for me?" He asked, producing the medication. Kallie nodded and did as he instructed. She grimaced; the air coming from the small pump was really gross tasting.

"Ugh."

Don chuckled softly. "It doesn't exactly have the most pleasant taste."

"You can say that again." Kallie muttered.

"It'll help though, I promise."

Kallie merely nodded, still reeling from the vivid nightmare.

"You wanna talk about it?" Leonardo asked.

Kallie looked at him and shook her head. "I'm fine, really."

"You know, people who normally scream their heads off at 3:45 in the morning aren't normally 'fine.'" Michelangelo supplied.

"Well I'm not normal so I guess that doesn't apply to me." Kallie retorted.

Mikey grinned. "Oh that one is almost too easy."

Kallie scowled at him, but felt her lips quirking up in amusement. She did just kinda set herself up for some teasing. "Not a word." She told him in mock anger.

Mikey put his hands up. "Hey, I'm giving you a free pass tonight. That all changes once we're up for good though."

Kallie rolled her eyes.

"Ya good?" Raph asked.

Kallie nodded. "I'm good. And again, I'm sorry for waking y'all."

"Don't apologize…we've all been there." Leo told her. Kallie looked up at Leo; his eyes were haunted looking. Kallie wanted to ask what it was that he dreamt about, what kept him from sleeping soundly. But she wasn't exactly ready to talk about hers, so she could hardly ask him to talk about his.

"Go to sleep Kallie. We'll wake ya up when it's time, kay?" Raph asked her.

Kallie nodded. She opened her mouth to apologize again when Raph raised a hand to silence her.

"The next words outta ya mouth betta be g'night and not I'm sorry."

Kallie stuck her tongue out at him and the four turtles chuckled softly. They got to their feet after bidding her goodnight once more, and then they disappeared into their respective bedrooms. Kallie sank back down into the cushions, cocooning herself in the blankets. She didn't really want to go to sleep again, but she was exhausted. The emotional toll on her mind was starting to make itself known in a physical way, plus she had had very little sleep the previous night, or the night before that. Eventually she lost the consciousness struggle, and she succumbed to sleep.

OoOoOoO

Kallie awoke to the smell of bacon. She opened her eyes slowly and inhaled deeply. It smelled super delicious. She slowly sat up and noticed she wasn't in her apartment. Her heart slammed against her chest in panic.

And then she remembered.

Her apartment was gone.

"Morning!" A bright voice called.

Kallie turned and saw Michelangelo holding a mixing bowl as he stirred whatever contents were inside.

"Morning." Kallie mumbled. She wasn't really a morning person. It always took at least half an hour to a full hour for her to fully wake up.

Mike grinned at her. "Hope you like pancakes and bacon!"

Kallie wanted to scowl, but the look of absolute hope and genuine joy emanating from the orange banded turtle softened her non-morning loving heart and she smiled at him.

"I love pancakes. And of course everything tastes better with bacon." She told him.

"Dude…that is so true." Michelangelo replied.

"Do you mind if I use the restroom?" Kallie asked.

"Course not. It's down the hall and to your left, up the stairs." Mikey told her, walking back to the kitchen.

Kallie got up and made her way up the stairs as quietly as possible. She wasn't sure if any of the other turtles were awake yet or not and she didn't really wanna wake anyone up. She found the bathroom and she slid in, locking the door. She snorted in laughter when she saw the decorations.

Turtle decorations.

The shower curtain had baby turtles all over it. There were four toothbrushes sticking out of a turtle toothbrush holder. The soap dispenser dispensed soap out of a turtle's mouth. The tub had turtle anti-slipping pads on the bottom of it, all of them smiling widely. Kallie shook her head as she smiled widely to herself. She washed her face off and sighed at the pathetic looking person staring back at her.

She had dark bags under her eyes, her curly hair was even more unruly than normal, and she looked paler than normal too. She sighed as she pinched her cheeks to make herself look a bit less pale and more awake, and then proceeded to run her fingers through her hair to tame it a bit. Once she was satisfied that she no longer looked like a zombie she opened the door and made her way back down the stairs again. Mike was still in the kitchen and she cautiously walked inside.

"Need any help?" She offered.

"Nah. 'Sides, you're the guest here." Mike told her with a wink.

"Mind if I make a pot of coffee then?"

"It's already started. In fact, I assume Donnie will smell it soon. Although let me warn you, do not attempt to talk to the Donatello until the Donatello has had his morning cup of coffee." Mikey said, making himself sound like a national geographic narrator.

Kallie laughed. "Not much of a morning person is he?"

Mike barked out a laugh. "That's the understatement of the year."

"I'm not one for mornings either. We've never gotten along." She told him with a sigh.

Mike laughed. "Leo and me are the only ones who don't mind mornings. Well, Master Splinter doesn't either of course. He's normally up around 5am, Leo right along with him."

"Why do they get up so early?" She asked him.

"They both meditate and do a few kata's. Something about ensuring the mind and the body are prepared for the day blah, blah, blah." Mikey said, moving his hands up and down as if mimicking a mouth talking.

Kallie laughed. "So what's your excuse for being awake so early?"

Mikey shrugged. "I dunno. Just can't sleep in nowadays."

Kallie could tell there was more to the story, but she didn't press the issue. They were all being so very nice to her. She didn't wanna ruin it by asking questions that were too personal. Michelangelo was flipping pancakes now, stacking them high on a plate next to a pile of bacon. Kallie's stomach growled and she placed a hand over it, getting excited about the delicious smelling food. She heard shuffling footsteps and she turned to see a very sleepy looking Donatello walking straight for the coffee pot. She couldn't help but giggle softly. Mikey had been right, Donatello didn't even acknowledge their presence as he grabbed a large mug and filled it to the brim with the coffee.

"That's number 1 Donnie!" Mike said cheerfully.

Don merely grunted.

"1?" Kallie asked.

"He's on caffeine watch until further notice." Mike told her.

"Oh yeah, Leo was telling me about that."

"Did you sleep well Don?" Mike asked, his tone more than a little mischievous.

"Shuddup Mikey." Don grumbled.

"Mind if I get a cup?" Kallie asked.

"Sure. Cups are over there." Mike said, pointing to a cupboard. Kallie retrieved a mug and poured herself some coffee. She sat back down and tried not to laugh. Donatello was trying not to gulp down his coffee in one gulp, but was losing the battle. He released a satisfied sigh after draining his cup. He stood to his feet and poured himself another cup.

"2."

Don glared at his little brother. "I can count Michelangelo."

"You've only got two left Donatello." Mike replied grinning madly.

"Two what?" Raphael asked as he stretched his hands high above his hands, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat next to Kallie.

"Two more cups of coffee for the day. He's been up for all of two minutes and his working on his second one already." Mike informed him.

Raph snorted. "Might wanna slow down there Don."

Donnie scowled and Kallie snorted into her coffee.

"Mornin' Sweetness, sleep well?" Raph asked her with a smirk.

Kallie scowled at him. "What did I tell you about calling me Sweetness?"

"I don't listen very well." He replied.

"Ain't that the truth?" A voice said from the entryway. It was Leo and he was smirking slightly.

"If people had more interestin' things to say, I may pay attention betta." Raph defended.

Leo rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to Don and Raph.

"Alright dudes and dudette, breakfast is finished!" Mike announced, walking over with a huge plateful of pancakes and bacon. Mikey set the food down and then got plates out, handing one to each person at the table.

"This looks great Mikey, thanks." Leo said.

"I'm pretty much a cooking prodigy." Mikey replied.

Kallie laughed while Raph rolled his eyes. Donnie was looking a bit livelier as he grabbed some breakfast and started eating. Mikey sat down across from Kallie and started piling food on his plate as well.

"Where's Master Splinter?" Don asked.

"Meditating. He grabbed some cereal earlier." Leo replied.

"Another session?" Mike asked.

Leonardo nodded. "He's trying to get a sense of the attack on Kallie."

"He know somethin' we don't?" Raph asked.

Leo shrugged. "I'm not sure. He thinks there's something fishy going on that's for sure. This isn't the type of attack the Purple Dragons normally pull. We know it's not a Foot thing either…so who's behind this?"

Kallie sure as hell didn't know. She didn't even know anyone in this city besides the few people she talked to in class, Maggie, Sam, and now these guys. Her dad had died before they moved here so it couldn't be anyone who had known him. And her mom? Pfft. Yeah right. Her mom was more vanilla than ice cream. She felt their eyes on her so she looked up. She still hadn't said anything and she could tell they were waiting for her to make some sort of comment.

"I dunno…I mean, no one here really knows my family. I mean yeah my mom has a fancy job now, but she's beyond boring. The biggest risk she's ever taken in her life was choosing between Burger King and McDonald's for her lunch break." Kallie added.

Mikey laughed at that and even Leo smiled a bit.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out." Leonardo assured her.

"Are you not hungry Kallie?" Mikey asked suddenly. Kallie looked at him and then down at her plate. She hadn't touched her food. In all honesty she didn't have much of an appetite. It smelled delicious, don't get her wrong, but the thought of food just wasn't appealing.

"I guess I'm not very hungry." She replied.

"Did you eat dinner last night before coming home?" Don asked.

"No."

"You didn't eat anything here either though did you?" Don asked.

"No." She replied, a bit of irritation lacing her voice.

"When was the last time you ate?" Don asked her.

Kallie released an irritated sigh. "What is with the 20 questions?"

Don smiled kindly at her. "Stress can cause a person to lose their appetite, but it's imperative that you eat anyway. Your body is obviously exhausted from the emotional toll but it will eventually turn into something that affects you physically. You need the fuel. Otherwise you could get sick."

Kallie scowled at him. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a know it all?"

Don chuckled. "Only almost every day of my life."

"Donnie's right though. Eating will help. It'll make you feel better." Leo added.

"Yeah, besides, I slaved over this hot stove to thoroughly impress you with the amazingness that is my cooking skills. The least you could do is eat the fruits of my labor." Mike inserted dramatically.

Kallie rolled her eyes and reluctantly ate a few bites. Her stomach protested the first few bites but eventually she grew hungry and happily ate the rest of her breakfast. The four turtles finished before her but stayed around to chat idly. Apparently April was coming over soon to bring a few outfits to Kallie. Kallie was a bit nervous about meeting April. The guys talked about her like they would a prized little sister. She got the feeling that they were fiercely protective of April. And Kallie guessed that April felt the same about them. Kallie felt as if she may be trespassing on protected territory.

"Told ya it was good." Mikey said with a smug smile as he took Kallie's empty plate. Kallie couldn't help but laugh.

"I hate to admit it, but you're right. You've got skills."

"See? Now, can I get that in writing? And possibly notarized and then framed?"

Kallie laughed again. "I'll see what I can do."

"Hello?" A voice rang out. A female voice. A female voice that had to belong to April. Kallie gulped and suddenly felt very self-conscious about the fact she was in pajamas and probably still looked like hell.

"April!" Mikey shouted in excitement as he scrambled out of the kitchen. Kallie's heart was hammering in her chest and she mentally chastised herself. She's never been this nervous about meeting anyone before.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm so early, but I've got a delivery around 10. It's a short one though, but I've gotta be there to schmooze a bit."

"We're all up anyway." Kallie heard Donnie say.

"So where is she?" She heard April ask.

Kallie squared her shoulders and took a deep breath.

"Yo, Kallie! Get in here!" Raph yelled.

Kallie rolled her eyes as she made her way into the living room. She saw a tall, older woman with fiery red hair smiling at the four turtles. April looked up and met Kallie's eyes. April's eyes softened and she smiled kindly. Kallie relaxed a bit as she met up with the group. April had deep green eyes and the chick was tall too. Like, a good four inches taller than Kallie.

"Hi! I'm April, it's so nice to finally meet you. And I am so very sorry about your place." April told her, extending her hand.

Kallie grasped it. "It's nice to meet you too, and thank you."

"So your name is Kaliyah?"

Kallie nodded. "Yeah, but please call me Kallie."

"She hates her full name." Mikey supplied.

April laughed. "Sounds like four turtles I know."

"My mom is a bit on the weird side."

"I think all parents can be a bit on the weird side at times. You're a bit…er…smaller than I thought, these might be a bit long." April said carefully, handing a plastic bag to Kallie.

Kallie laughed softly. "It's okay, I really appreciate this. I have a lot to do today but first I'm gonna go shopping for a few new outfits."

"Do you need any help?" April asked.

Kallie shook her head. "Nah. I'll be fine. Just gotta hit the bank, the stores, then the insurance place, possibly the police to file a report, then back to my friend Maggie."

"Do you need something from her?" Donatello asked.

"No. I'm gonna be staying with her from now on."

The turtles looked shocked.

"Why?!" Mikey asked, his voice a bit on the shrill side.

"Well I can't stay here now can I? I've put y'all through enough, I can't possibly impose any longer."

"Nonsense. Besides, we have no idea who's behind this whole thing. If you're here, we can keep an eye on you." Leonardo stated.

Kallie held her hands up and shook her head. "No I really can't…"

"I agree with Leonardo." An older voice said. Everyone turned to look at Master Splinter making his way towards the group.

"Hello Ms. O'Neil." He greeted.

"Hi Splinter!" She greeted back brightly.

"Kaliyah, it is imperative that you stay safe. Your life is obviously in danger and we cannot allow you to be unprotected. I must insist that you stay here." Master Splinter told her.

Kallie wanted to argue some more but she didn't. The old rat seemed genuinely worried about her safety. And if a ninja rat was worried about her, then there was obviously something to worry about.

"Well…thanks. I appreciate it." Kallie said.

"So you'll stay?" Mikey asked enthusiastically.

Kallie grinned. "Yeah Mikey, I'll stay."

Mike grinned widely. "I think that's the first time you've called me Mikey…awe…we're having a moment."

Kallie rolled her eyes while everyone else chuckled.

"If you need some help running your errands I'll be more than happy to drive you around town." April offered.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly impose." Kallie stated.

April held her hand up. "It's no trouble at all. I have a delivery but after that I can help you out."

"You probably shouldn't be walking around alone right now either. Whoever it was that did this obviously knows your every movement. The less surface time the better." Leonardo said.

"Those bastards aren't gonna keep me from living my life." Kallie stated fiercely.

Mikey ducked his head, desperately trying not to smile or laugh. Kallie's accent just got super thick; the 'i' in life emphasized dramatically. Unfortunately he lost the battle and a snort escaped her lips.

"What the hell is so funny?" Kallie snapped.

Mike barked a laugh. "I'm sorry…but you're accent just got so much thicker!"

Kallie scowled at him. "It happens when I'm pissed off."

"I hope you get mad a lot then.' Mike replied. "Ow! Raph!" Mikey added as Raphael smacked the back of his little brother's head.

"I won't take no for an answer." April insisted.

Kallie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to be overruled in every little thing I try to do?"

April laughed. "You'll get used to it. I'll be back after lunch. We'll make it a girl's day. Plus, I gotta get to know you better since you're becoming close to my family."

Kallie smiled ever so slightly. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem! I'll see you guys later!" April said and then walked out. The boys and Master Splinter bid her goodbye and then all eyes were on me again.

"Do you need us for anything?" Leonardo asked.

Kallie shook her head.

"Alright, feel free to watch some T.V. or anything you'd like. We'll be back in about two hours." Leo told her.

Kallie's eyes widened. "You're leaving?!"

Leo looked slightly alarmed at the fear in Kallie's eyes. "No, no, don't worry, we're not. We've got practice this morning. We'll just be in the dojo."

"Practice?" Kallie asked.

"Ninja practice." Mikey answered mysteriously with a wiggle of his fingers.

"Can I watch? I'd love to see what y'all can do."

Leo looked to Master Splinter.

"Of course child." Master Splinter replied.

Kallie grinned. She ran to the bathroom, shower and changed into the clothes April had given her. The jeans were long but she cuffed the bottoms of them. The long sleeve maroon sweater was long as well so she pushed the sleeves up. She pulled her wet curly hair into a messy bun and then made her way back down stairs.

"Alright, show me what y'all got!"