A/N: Sorry about the chapter title. My husband's been watching way too many prison shows...
Leo descended the fire escape to April's window, giving it a small rap. She appeared shortly, opening the window for him. "Leonardo, thanks for coming over so fast."
He climbed inside. "No problem. What did you need help with?"
"Um, it's…uh, in here." She moved into the kitchen and he followed.
They'd spent a lot of time at April's over the years, so he felt pretty comfortable there. But as she stepped through the doorway, he stopped cold. Sitting at the table was Rocksteady and leaning on the counter behind him was Bebop. He growled, immediately going into a defensive stance. "What do you two want?" His gaze shifted to his old friend, searching her for injury. But other than the fact that she looked tired, she seemed fine. "April, what's going on?"
She took a step towards him. "Easy, Leonardo. They just want to talk."
Leo relaxed slightly, though he did not approach any closer. "About what?"
Rocksteady finally lifted his head to look at him. "Sams."
Leo's heart raced with fear and he couldn't stop his forward momentum as he took a step. "What about her?"
Rocksteady glanced over his shoulder at Bebop, who gave his buddy an encouraging nod. They'd discussed it on the way over and this was his only option. "She ain't happy." He sighed. "Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure she's depressed."
Leo's expression dropped turning concerned. "Depressed?" Well, he could understand that. He'd been feeling much the same.
Bebop folded his arms. "Yeah, she ain't goin' to work or eatin' or sleepin' by the looks of her."
Leo had to fight every cell in his body not take off at that very instant to dash across town to her apartment. His muscles flexed with the need, but he managed to hold himself steady. "Why are you telling me this?"
Rocksteady stood, glaring daggers. "Because you're the reason she's so upset! And for that I should crack that shell of yours!" He growled. "But I'm not gonna. She cares about you for some stupid reason and hurtin' you would only hurt her."
Leo frowned, not sure if he was hearing right. "You mean you want us to be together?"
Rocksteady grunted. "I don't like it. But yeah, for Sams I do."
Leo hesitated, wondering if it was some type of trick. "What about….us?" He motioned to the three of them.
Bebop snorted. "I'm just here to make sure you don't do nothin' stupid."
But Rocksteady sighed, his gaze falling to the floor. "I'm willin' to let the past be the past. But get this straight, turtle. This is for her not you."
Leo's frown deepened. He wanted to agree, but again his honor tugged at him, reminding him they were sworn enemies. "Let's just go see her for now. Then we'll discuss it." He turned headed for the window again.
"We'll go with you." Rocksteady started after him.
"She wasn't lookin' so great when we left." Bebop commented.
Leo turned as he reached the window. "What do you mean? How could you let her get that bad off? Weren't you keeping an eye on her?" He glared at Rocksteady.
He shifted, rubbing his neck. "Well, uh, she sorta kicked us out a few days ago. We just figured out somethin' was wrong today."
"Kicked you out?" Leo put up his hand when Bebop started to explain. "Never mind." He waved at April behind them. "Thanks, April. We'll talk later, okay?"
She smiled weakly. "Okay, good luck, Leonardo."
He climbed out and to the rooftop, not bothering to check if he was being followed. The two did manage to keep up with him as he sprinted across town and descended into the alley near Sams' apartment. As they drew close, he could see the door standing wide open. He shot a look over his shoulder at Rocksteady. "Why is her door open?"
"She didn't want to open it, so we kinda had to break it." He explained.
Leo took the few stairs in one leap, barely slowing as he entered. The apartment was dark, so he flipped on the switch. He stared around as Rocksteady and Bebop came in. No one was there. "Where is she! Sams!" He went to the bathroom door and checked inside, but it was empty as well. He spun on the two mutants. "I thought you said she was here!"
"She was!" Rocksteady protested, throwing back the covers just to be certain she wasn't under them. "I don't understand! She was just here!"
"She couldn't've gone far." Bebop reminded them. "She wasn't in any shape ta."
"We need to find her now!" Leo looked around the room in search of anything that might give him a clue. "My turtle-com? It's not here." He placed a hand on the dresser where she'd laid it the night he'd given it to her.
Bebop and Rocksteady exchanged a look. "So?"
Leo was already pulling out the spare com he'd snagged from Donnie's lab several days ago. "I can track her." He fiddled with the knobs and buttons for a minute, trying to remember how Donnie usually did it. His eyes lit up as a blip finally appeared. "Got it! Let's go!" Throwing caution to the wind, the three sprinted down the sidewalk in Sams' direction.
Sams stared at the large man in front of her, frozen like a deer in the headlights. Her heart was pounding so loud that it sounded like a train in her ears. She'd suddenly lost all ability to speak and her mind spun out of control. The man took a step towards her with a wicked grin. "Steve said you looked just like her and he was right." He grabbed a fist full of her curls as he stepped into her personal space. She wanted to gag at the smell of booze and body odor. His eyes roamed her face, dropping to the com still clutched in her hand. "What's this? Some kind of new cellphone?"
When he took it from her, something snapped to life inside her. She tried to grab for it. "No!"
He shoved her against the brick wall with one large meaty hand. "You won't be needing it anymore." He threw it into the street, where a passing car smashed it. He grabbed her roughly by the arm, dragging her into the nearby alley. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson for runnin' off. One you'll remember for the rest of your life."
She struggled, but it was futile. He was nearly as big as Joey. "Please!" She begged as he threw her against the wall, knocking the air out of her. The impact of his fist in her gut made her double over. She fumbled for her pocket as he hit her across the face. The switchblade nearly fell from her hand, but she grasped it, swinging it up. "Back off!"
He laughed as he easily knocked it out of her hand. She gasped as he grabbed her by the chin, half choking her in the process. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna damage that pretty face of yours…permanently." His hand tightened around her throat and a slow dread pooled in her stomach.
Leo stopped on a mostly deserted street as the blip suddenly disappeared. He frowned, trying the knobs again. "Come on!" He growled. He couldn't lose the signal now!
"What's wrong?" Rocksteady stopped beside him, looking down at the com in his hand.
"I've lost the signal."
Rocksteady snarled. "Well, get it back!"
"I'm trying!" After just another second, Leo became too frustrated with the device and closed it. "The signal was coming from this way." He pointed up the street, then took off without bothering to look back. Even though the street was dark, he was easily able to scan it as they ran. Something caught his eye in the street, the shattered remains of the turtle-com. He stopped, scanning his surroundings. He could smell her scent. She was so close.
Beside him Rocksteady seemed to pick up on it as well. He sprinted to a nearby alley, stopping cold in the entrance. Leo, who was just behind him, slid to a stop, his chest tightening. "Sams!"
Samantha blinked at the sound of her name, her vision fuzzy around the edges. "Leo…"
He growled. "Let her go!"
The man glanced at them over his shoulder. "It'd figure you'd be hocked up with these freaks." He snarled in Sams' face.
Rocksteady was boiling. "Get away from her!"
When he glanced back at the pair moving up the alley once more, Sams kicked him in the stomach. He groaned, releasing her and taking a step back. "Why you-!" He backhanded her. The force of which sent her into the wall on the opposite side of the alley.
She started to collapse from the impact, but Leo caught her, easing her to her knees as he drew his sword. His eyes were like ice. "Touch her again and I swear it will be the last thing you ever do."
The man stared at them for a split second before he was being pounded by Rocksteady. "I swore if you ever laid a hand on her again, I was gonna kill you!" He threw blow after blow. He was finally larger than their father. Large enough to show him what it felt like to be on the receiving end of a fist. And he was going to repay him for every black eye, busted nose and broken bone he'd ever been given.
Leo frowned at the carnage, but had no desire to interfere. His attention was more on Sams. Sheathing his weapon, he touched her cheek tenderly, which seemed paler and thinner beneath his fingers. "Sams?" Her eyes were closed, but she was breathing. She'd been knocked out by her run-in with the wall. He stroked her hair warmly. "Come on, sweetheart. Wake up."
Slowly her eyes opened. She touched his face softly. "Leo."
He sighed both from the tenderness of her touch and the endearing nickname he'd just been given. "Are you okay?" She gave a small nod, tears welling in her eyes. Her gaze shifted to where the sounds of the fight were. If one could call it a fight? Because if it was, it was wholly one sided.
Rocksteady picked up the discarded switchblade. He would make sure this never happened again. He would protect his sister. His hand tightened on the handle as he brought it up to plunge it into his father's chest. He'd never killed a man outright. But no one had ever stirred this type of hatred and ager in him. The world would be far better off without this scumbag in it.
"No!" Sams' cry stopped his hand in its descent.
"Why! He deserves it! After what he's done to us!"
She pulled away from Leo to crawl the few feet between them to where he knelt over the bloody heap of their father. She placed her hands on his large shoulder. "Joey, he's not worth it. Don't cross that line. Please." Her tears slipped free. "If you do, I'll lose you forever. I know it." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Please."
Rocksteady was shaking all over. He stared at the blade in his hand, the desire to end things for good thick in his chest. One last blow, that's all it would take and he would be out of their lives permanently. He would never be able to threaten them or hurt them again. One blow…just one….
Samantha's tears dampened his shoulder. But he couldn't, not with her so close and her plea ringing in his ear. He shuddered violently and threw the knife aside.
"Joey?" Mumbled the man on the ground. His eyes widened. "You're my son?" He scooted away from them. "But you're…you're a monster?"
Rocksteady's shoulders sagged and Samantha lifted her head, her tone harsh. "The only monster here is you." The man just got up and scrambled out the other end of the alley. Samantha went limp, her body finally giving in to exhaustion and weakness.
Joey gasped, catching her as she started to fall again. "Sams!"
Leo was beside them in a flash. A cursory exam showed her to be breathing and with a steady pulse. "It's okay. I think she just passed out."
Bebop, who'd joined them, let out a breath of relief. "Poor kid. Should we take her back to her apartment?"
"No. She's coming home with me." Leo stated, slipping his arms beneath her, cradling her against his chest.
Rocksteady started to protest, but decided better of it. His ears drooped. "Yeah, she's probably better off with you do-gooders anyway. We'll go back and lock her place up somehow."
Leo smiled slightly as they moved back out of the alley. "You did good tonight, Rocksteady. You made the right choice."
Rocksteady's ears perked up a bit as he watched the turtle walk away with his baby sister held securely in his arms.
Leo took a deep breath before entering the lair. His brothers looked up from the television. "Leo you're back." Don gasped. "Sams!"
Mikey jumped up, following after his brother. "Is she okay?"
Leo didn't slow his pace until he reached the bedroom, where he gently laid Sams on his bed, covering her with his blanket. Raph frowned. "What happened? Who did this?"
Leo knelt beside the bed and softly brushed the curls from her face. "She was attacked by her father."
Don moved around to the opposite side from him. "Let me take a look at her."
Leo frowned, but nodded. He watched his brother's every move as he probed her upper body and ribcage. Finally, Don gave a small nod of his own. "Everything is pretty superficial, except for her wrist. It's sprained. And she seems a touch malnourished." He seemed a bit confused by the last part.
"My sons, what is happening here?" Splinter's eyes widened at the sight of Sams in Leo's bed. He moved forward with concern in his eyes to stand beside Don. "Samantha?"
"She'll be okay." Don assured him.
Leo took a deep breath, standing. "Master, I need to talk to you."
The old rat nodded. Mikey squeezed Leo's shoulder. "We'll keep an eye on her, bro."
Leo allowed a small smile. "Thanks, Michelangelo." Then he turned and followed Splinter to his room. He knelt on the tatami mat, his head down.
Splinter frowned at him. "Leonardo, what is that weighs upon your soul?"
Leo took a deep breath. "I have dishonored you, Father. I tried to let her go, but I can't. She's a part of me. When I'm away from her, I feel so empty and cold. I love her and I can't walk away, not even if her brother is Rocksteady. You can punish me however you see fit. But I will not abandon her again."
A/N: Hey, guys let me know how you're liking it! :)