Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, the best thing on the planet. I do not own any of those gosh darned foot ninja, the Shredder, Splinter, or any of the turtles' associates. However, I do own Vanessa along with my other OCs (Lily, Sam, and Rachel. Ooh, don't forget Grace and Carmen!)

Alright, now that we got that out of the way, time to give you a brief. A little bit of time has passed (about two months, maybe a little less). It is fall, and so it's drawing nearer to some big stuff in this fic. That means you all shout HOORAY!!!!!!!! So, I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'm sorry for the very, very, VERY late update.

Let the chapter begin!

PS-last edited March 14th 2010

The poor young man straightens his suit and black face mask before knocking lightly on the large dark wood door. A calm but authoritative 'enter' reaches his ears, the man opening the large swinging doors. He walks to the large red symbol upon the floor and bows deeply toward his Master, flinching to the hard stare he receives as he rights himself. There is a long pause in which time the important man becomes impatient and demands roughly, "Well?"

"M-my Lord," the servant stutters, casting his eyes to the floor, "We have uncovered some leads while we have been tracking the girl—"

"And what of that girl?" His Master's voice is so quiet in the enormous room, the ninja knows he is in trouble. Swallowing hard and shifting in his place, he replies, "We have been unable to capture or even encounter the girl alone, she is always either with family or friends—"

"Imbecile! You are a ninja trained by the greatest of martial arts Masters, and you cannot apprehend one little girl? I am greatly dishonored and displeased. If in all this time you have not fulfilled your task, I must ask what you are worth." He releases a short sigh then demands, "Have you been tracking her?"

"Yes, Master," the ninja responds, and adds quickly, "We have found something you may be interested in."

"Proceed," the Master says. Glad that his Master has not reached for his gauntlet, the man straightens up and informs, "Over the weeks we have been tracking her, we have found that she is currently in a relationship with one of your enemies."

His eyes show interest but his voice as collected as ever, the Master asks, "And who might these enemies be?"

"The turtles, my Lord," the Foot ninja replies and bows his head, playing with his hands. The Master's lips curl into a malicious smile and he asks, "Which one?"

"Raphael."

The man in the chair smiles evilly, showing his white teeth and says, "Excellent, assemble all ninja. We strike tonight." With that, he turns in his seat, a sign of dismissal. The ninja bows and speedily exits the chamber, the heavy doors closing firmly behind him.

"Two birds, one stone," the Master muses, smiling to himself.

Raph's skin tingles Vanessa's hand, the pair walking quietly down the sidewalk near Central Park in the brisk mid-autumn breeze. The sky is an explosion of color, streaks of purple, red, orange, pink, blue and grey slashing through the enormous yellow sun in the vast blanket of sky hovering over the earth. They beat down the cracked worn sidewalk toward the 2nd Time Around store, Vanessa clutching her red coat about herself tightly with her free hand. Raph thinks about what happened earlier, still mortified about how his brothers embarrassed him.

Raph paces across the small area in front of the television, waiting impatiently for Vanessa though she isn't due for another 15 minutes. Finally the doorbell rings and Raph bolts to the door, opening it to a very relaxed Vanessa. Glancing toward the kitchen for safety, Raph snatches his leather jacket off the back of the couch and tries to slip out unnoticed. Before he can finish zipping his coat, Leo's spidey-senses tingle and he checks the front room, seeing that the pair are about to leave lecture-less. The other two brothers are there in a millisecond, ruining Raph's chances to sneak out of the apartment unnoticed, each wearing their molecular changers.

"Where are you two headed?" Leo asks in a business-like tone, barely containing a smirk.

"Leo, let us go," Raph begs, more than annoyed with the interrogation. In his defense, Leo puts up a palm and insists, "I just want to know what time you'll have him home." His question is directed at Vanessa. Lifting her head slightly, Vanessa replies with a smile playing about her lips, "By ten o'clock, Leo. I would never doubt or question your authority."

Leo suppresses a chuckle, letting them go with a false warning to Vanessa to which she salutes him, saying, "Sir yes sir."

In the short time of his recollection, Raph and Vanessa have reached their destination, turning into the small alleyway and drawing up to the door leading to the upstairs apartment. Without reason, the feeble bulb above the old metal door flicks off, and they are completely bathed in darkness. Raph hears a rustle and immediately becomes defensive, eyes darting around the small alleyway. He searches for the source of the sound in the nerve-racking quiet, ready for anything. Anything, that is, except for a hoard of figures dressed in black surrounding them. A red crest resembling a claw is emblazoned upon their chests, the familiar symbol drawing a vicious growl from Raph's throat. Raph's amber eyes narrow and he pulls his sais from their hiding place in his belt. Vanessa's eyes widen in shock more than fear, the ninja around them preparing to attack. Keeping his eyes on every opponent at once, Raph orders, "Behind me, Vanessa!"

She obeys, eyeing Raph's fingers as they twirl his sais aggressively. An Elite Foot steps forward and in a low, even tone, the man says, "We know who you are, freak. Surrender, and we won't hurt the girl."

Raph has no idea they're bluffing, and that the ninja are there to capture him and Vanessa, not kill them. Left in the dark for the moment, he snarls to the threat and charges, knocked over by the ninja and restrained painfully by his arms. The Elite Foot snaps his fingers and another ninja comes toward Raphael, gagging him tightly and avoiding by mere millimeters Raph's attempt to bite his gloved hand.

"The girl dies because of your choice, and you get to watch," the Elite Foot sneers wickedly, hoping the other turtles will reveal themselves. Foot ninja come up behind Vanessa and grasp her arms forcefully behind her back. A sole ninja comes forward with a tanto and poises it above Vanessa's rapidly rising and falling chest. Raph puts all his effort into breaking his bonds, but his captors squeeze his wrists, leaving him incapacitated though he continues to struggle. The ninja holding the tanto pulls back and readies to thrust when a powerful foot comes in contact with his stomach, making him crumple to the ground.

Vanessa throws off her captors and leaps into the air, split kicking two on-coming Foot. She lands silently and picks up a dropped katana, deflecting the blows of the swarm of ninja with ease and fighting her way to Raph who stands with his mouth agape. Knocking an adversary into the wall with a spin kick, Vanessa flips over the crowd of ninja effortlessly, surprising them all. When a ninja tries to attack her from behind, she slides her leg under his feet, flattening him on his back. Raphael decides to use the distraction to his advantage and wrestles out of the hold of the ninja, sending them flying with a roundhouse kick.

Through the apartment's open window Leo, Don and Mikey hear the crash of metal and pained grunts. They exchange a look and rush downstairs to join the clash, surprised that there are so few Foot left. The brothers are even more surprised to see Vanessa club a ninja over the head with the butt of a sword as she kicks another across the face simultaneously. The Foot ninja's jaw cracks loudly and a muffled swearword can be heard through the black fabric of his mask as he keels over. Confused, they run toward Raph to help whom they give questioning looks. Raph's response is a baffled shoulder shrug. At that moment, Vanessa loses her katana and a ninja comes at Vanessa with his weapon raised, taking advantage of her lack of a weapon. Vanessa has no intention of moving, and she glares fiercely at him with a defiant posture. Raph's heart leaps to his throat and he cries, "Vanessa!" elbowing his way to her aid. She ignores his shout, focusing upon the man wielding the katana, and when the blade is inches from her skull, she catches it in her bare hands. She knees the ninja in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him, and grabs his sword in midair as he falls.

Apprehensively, Vanessa glances around, pleasantly surprised to see only one ninja left and the four brothers. The remaining ninja is an Elite Foot, and as his Master ordered him to do if anything went wrong, he bows slightly towards her, keeping both eyes on her face as he gushes in a humble voice, "I am impressed by your skill, as I believe my Master would be. Accept our offer to join our clan, and you will be entitled to riches beyond your wildest dreams. My Master rewards generously, and we hope you will consider."

Vanessa's face is unreadable as she surveys the man momentarily. Her eyes narrow as she flashes her stolen blade to his throat and stops it abruptly against his Adam's apple. Voice steely, she spits ferociously, "My answer is no."

Displeased with her response, the Elite moves to snap his fingers as a few of the Foot soldiers stir, but Vanessa presses the sharp metal to his skin more dangerously. There is undisguised fear in his voice as he entices, "You can have the world if you join us, and be able to rid the human race of disgusting creatures." He glances pointedly at the four standing aggressively to his left.

'How did the Foot recognize us with our molecular altering devices activated?' Donatello wonders, aware that the Foot now conscious are waiting for orders with bated breath. Eyes fixed steadily upon his half masked face, Vanessa makes no move to take the weapon away from the Foot Elite's throat. She chances to look sideways at her teammates after a drawn out staring contest and asks although she already knows the answer, "Is he lying to me?"

They nod curtly in response, keeping their trained eyes locked on the assassin until Vanessa returns her glower to him. Abandoning the approach of persuasion, the Elite Foot threatens seriously, "If you refuse our offer, we will be forced to kill you."

Vanessa takes the fact that they're outnumbered into account for a moment, long enough for the ninja to knock the sword from her hand and spin her by the shoulders, catching the sword in midair and placing it at her throat. Chuckling menacingly, he hisses into her ear, "The tables have turned, Miss McMillan. We give you one last chance: join us or perish."

Vanessa and Raph's eyes lock, both wondering how the ninja knew her name. His deep hazel eyes give her a new burst of confidence, and she makes a risky, but effect plan. Brow furrowing, Vanessa kicks the ninja in the shin and ducks, bellowing, "I said no, now get off of me!"

She twists to face him and grabs him by the cloak, tossing his body at the brick wall. The Elite Foot disappears in a puff of slate grey smoke as he hits the alley wall. By now, the rest of the Foot have vanished, leaving the quintet alone in the alley, safe. Mikey runs his hand through his blond hair and asks, "Alright, what were those guys doing here? And what Master were they talking about? We got rid of the Shredder, like, a year ago!"

Leonardo casts a warning glance at his baby brother for saying too much and Mikey winces, expecting to get hit by one or all of his brothers. Ignoring his brother's inability to keep his mouth shut, Don corrects, "What we really should be asking is where the shell did Vanessa learn how to fight?!"

All eyes fixate on the person in question, Vanessa looking up at them with her hands on her hips. Panting lightly she responds, "I learned ninjitsu from my grandfather, it's really no big deal—"

"No big deal?! You just kicked fifty Foot ninja from here to Kansas!" Mikey exclaims, both surprised and impressed by Vanessa's skill. She smiles appreciatively at the compliment, but it fades quickly as she says, "We shouldn't talk about it out here, it's dangerous with all these ninja prowling New York."

The brothers nod and enter April's apartment, mounting the stairs quickly and resuming their conversation in the light of the sitting room. Wagging a finger at her, Mikey says, "OK Vanessa, you got some splainin' to do…ow!"

The comedian rubs the side of his head as Raph withdraws his hand, returning his attention to Vanessa before Mikey does another stupid thing. With a quick sweep of her eyes over Raph who sits a few feet away from her, across Leo's expectant face, his hands planted on his hips, to Don with his fingers linked together, and finally to Mikey, sitting upside down on the armchair, she explains. "From the time I was five, my grandfather and my uncle have taught me ninjitsu. They wanted me to follow in the footsteps of my parents and become a protector. I've trained for sixteen years, and in that span of time, I've unlocked many things about my past, Japan and ninjitsu in general.

"The martial arts have been important to me my entire life, but since my uncle left unexpectedly about two years ago and my grandfather died shortly after, I've been stuck in a rut. I've been practicing, but because I don't have a teacher I can't go further."

"What level are you at?" Raph asks out of curiosity, breaking the short silence. Squeezing her wrist absentmindedly and popping her hip, Vanessa replies, "Chunin, but like I said, it hasn't gone past that due to lack of training."

'We're in Chunin too,' Raph says to himself, surveying her to see if all of a sudden a huge gold badge will appear upon her chest reading 'Secret martial arts trainee'. Seeing no change in Vanessa except for her position, her hand now on her hip, he keeps quiet, wondering why she hadn't told him before. 'The same reason you didn't tell her you are a giant reptilian ninja, idiot,' a voice in the back of his mind says, and he lets it slide, able to relate.

Strictly business, Leo regards her skeptically, demanding seriously, "Have the Foot engaged in conversation with you anytime before tonight?" Knowing that flaring up to the accusatory implication would only make things worse, Vanessa shakes her head, her expression as contemplating and grave as Leo's. Raph finds the moment quite awkward, and wanting some alone time with Vanessa, he suggests, "Wanna go for a ride ta the wharf, Vanessa?"

The four in the room with him give him questioning looks, Mikey teasing, "Random much?" Vanessa reaches out and shoves Mikey gently off the chair by his leg, replying, "I'd love to."

Leo shoots Raph a look that screams, 'Are you crazy?!'

In response Raph raises an eyebrow toward his brother in a smug expression as if countering, 'Do you have to ask?'

Suppressing a smile at the look of disapproval on his brother's face, Raph grabs two helmets from the closet and a set of keys, leading Vanessa out the door without a backward glance. Leo shakes his head in desperation, releasing a short growl-like sigh. He turns a harsh look toward Don when he jokes sympathetically, "Parenting unruly teenagers isn't easy, is it?"

The deadly look Leo gives Don frightens him, and he defends, "It was a rhetorical question!"

Vanessa turns the smooth black helmet over in her hands and admires Raph comfortably sitting on his motorcycle. The beast of a vehicle has her transfixed, and his eyes twinkling, Raph pushes back on the seat, indicating for her to sit in front. She smiles at his chivalry and puts on her helmet, straddling the cycle with her hands clenched on the handle bars. Raph places his hands atop hers and slides forward, his thighs pressed firmly against her hips. With the revving of the engine, the motorcycle roars toward the docks far off in the distance.

Leo watches from the window, aggravated at Raph's lack of caution with both the safety of himself and Vanessa, not to mention his family, in jeopardy. Don places a reassuring hand on Leo's shoulder, which the surly turtle shrugs off. Mikey tries to look on the bright side saying, "At least can take off these molecular changer whatever thingies now." To prove that this is great Mikey removes it from his wrist and heaves an exaggerated sigh of relief. Leo's gaze doesn't leave the corner they turn until long after the motorcycle has disappeared into the night.

The adrenaline rushes through Vanessa as lights, store fronts, and familiar places fly, her heart ready to leap from her chest any second. Feeling Raph's body so near her own gives her a sense of security, and she works up the courage to shout excitedly into the empty streets. Raph's chest shakes against her back with laughter at her sudden outburst, and he mutters fondly, "Lunatic." Vanessa hears him and turns to look at his helmeted face, a grin on hers.

He turns off the motor of his cycle when they arrive at the wharf and sighs, taking off his helmet to let the breeze cool off his hot forehead. Vanessa removes hers as well and shakes out her long, ebony hair before she hops up on the railing of the lookout point. Raph leans on the railing next to her and the two gaze into the now starry sky, its mirrored image upon the glassy surface of the water. Deciding to break the silence, Raph raises an eyebrow and asks, "What were ya playin' at back there with the whole damsel in distress thing?"

Vanessa smiles and shrugs as she replies, "I had to seem helpless, therefore gaining the element of surprise." A bit mad that she gave him such a scare, Raph says, "Ya scared the shell outta me! With that sword at your heart, I thought you were actually gonna get hurt, I was so—"

"Worried?" she finishes with a smug look on her face. He doesn't reply, but his eyes give him away. Vanessa laughs and whispers into his ear, "Well, I think it's sweet that you were worried about me," pecking him softly on the cheek. He turns to face her as she continues, "I love that you're so nice, and funny and honest—"

"I don't deserve that," he blurts, earning himself a confused look from Vanessa. Raph releases a big sigh and confesses, "The truth is, I've been keeping secrets from ya fer the past two months. I think it's time that you know what I am."

His reluctance just barely outweighed by his need to tell the truth, Raph takes off his molecular changer, casting his eyes down as the illusion fades away with Vanessa's smile. Shaking his sleek green head, he apologizes, "I'm sorry I didn't tell ya earlier, I just…I knew that ya would be freaked out." He takes her blank expression as a demand for an explanation and tells his story.

"Ya see, me and my family started out as regular turtles, a regular rat in my father's case. We fell inta the sewer, and were accidentally covered in a glowing green mutagen from the TCRI company—"

His tale comes to a halt as the look of pure shock on Vanessa's face slowly changes to an awed expression. Eyes wide with sudden understanding, Vanessa murmurs, "So Uncle Mortu wasn't telling me stories."

"Uncle Mortu? But that means…" Realization dawns on Raph as he fits the pieces of the puzzle together. "You know about the Utroms?!" He demands in surprise. Vanessa nods in response, saying, "Yes, my parents are guardians, and my adoptive uncle is Mortu."

Raph's brow furrows in confusion as he recalls, "But the Guardians left with the Utroms. How can yer parents be here?"

Vanessa tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and admits, "Amy and George aren't really my parents, they've just looked after me my entire life, which I guess makes them more so my parents than anyone else. My parents fell in love while they were training to be Guardians, and one year later I was born. They couldn't very well keep me in such a dangerous position, what with the evil forces Uncle Mortu told me about wreaking havoc in New York. The Utroms confided in some of their human allies, and Amy and George volunteered to raise me. My grandfather had been a Guardian, but when he hurt his leg in battle, he could no longer serve. He instead took the liberty of teaching me ninjitsu, and I learned a lot from him."

Vanessa's voice wavers. Tears threaten to pour out of her eyes as she swallows the lump in her throat and bowls on, "Months before my uncle, my parents and the other Guardians went back to the home world, Mortu told me of strange turtle creatures who fought the Shredder and his army of Foot ninja. I was fascinated by their skill. My Uncle Mortu, my parents and the other Utroms and Guardians left shortly after; the day the TCRI building imploded. My grandfather died not too long after because he was ill, and you know the rest."

Raph looks down and whispers, "I'm sorry," as she straightens up. Face fallen, he remarks, "I guess that ya don't think 'bout me the same way, now that ya know."

Snapping out of her reminiscence, Vanessa glances at Raph in confusion. She lifts his chin and forces him to look into her eyes, his orbs of deep hazel locking with her blue eyes. Passion pulsating in her voice, she assures, "You are beautiful no matter how you look, Raph."

This surprises him, but not so much as when she leans in and kisses him on the lips gently. After a few seconds she pulls back slowly, the wind whipping her hair into her vision. Raphael can't take his eyes off of her, a new expression on his face as his heart thumps loudly in his chest.

"What happened to the whole tough guy thing?" Vanessa jokes, winking at him. She slides down from the railing and starts toward his motorcycle. She takes only two steps before she is caught by her waist and pulled to Raph's body, his lips pressing hard against hers. After the initial surprise Vanessa's arms slither around his neck and she hugs her body closer to his, his cool fingers sending shivers up her spine. Releasing a soft moan into his lips, she tilts her head slightly and changes the shape of her mouth around his, earning herself a sigh from Raph as his hands slide back down the length of her sides. He finally releases her and she tries to speak, only able to manage, "Wow."

Clearing his throat, Raph lets her go and nudges her to the bike as a hint. She takes her seat in front and Raph climbs on behind her, leaving his molecular changer in his pocket. Vanessa is just as reckless and places her helmet on her lap. Raph demands, "What are ya, crazy?"

"Life's more fun when it's dangerous," she retorts, smiling. "Even you can agree with that."

At her response Raph shakes his head and chuckles quietly, clutching the handle bars over her hands as he revs the engine. He kicks starts the motorbike and they zoom down the dock, Vanessa's face showing excitement. Raph aims for a three foot ramp and they soar into the air, Vanessa squealing in shock and taking refuge in the warmth of his body, the wind roaring by loudly. Raph smirks and pushes himself closer, willing the ride to last forever.

All too soon, they pull up to the apartment, Raph cutting the engine and slipping off his helmet. Vanessa turns slightly on the bike and throwing a quick glance at the illuminated window, she wraps one arm around Raph's neck and presses her lips to his. Raph is surprised that she's so comfortable kissing an enormous turtle, but he nonetheless returns the kiss just as enthusiastically. Little do they know, they're being watched.

"I can't believe he told her," Leonardo mutters bitterly, arms folded tightly across his chest. Mikey and Don exchange a look between themselves to the icy inflection in their brother's voice, and the more conversational of the two tries to take some of the heat off of Raph. Trying his best to be sensitive to both parties, Don insists, "Raph wouldn't have told her if he didn't think he could trust her. I'm sure that she'll keep it to herself."

"She'd better keep it to herself, or else I'll have to sic Klunk on her," Mikey whispers back, laughing at his own joke. The more intelligent brother rolls his eyes and assures, "She's trustworthy and against the Foot. This new ally couldn't hurt considering how much ground the Foot have been gaining lately. I mean, last week alone we shut down five Foot operations and three Purple Dragon deals."

Leo frowns, glaring down at his brother's shell.

Vanessa pulls away from Raph unexpectedly and darts her eyes around the empty alley. Thinking it's more Foot, Raph reaches for the hilts of his sais but Vanessa stops the metal from sliding out of his belt, checking the area around them. Something in her senses tells her to look up and she does so, catching the glimpse of a green, two-toed foot dangling over the edge of the rooftop. As inconspicuously as possible she indicates it to Raph, the turtle's eyes narrowing on the olive toes. Instead of getting mad, he decides to trick them, asking in a voice loud enough for his brothers to hear, "D'ya wanna go inta the apartment fer some action?"

She furrows her brow, but catching on quickly she replies in a silky voice, "Sure baby, let's have some fun…Wait, what about the chaperones?"

"They won't be able ta hear us in the downstairs apartment," he hints and leads her to the door with his hand on her butt.

"Don't push it, Raph," she hisses through clenched teeth, annoyed that he would even think about touching her bum. Smirking, Raph counters, "How d'ya know I wasn't gonna do that anyway?" Vanessa frowns at being so exploited and gives his side a jab with her elbow. To get himself back on her good side Raph gives her a light peck on the temple, then the two slip into the dark bedroom of the apartment April used to rent out. They crouch in the corner and wait for a creak of the floorboards to tell them that their plan worked. Vanessa comes up with another idea and makes a pleasurable moan escape her lips. Raph looks at her in question and she whispers, "We have to be a little convincing," releasing another soft sound and making her breathing more ragged. Once again Raph says, "Yer crazy." Despite this conclusion, he joins in, dragging a blanket off the bed and rubbing it between his fingers to make a rustling sound.

Then, the light padding of feet can be heard and the pair tense up waiting for the right moment. As soon as the door is open a crack, Vanessa reaches above her head and flicks on the light to reveal the three spies looking guilty as children who just spilled grape juice all over their mother's white rug.

"What the shell are you guys doin' spyin' on us?" Raph demands angrily, his voice so quiet and fierce that they fear for their lives. Not one to let others blame him for being responsible, Leo demands while pointing at Vanessa every time he stresses a word, "What do you think you're doing, telling her what we are and taking her into the apartment alone?"

His innocence the only thing keeping him from hurting his brother, Raph leaps up off the floor and explains, "Okay, fer the first one: she trusted me an' told me about herself, so I though she had the right ta know. Secondly, we only did this to catch you three in the act, and ya know what? It worked!"

His eyes flashing dangerously, Leo admonishes, "What could she tell you that would make you risk being discovered by the world? This infatuation has completely influenced your judgment! How do you know she's not working undercover for the Foot?"

Raph finally loses his cool and with deadly accuracy, punches and area of skin in Leo's direction, though it's softer than he expected. His eyes widen to the size of saucers when he sees Vanessa directly in front of him with a steadily bleeding lip, Leo looking just as shocked behind her. 'Why would she take a hit for me after I accused her of working with the Foot?' Leo wonders.

Inhaling a deep breath, Vanessa says firmly, "You two have to calm down. Leo," He jumps at his name, expecting an earful. "...go out to the shop. And Raph." Raph flinches at the force behind her words and Vanessa says quietly, "You go upstairs to the living room. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get cleaned up."

She marches out of the room trying to appear alright, but she only softens the look of anguish on her face as she jogs up the stairs with tears blurring her vision.

Mikey watches her disappear and asks, "How many problems have we caused for her? First there was the drugged drink, then the fight with the Foot, and now this. Talk about an excessive doctor's bill!"

Don slaps Mikey in the back of the head and shoots a disappointed look at his eldest brothers before following Vanessa to help her with her bleeding lip. Raph also sends Leo a glare and sulkily goes to his 'time out' upstairs, Leo sighing and going to his designated Alcatraz. Mikey shakes his head and goes up the stairs himself, ducking into the kitchen before Raph can say anything to him.

The cool water pouring from the tap soaks the dark facecloth, water streaming from Vanessa's wrist to the end of her elbow where it drips into the rapidly forming puddle on the counter. Don knocks on the doorframe, asking tentatively, "Can I come in?"

She refuses to turn around but nods, bending further over the sink and pressing the cloth against her lip that creates a river of crimson in the porcelain sink. Hoping to get a verbal response, Don offers gently, "Do you want me to help?"

Head still lowered, she mumbles, "No thanks, I'm fine," into the face cloth, the sound of her voice making it obvious that she is not fine. Don rests his hand on her shoulder, and though she tenses, he inhales with confidence and lets reason reign. "Vanessa, you know that Leo didn't mean what he said, and that Raph didn't want to hurt you or his brother. They just…get angry sometimes."

The huge lump in her throat is nearly impossible to swallow, but she does and gives a nod as a tear slides down the curve of her cheek slowly. One swipe of Don's finger is all it takes to brush it away, the action forcing Vanessa to look up at him. His expression kind, he apprehends the cloth from Vanessa's hand, trying to make the blood clot faster by pressing it more firmly to her lips. In an attempt to convince her that Leo doesn't hate her, he asserts, "Their fight was not your fault. In fact, you were the one who actually stopped it. That's something I haven't accomplished in a long time."

She gives another solemn nod to his dry chuckle, her throat too tight to say anything. Another tear travels down her red cheek and with a weak sniffle she wipes it away, avoiding his eyes. Her eyes show no emotion even though dry tear tracks are on her face. After a drawn-out inward battle she finally manages to apologize quietly, "I'm sorry for causing the Foot to come here, I didn't mean to be such a bother. I feel so guilty; Leo was really upset and disappointed in me—"

"Don't pay Leo any mind!" Don says forcefully, Vanessa jumping to the incredible increase in volume. Trying to be a bit more sensitive to how easily she can be startled, Don insists, "Don't feel bad. To the contrary, you should feel honored that you've earned his respect so quickly."

At this fleeting thought Vanessa blushes, the blush hidden by her already scarlet face. Smiling appreciatively, Vanessa says, "Thank you, Don," and wraps her arms impulsively around his shell. To say he is surprised would be an understatement, but he returns the hug warmly, if not awkwardly.

'Now, to go talk to him,' she says to herself, leaving the bathroom with only one thought on her mind.

Leo's head perks up to the sound of soft footsteps coming toward him, expecting Mikey or Don. Instead he is greeted by Vanessa, the bleeding of her lip subsided and only a faint tint of purple to her cheek. The tension tangible in the air between them, she shifts uncomfortably and asks, "A-Are you…okay?"

All she receives as an answer is a stiff nod of the head, followed by a pair of eyes darting from hers. Taking in a sharp breath she blurts, "We have to get an understanding Leo, or we won't be able to tolerate each other. I want to know why you don't trust me."

Head lowered, he confesses in a quiet, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I'm…jealous of you." Certain she heard him wrong, Vanessa asks, "What?"

"I said I'm jealous of you," Leo repeats, his voice a bit louder. He looks embarrassed as he explains, "It doesn't seem fair that you can come into Raphael's life and he wants to share everything with you. I'm his brother, and he won't tell me anything! I have to figure it out by trial and error. And he cares about you so much, it's so hard to believe he could love someone that much."

'Wow. Leo is really upset. And Raph loves me? No, he can't love me. It's too early.'

To take a bit of the attention and —she thinks that's what it's meant to be— flattery away from herself, she admits, "Well, I think that he likes you a little more than he lets on. He's always saying how brave and focused you are. You're really important to him, and he respects you a lot, Leo."

Silence takes over for a long moment, until Vanessa acknowledges, "I'd better go talk to Raph, I think he's beaten himself up enough internally by now, don't you?"

Leo chuckles, a new bond formed between him and Vanessa after the heart to heart, and they go upstairs together. Once he's in the room, all Leo's intentions to talk to Raph are tainted by his worries of having his head ripped off again. To Leo's uncommon passiveness, Vanessa sighs and takes a seat on the couch next to Raph. Face reproachful, she apologizes, "I'm sorry I got in the middle of this family feud, Raph, I just couldn't stand by and watch you two tear each other to pieces—"

"Ya don't have ta apologize, it's my fault. I'm the one who let my temper get the better o' me, but I didn't mean ta hurt ya," he replies, letting his palm slide down her uninjured cheek tenderly. He then looks to his brother and adds, "I'm also sorry fer what I said earlier, and the way I acted. Can ya forgive me?"

"You know I can, hothead," Leo jokes, punching Raph's arm lightly. Vanessa is overjoyed that they're on good terms again, but can't help but wonder why men show affection so violently. Moving closer to her, Raph implores, "What d'ya say, can you forgive me?"

Vanessa's brow furrows as she pretends to consider his request, then smiling, she answers, "Yes," kissing him gingerly. Almost instantly, she pulls back and yelps, pressing her sore lips together at the pain. After swallowing a mouthful of chips, Mikey teases from the table, "That's what you get for makin' out in public!"

Vanessa narrows her eyes and grabs the couch cushion underneath Raph's backside, throwing it at Mikey's head. On impact she warns, "Think fast!"

Mikey falls off the chair as the air borne pillow hits the side of his head, sending chips flying in all directions. Rubbing his head, he groans, "Dude, that was, like, déjà vu!"

And so Vanessa and Raph's secrets are revealed! Didn't see that coming, did ya?

Teehee (:

What did you think of Raph and Vanessa's make out(s)? Pretty steamy, eh? The funniest part for me about it is that I'm not usually that comfortable making sexy scenes in my stories, but I've been getting really good at it lately! It's only a matter of time now…

Again, I'm sorry this chapter came really late, but I've had a lot of stuff happening lately, and I really couldn't find the time to finish. Don't worry, there's more to come in the adventures of my turtles and the ladies who've captured their hearts!

Please review, or zombies will eat you! ;)

The Light of Reason