A/N: Gosh, I got SO distracted this last weekend. The Kentucky Derby was this Saturday and I was just consumed with studying up on my horses. And! I won! But, I didn't put any money down, dammit! D: But anyway! I love the reviews and the feedback, Duckies! I'm glad you are all enjoying this story, I'm having a blast. Read and Review please!
NOTICE: THIS STORY HAS OC CHARACTERS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ANY OF THEM LOOK LIKE, PLEASE CHECK THE LINKS ON MY PROFILE FOR YOUR VISUAL AID.
Saundra sat and did her best to take in what just happened. It was fast and without many words exchanged between them. But, that was Shiho. She understood without much needing to be said once it was out in the open. Saundra could feel that gripping, hot sensation around her heart ease away the more and more she went with the flow of the family. Now, she just had to deal with her guilt while keeping Marcus somewhere in her mind so she'd be ready to take whatever he had to throw at her and beat it into the ground.
Upstairs, she could hear her sister talking to Mikey and soothing the sickness out of him. Laughing, she shook her head and downed the rest of her soda.
"Fatass turtle…"
To say that the relationship between the gecko and fox was beginning to blossom into something beautiful for sisters would have been…dead wrong. They were still the irritated, fighting sisters they'd always been but the only difference now was there was no trace of hostility in the air and especially no jealousy radiating from Saundra the way it had been before. It made Leo proud to see his girl swallow whatever bad energy that they shared and moved on without a grudge. Now, all he had to deal with was Shiho's brooding issue with Karai.
Leo had always imagined Shiho was mildly possessive but never to the extent in which she displayed. Just the mention of the female ninja's name made the vixen's lip curl up in a snarl. He had to admit, it was scary but undeniably sexy. Donnie had ventured that it was her fox nature that made her so aggressive about Leonardo because she didn't act like any human woman in her jealousy. The glint in her eyes alone when the subject of Karai was brought up was enough to make any of them want to crawl into their shells and hide. Leo couldn't blame her; he was essentially the same and would cut anyone down without a second thought for putting their hands on his girl.
The turtles and sisters, minus Aanika who stayed with her JiiJii Splinter, were on their nightly patrol of the bustling city. The sun had long disappeared under the skyline and the freaks had come out to play to make trouble among the city folk. Master Splinter had made it clear years ago to his boys to become the guardians of New York City while remaining in shadow, to protect its people under the veil and that is exactly what they did. Now, with extra help when situations when get more hairy than the four boys alone could handle.
Tonight's fixings had been two attempted robberies, a few purse snatchers, and they were lucky enough to break up a gang rape. Shiho always took personal pleasure in watching her amazing mate deal the hand (or foot) of justice to the scum of New York. Preying on the weak like snacks. It made the kiss she gave him on the rooftop that the group had come to rest on heavy and full of sweet adoration. They received a combination of fake gagging noises from Raphael and Saundra, a groan of disdain from Donnie and Fiona, and a full blown wolf whistle from Michelangelo.
"Hehe, your brothers are so mature, Babe," Shiho said with a smirk, her hands resting on the top plates of his scarred plastron while gazing up at him with his favorite glowing stare. He chuckled and tightened his arms around her.
"I could say the same about your sisters. C'mere, gimme another."
"Ah jeez would you two just get a roof? Christ, we're supposed to be saving people not sucking face and playing Tonsil Hockey," Raph snorted, earning him a punch in the arm from his own girl. "Ow!"
"Oh Raphie, just because we're professional Tonsil Hockey players and you're an amateur doesn't mean you have to be jealous," Shiho said. Collectively, the brothers and hybrids all cackled; Leo included.
"Oh yeah?! C'mere, Fuzzball, I'll gonna yank those ears right outta your head!"
"Ohhh you're gonna have to catch me first, Shell For Brains," Shiho giggled as the red-clad ninja dove for her with his hands outstretched. She merely took a side-stepped and instead he collided with Leonardo and toppled over a few times. Leo groaned and glared at his brother.
"Get off me, Raph! You're so heavy!" Leo grunted and shoved Raphael with both hands in the plastron onto the rooftop with a thud. The sisters gathered together to giggle at the turtles. Donnie sighed with a dreamy smile on his face as he leaned on his bo, staring at his lovely Fiona.
Mikey smiled and pointed at the genius. "Heyy, look at Goo-Goo Eyes over here."
Donnie responded by twirling his bo staff in his hands and knocking his little brothers legs out from underneath him. Mikey flipped over backwards and landed flat on his plastron with a yelp. It only made the sisters grip their sides and laugh harder.
"I'm okay…cheap blow, Donnie!"
"Haha, come on guys, we better get back. I'm sure Splinter is wondering where we are, it's getting late," Leo said. Always the voice of reason, Shiho thought. Approaching her turtle mate she pulled him up to his feet with her hand out to him. "Hello, Beautiful." He said as he stood, towering above her.
It was funny how the turtles sprouted once they turned seventeen. They always seemed stuck at just over five feet tall but now they stood a full head above where they once were. Leo was the tallest, hovering above his short vixen at a nice 6'2". The others followed just an each below each other. The tallest sister was Saundra, standing on three clawed toes on each foot. Her gecko-like anatomy gave her an advantage in high and agility compared to her foxy sisters.
"Hello, Handsome. Now, about that last kiss."
"I'd be happy to supply it to you for a price," Shiho flatted her ears out in suspicion, her brow rising in an arch above her violet eye.
"Name it…" Leo smirked and leaned down to whisper in her ear. The turtles and hybrids all leaned in to catch a snippet but backed away the instant Leo smacked his hand into her ass and gave it a squeeze. It was more of a warning for them to stay away, than anything, but that didn't make the feel any less nice. As he whispered, violet eyes widened and a silly grin coiled at her lips. "Tonight?"
That smirk didn't move from his lips as he gave her velvet ear a tug between his teeth. "Yeah. Tonight."
"Deal," Shiho muttered. The ninja chuckled teasingly and leaned down to give her a deep, slow kiss. Her arms came up and around his neck as she pressed against his plastron and granted entrance to his tapping tongue. Leo gave the best damn kisses; heavy and languid in their nature while being filled with every ounce of love and lust he possessed.
"Ohh, someone is going to get nasty," Saundra chortled. The pair slowly broke apart, her tail swaying from side to side in her contentment.
Shiho's reverie was short lived when she heard the soft thump of another set of feet on the rooftop and she was instantly on the defense. Whipping around, the fox knew instantly who it was and she didn't like it. Leo stood stunned behind her as she got low her knees and clenched her teeth with a growl. She was downright terrifying and the look alone on her face parted her sisters and the turtles out of her range to the side, their visitor scoffing as she stepped forward.
"Always a pleasure to see you, Shiho."
"What do you want, Karai?" Shiho snarled. Lo had to forcibly pick her up and move her out of his way so he could talk with the female ninja. His mate was rigid in her muscles and frame, her envious behavior never failed to surprise him. He gave her a warning glare
"Stop it. I'm sorry, Karai. Do you have any news?" The level headed leader grabbed his girl's hand and tugged her to stand behind him so she wouldn't be tempted. Karai smirked and chuckled which only egged the vixen's temper on. "Would you quit it?"
"Yes, Leonardo. Troubling news, in fact. It seems that your pet…" Karai paused and looked Shiho directly in the eyes. Raphael and Donatello launched themselves on top of Shiho and held her down as she made a run at Karai. Raph picked her up to her feet and crushed her in his arms against his plastron, trying to calm her down by talking in her ear. They'd all learned that whispering directly into her ears was always the trick to dousing the fire in her blood.
Leo shot Karai a glare, he couldn't count how many times he'd seen Karai since she showed up again and had to tell her to refrain from calling Shiho something so demeaning.
"When this is over…I am tearing her to fucking pieces…" Shiho growled. Raph chuckled and kissed her head. Saundra found herself deviously amused at her sister's slipping temper, how ironic it was that Raphael was the one to calm her down.
"I'd love to see you try, Fuzzball. I got dibs first."
Leo sighed and dragged his hand down his face. "As you were saying, Karai?"
"God dammit!" Shiho screamed, her fist colliding with the unfortunate side of a dumpster. The others climbed into the manhole and went down the ladder and left the fox to seethe and assault whatever inanimate object was unlucky enough to be in her sights. Leo signaled for his brothers and the hybrids to go on ahead and that he'd take care of Shiho. The news that Karai had delivered was nothing less than mortifying in its nature and it sent her reeling into the red. "Micah he's…he's…!"
"Shiho, that's enough! You're going to draw attention," Leo at first barked at her but finished with a calm tone. Shiho responded by dragging her nails down the brick wall of one of the buildings in the alley. The sharp extensions created deep rivets in the stone with an ear splitting scratch. Leo's eyes crossed and his teeth clenched together in response. When Shiho angrily kicked over a trash can and slid down the wall to sit on her bottom did he kneel between her legs and cup her face between his hands.
"What are we going to do, Leo? Micah has The Madness! I just…I can't…" Shiho was spiraling downward into a full blown panic attack before his eyes and he was powerless to stop it. But that didn't stop him from trying.
Sitting on his knees, the ninja worked the distressed and shaken up fox into his arms where she proceeded to ramble and grow closer to hyperventilating. The fear of Micah coming after with renewed strength with the aide of The Madness was crippling to a fault. She trembled with wide-eyed ranting.
"I can't beat him. I can't win. Not against The Madness. He's coming for me, Leo. He's gonna take me and Marcus is going to finish me. What…what if he comes after you? Oh God, Leo what if—"
"Would you shut up?" He hissed, constricting her against his plastron and tucking her head under his chin where he went through the motions of petting her ears and hair. He inwardly cursed as it started to rain, at least the sounds would drown out Shiho's sounds. He'd seen fear inflicted upon her but never quite to this degree.
"Shiho, no one is taking you away from me. Do you understand?" Shiho said nothing, which agitated him to no possible end. With a growl, he gripped her by the hair and yanked her back until she was looking at him. He was possibly the only being on the planet who could pull her hair and live to talk about it, she was the type of person who needed the necessary roughness to bring her back down to Earth. "I said do you understand me?"
"Leo…Leo he's coming…"
"Damn it, Shiho. Listen to me, I will protect you. You are not being taken from me again. Now stop acting like a fucking maniac and get your ass down that ladder. We're going home to prepare," Leo hated talking to her like that. But there were times when she was so far gone it was all that was left to rope her back in. The pinpoint pupils in her eyes dilated back to normal as the muscles in her face relaxed. Finally.
"It's pouring and we're getting soaked. I said move." Shiho finally noticed the downpour, the sting of the rain on her cheeks brought her out of whatever maniacal tip she was taking. "There you are…"
"Leo I'm sorry—"
"I know. Shut up and move. I'm freezing, Babe."
Once down the ladder after closing the lid, Leo pushed his fingers back through Shiho's drenched tresses and touched his forehead against hers tenderly. Shiho was, without a doubt, embarrassed. Her emotions weren't as controlled as her sisters, a weakness she buried in the darkest part of her mind. She even ignored the sewer water she was standing in and tucked her nose into her favorite spot under Leo's jaw and sighed.
"It's alright. We're going to handle this and find him before he comes. Shiho. Baby look at me," Lifting her chin to look into that luminescent stare, Leo kissed her gently and carefully. "You will be okay. Trust me."
Glossy lips trembled and glowing, glittering eyes fluttered shut as she exhaled a shaky breath. Leo knew she was terrified; dealing with The Madness inside herself was painful enough. But battling it in someone else was horrifying. Seeing that look of utter fear on his beloved mate's face was enough to make him want to put both of his katanas through each of Marcus' eye sockets. Her shaking alone infuriated him.
"You promise?" She said, slowly opening those glowing orbs. Leo chewed his cheek and swallowed thickly. He was afraid to promise. What if he didn't keep it?
"Yeah. Shiho…" Her gaze had fallen to the side as her brows knit together with hot tears welling into those gorgeous eyes. She was ripping him apart on the inside. "Baby, come on. Stop crying, please. Look at me. I love you."
Being weak wasn't Shiho, but she did occasionally have her fall-outs. But luckily, Leo was there for her to fall into. Without the ninja, she didn't have a leg to stand on.
"I love you, too. Don't…don't tell the guys," She mumbled as he wiped her cheeks free of those tears with his thumbs.
Leo chuckled. "I won't. Kiss me. Please, I can't take the look you're giving me."
"Kay.." She smiled sheepishly and laced her hands behind his neck to kiss him. Leo's kisses medicated all the wounds and washed over her like a wave of comfort. He knew she needed it, he could tell by the whimpers she was making as he flicked her sweet tongue with his. His hands caressed her back through her shirt and ventured down to lift her by the tops of her thighs, her legs coming around him.
"Better?" He whispered against her lips. Her dark lips pressed against the ridge of his beak and he smiled.
"Yeah…Let's go home, Donnie's screaming at me in my earpiece because Aanika hid his wrenches and screwdrivers."
"She learned that from Mikey…" He said with a groan. "Come on, Princess. Home."
"Gimme back my wrench, you little monster!" Donnie cried, the genius had resorted to chasing the 5 year old around the lair as she held on of his tools in her little fist. And she was outrunning him. Aanika squealed and giggled as she ran into Michelangelo's lap who was preoccupied with a video game, he didn't even notice her curled up in the bends of his Indian crossed legs. But he sure was surprised when Donatello launched at him from the side and knocked him and the little fox over.
"Dude! MY HIGH SCORE!" Mikey wailed as his controller flew out of his hands and the racer on the screen crashed and ended his game. Victoriously, Aanika squeezed out from under her uncles.
"I win, Donnie!" The purple masked turtle grumbled as he untangled himself from his brother who instantly fell to his knees in front of the television screen. With his arms held up in the air as if calling to a deity, he bellowed.
"NOOOOO!"
"Oh shut-up, Knucklehead. You can start over. Donnie, the hell was that all about?" Raph said, Saundra lounged across the couch with her head in his lap.
"Little beast over here hid all my tools and she has the last one. Your mother is so going to hear about this."
"Hear about what?" The sudden piping of the airy, feminine voice made all the turtles jump. The mini fox dropped the wrench on Donatello's head and ran full speed towards her parents.
"OW!"
"C'mere, Pumpkin," Shiho cooed and Aanika took a flying leap into her open arms. Shiho caught her and spun her around, wailing on the side of her head with kisses. "Ohhh were you a good girl?"
"Yes!"
"Yeah, so good…" Donnie mumbled as he rose to his feet with the last of his tools in his hand, rubbing his head with the other. Fiona giggled from her spot in the recliner under the lamp, a chemistry book in her lap.
"Oh Don, she's only 5, lighten up, Booger."
"Booger?!" Said the other turtles and hybrids in unison before the simultaneously burst into a fit of laughter.
"I can't win. Shiho, how is the earpiece working?" Tossing her child into Leo's waiting arms, the vixen giggled.
"Fine, why?"
"THEN ANSWER IT NEXT TIME!" He screeched. His outburst surprised his entire family into stunned silence. Shiho exchanged glances with Fiona for a second as he stalked away into his lab and slammed the door shut.
"Woah, dudes. Time for the Don man to switch to decaf."
"Shut-up, Mikey," everyone chanted.
"Leo, can you go over a plan with the guys? Karai said Marcus is in the Arizona desert somewhere. We need to get things together before they come to us. I'm gonna go see what's eatin' Donnie," Shiho said. Leo nodded, his mini fox wriggling to be let down.
Shiho went after Donnie in a slight run and knocked softly on his door. He let her know it was okay to come in with an uncharacteristic grunt. Slowly and cautiously, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her so she wouldn't be bother. Donnie was at his desk with all of his monitors turned off and his head leaning back against the headrest of his chair. She'd never seen him this stressed.
"Donnie what's wrong? You never yell like that…" The brainy turtle dragged his palm down his face before massaging his temple with a drawn out sigh. "Donnie?"
"Just stressed."
"I can see that," She said, pulling up the rolling stool and sitting beside him. There was more than just stressed grinding the gears in his head, the tension in his muscles made that clear. "Donnie, what's going on?"
He turned in his chair and faced her. "I'm scared. Now that we know what we're up against, I don't want Fiona taken from me."
"Oh Donnie…" Donatello was now understanding the turmoil that Leo was facing, what he went through when Shiho was kidnapped. That nagging, crippling fear of his mate being taken from his protective grasp had Donnie so insanely on edge, he snapped. He couldn't imagine a day without the quiet, red head.
"Rest assured, sweetie, I'm not going to let Fiona be taken from you. I know you love her and I know you're worried, but it's gonna be okay." He glanced up from the gaze he'd had on the glinting shard around her neck. He wondered if he should do something similar.
"How do you know?"
"For one, Marcus' has his focus set on me. I'm the one who's given him the most trouble. And two, Fiona is a fighter. I've seen what she can do and how she handles herself. My baby sister has the same fire in her that I see in you." Shiho reached forward and gasped both of his large hands with hers and grazed his knuckles with her thumbs. "She loves you, Donnie. And if she's anything like me, she won't let herself be stolen away from you. Believe it or not, Fiona has a feisty side to her."
Donnie chuckled softly and kissed the tops of Shiho's hands. "I know. Just, now that Micah has The Madness, who knows what will happen? I just want her safe. She's all I have."
Those bright eyes dimmed and softened in compassion while the sweetest of serene smiles came to the glossy lips. Shiho couldn't put to rest the fluttering happiness in her heart and belly that came to rise, Fiona was well taken care of and Shiho couldn't have asked for a better brother.
"I'm so glad she that she has you, Donnie. You don't know what it means to me as a big sister to see someone care about her as much as you do. When we were kids I always had to stick up for her when Saundra started getting violent. But, now she's safe with you…it's a weight off my shoulders."
There was a cough and a knock at the door, shaking them both out of their conversation to look over their shoulder. It was Fiona with the biggest smile on her pretty lips, clutching her chemistry book to her chest. Shiho caught the change in Donnie's grin as he pat his lap for her to come sit. Eagerly, the shy fox wiggled over and settled against her mate.
"Hey, Nosey Rosy." Shiho mused with a violet eyed wink. Both sisters twitched their tall ears and giggled.
"So, Leo says you're working with double katanas now?" Donnie said, changing the subject before it got out of hand. Shiho exhaled heavily and nodded.
"Yeah. Splinter said it was time for me to choose my weapon and those are the ones I went for. Leo's been teaching me to work with them since before we got together."
"It's easy to say that he's biased about his weapon choice," Fiona said, her fingers curling at the edge of Donnie's plastron. The genius nodded and tucked and arm around her.
"He's always been like that. I venture he finds it sexy when he sees you holding those weapons in particular. Can't lie, gets my blood really pumping when I see Fi, here, practicing with a bo staff."
The girls and Donnie chuckled away while out in the living area Leo was going over strict plans with his brothers. He was going to take as many precautions as he possibly could so his girl was safe, hell so Aanika was safe. He loved his brothers and his new sisters, but if anything were to happen to his mate and kid…Leo didn't want to even think of what he'd do. He knew it would end with Marcus being run through.
Once again, Shiho was under the weather much like she had been a few days ago. She put up a good fight with Leo to make her stay home while he and the others went out for a nightly patrol. Shiho pouted, ranted, grumbled, and wiggled when he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes to bring her to the couch. He always enjoyed watching her try to overpower him when they both knew she didn't stand a chance against his strength.
"Would you just lie down? Splinter is staying home and so is Aanika. You aren't exactly by yourself," Leo said as he covered her in her thick, fleece blanket. "You've been blowing chunks since you got up this morning. You're staying home."
"But Leo—"
"No but's! Just do as I say, woman. It's raining and I don't want you to get worse." From his place by the lair's exit, Donnie chuckled.
"Sis, I have the Shell Cell on me, just call if you need us. We'll come straight home. Besides, I need you to stay here because I want to run a blood test on you."
"Donniiiiie. Why?!" She cried as Leo propped her back against a pillow and kissed her head. Aanika crawled onto the couch and snuggled under blanket against Shiho's side. "Pumpkin! Tell Daddy to let Mama out."
Shiho's answer was a smack in the face with Aanika's tail. Leo shook with hysterical contained laughter that pooled tears in the corners of his eyes, Shiho's un-amused expression was almost too much for him to stand. With a loving caress of Shiho's cheek, Leo gave his mini fox a nuzzle of his beak. It never failed to make Shiho's heart soar when Leo interacted with the little one, he really had the reigns on being a father. Watching Splinter all those years paid off in his favor.
"We'll be back later. Call me if you need me. I love you, Shiho."
The vixen grumbled with her arms folded across her bosom. She didn't answer which earned her a growl out of Leo. "I said, I love you."
"I love you too, Leo….buttmunch…"
"Hehe, I'll see you soon. Take care of Mom, Nika. I'll bring you something special if you're good." The idea of getting another present from the surface made his little girl clap her small hands. Leo grabbed her with a playful growl and smothered her face in his kisses until she squealed and giggled.
"Safe, Daddy." Said the little one as Leo joined his brothers and hybrids to leave. He looked back to his little family snuggling on the couch.
"Yeah. Stay safe, sweetie." And away they went into the sewers, leaving them behind. When the door closed, Leo hesitated for a moment before continuing on his way. "Be careful, Babe.."
A/N: The conflict. It is coming! Are you guys ready?! Cuz I sure am :) I'm drawing a close on the 2003-2010 TMNT series too...I don't know what I'm going to do with myself once it's over...I'm so pathetic. Hahaha, anyway. Thanks for reading and being patient, Duckies! We're almost done!