Hello! sorry t's taken me so long to update! however, i WOULD have updated sooner, if i hadn't been so busy!

Chloe: *mutters* she was staring at the tv all weekend...

Me:WAS NOT! and anyways, those were LIBRARY movies! you can't borrow movies from the library and just watch them at your convenience!

Alex: Who says?

Me: That's just the way it is!

Tana:READ ON!

Chapter 13

Bikes and Denial

Tana squealed as she raced out of the Lair.

Raph was on her tail, yelling." YOU SCRATCHED MY BIKE!!!!"

Tana squeaked as she bounded, suddenly dropping to all fours, which surprisingly doubled her speed as her long, feline-like legs pounded the floor.

Charis managed to catch up to Raphael, and she stood in front of him, pleading," Raph! Listen to me! Please!"

"The little brat scratched my bike!" Raphael snapped angrily.

Charis held out her hands, stopping him from pushing past her," Please Raph! Let her go. Instead of wasting your energy chasing her, let's set her up!" Charis had no idea where that came from, but suddenly, she had a great idea.

Raphael suddenly stiffened," Tana just…headed in the direction that LH lives."

Charis stared.

"Um…the mutant croc?"

"Yeah…and if I know him…she's probably going to tick him off!"

Charis groaned," Oh great! Just great!!!!" as she raced after Raphael.

***

Tana, still giggling like crazy, paused as she rested against the wall. Her giggles rebounded against the walls. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Her dark green eyes sparkled as she looked around…and slowly; the sparkle gave way to dismay.

"Um…spazz, I'm lost!" she mewed, suddenly frightened. She looked around, and wandered further, suddenly losing her giggle. Her eyes were getting big with panic as she looked around. Every tunnel looked the same. She couldn't tell where to go next.

"Um… okay, uh…HEEEEEELP!!!" she yelled, her nerve breaking completely as she suddenly took off running in one direction.

Suddenly, she slipped, and fell. Her scream hit the air as a yawning gap opened up before her.

***

Raphael growled as he looked around. Tana's tracks had disappeared.

"Geez, where did she go?!"

Charis groaned and then suddenly yelled," WHY did you chase here away?! It's just a bike!"

Raphael had never seen Charis look so angry and he snapped," I wouldn't have chased her if she hadn't been messing with it!"

"If she's hurt, I swear, I'm going to-"

"HEEEELLLLP!!!"

They paused as they heard Tana's wail, and Raphael growled as he ran, snarling," You think?"

Charis snarled," This isn't over yet!"

***

Tana screamed," I'm too young to diiiiieeeeee!!!! Waaaaaaah!!!!!!"

The cat-girl had managed to snag a pipe and clung to it for dear life.

Panicking slightly, she had tried to pull herself up, but it had wobbled precariously.

"Oh Spazz… I'm stuck," she mewed slightly, suddenly very serious.

Suddenly, a rope dangled in front of her and a rough voice called out," Grab hold!"

She squealed as she grabbed the rope, and someone started to pull her up.

Tana closed her eyes, feeling just a little sick as the pipe she had been holding onto fell.

"Th-thanks!" she gasped as she crawled up the ledge- and stopped short.

Two scaled and clawed feet stood in front of her. She gulped as her eyes trailed up the feet to massive, powerful legs, a pale, scaly underbelly and a fanged mouth. Twin golden eyes looked down on her in equal surprise.

"Um…" she gulped," Scuse me, but, are you.. Leatherhead?"

The huge croc nodded," How do you know my name?"

"I, ah, I met your friends. You know. Four green guys? Call themselves ninjas?"

Leatherhead chuckled," Oh, yes…but, how do you know them?"

Tana hopped from one foot to another," Long story. Can you take me somewhere safe? Cause Raphael was trying to kill me for scratching his motorcycle. I was running from him when I had that little run in with death. By the way…"

She threw her arms around his waist and squealed, Thanks for saving me!"

Leatherhead stiffened in surprise as he looked down at the cat-girl, who squeezed him tight before letting him go, commenting," You're blushing."

***

Charis and Raphael both stopped short as they saw Tana…hugging Leatherhead?!

Raphael's jaw dropped and Charis murmured," what in the world?"

Tana let him go and said something they didn't hear…but they did hear her when she spotted them and yelled," EEP! Save me! And jumped into Leatherhead's arms.

Leatherhead turned around, still slightly red as he asked," Raphael, is it true you were chasing this…young woman?"

"Uh… yeah…But she scratched my bike!!!" Raphael objected.

Leatherhead actually growled," She nearly got seriously injured, or worse!"

Tana opened her eyes as she was set back on the ground and she sprang up to Raphael and plaintively murmured," I'm sorry I scratched your bike. It was an accident!"

Raphael rolled his eyes," Fine… I'm sorry I overreacted."

Charis looked up at Leatherhead and introduced herself," I'm Charis."

"My name is Leatherhead." The croc responded.

Charis smiled softly," Chloe told us about you. She said you're a good friend."

Raphael felt a tendril of jealousy bite at him, as Charis sweetly spoke to the mutant croc. But he said nothing as Leatherhead replied," I have good friends…that makes it easier to be a friend."

Charis looked over Tana and scolded," The next time you run off like that again, I'm going to kick your tail myself!!"

Tana pouted," okay, mom," as they turned to head back to the Lair.

Raphael chuckled a little and turned to Leatherhead," Thanks, LH."

"It is no trouble…but where did they come from? What happened to them?"

Raphael sighed," It's a long story."

***

Tristan snarled as he growled," Why do I gotta learn this damn meditation stuff? OW!"

Splinter whacked him across the head and scolded," You will not display such a loose tongue while inside this dojo, young man!"

Tristan growled sullenly as he snapped," Well, why do I have to learn this voodoo?"

"It's not voodoo! It's self-control! Which is exactly what you need to learn!" Leonardo replied tersely," You're very talented, Tristan, but you're like water, uncontrolled, taking whatever shape you're contained in. You have been let loose for too long. You need to learn to control your emotions, to clear yourself of your harmful traits so you can expand on your virtues."

Tristan rolled his eyes and bit back the profanity building in his mouth, his grey eyes sullen as he closed them, trying to focus.

Alex was also in the dojo, breathing serenely as Chloe coached her.

Donatello, silently practicing katas, watched the fox from the corner of his eye. She was so pretty…spunky too. He really liked her…and as far as he could tell, it seemed like she liked him too, but he wasn't sure.

Suddenly, like a whirlwind, Tana burst into the dojo, yelling," Hello everyone!! I'm BAA-AACK!!!"

Alex opened an eye," Raphael didn't kill you?"

"Nope! He tried, but I've got nine lives! Yabba-dabba do-yah! OW!"

Charis had smacked Tana over the head and replied," She almost got herself killed…again."

Chloe sighed," Somehow, I'm not surprised."

Alex smirked," What happened this time?"

"She nearly fell to her death. Leatherhead rescued her." Charis added.

Chloe's eyes widened," What?! Are you serious?!"

"Uh…yes?" Charis made a face and Chloe asked," Is Leatherhead okay?"

"Tana hugged him around his waist… I don't think he's quite recovered from that." Charis giggled.

Tana frowned," He saved me! There was absolutely nothing wrong with my giving him a hug!"

"I think you embarrassed the poor guy." Charis countered.

Tana stuck out her tongue.

Chloe rolled her eyes as she snapped," Okay, that's enough you two. I swear, I do not remember you two arguing like this!"

Tana shrugged," You never saw us in school, chloe! You were homeschooled, remember?"

"Oh yes, that is quite true." Chloe mused.

Alex rolled her eyes," So, this whole meditating thing, is it really necessary?"

Chloe chuckled," You've actually excelled a lot faster then I did, so I believe you are more then ready to start your butt-kicking training!"

"They're called Katas, Chloe, how many times have I told you?" Leo corrected in exasperation.

Chloe gave a wacky grin," Katas, sure, but what do you learn to do? Kick butt! Besides, I like my term for 'em better, Leo!"

Leo let it slide as he turned to finish with Tristan," Try again!"

***

Leatherhead growled slightly as Raphael finished telling him about Charis, Tana and Alex, "I thought Bishop was cruel…but to take three young women and just change their lives like that? Only because they are friends with Chloe? That's stooping below evil!"

"Yeah, well, we already knew that Shredder was evil…he just keeps proving it to us." Raphael muttered, looking away.

Leatherhead noticed an unusual look in the turtle's face and asked," What is wrong, my friend?"

"Nuthin'."

"Something is wrong." Leatherhead corrected.

Raphael shrugged," It's nothing really. Tana and Mikey are really hitting it off… they're like, best friends. Sheesh, she's so crazy."

Leatherhead chuckled a little, blushing as he remembered her arms around his waist, her smile innocent and charmingly energetic," She is quite scintillating, isn't she?"

Raphael looked up," Yeah, guess so."

Leatherhead took an educated guess and asked," So, what of Charis? She appears like a nice girl."

"Yeah, she's a complete sweetheart… except for a few minutes ago when she was threatening to kick my shell because I chased Tana out of the Lair."

"Understandable. Now that she has been cut off from humanity, it's likely that her friends who have been mutated along with her are closer to her then ever." Leatherhead pointed out.

Raphael huffed," Yeah, but Tana scratched my bike!"

"It's possible, perhaps, Raphael, that Tana is more precious to Charis then your bike." Leatherhead chuckled inwardly; Raphael's dedication to his bike was often rather comical.

Raphael rolled his eyes," Whatever."

"I believe you like Charis. And the fact that she was scolding you has ruffled your pride." Leatherhead observed wryly.

Raphael stared," WHAT?! No way! I do NOT like her! I mean, yeah, she's sweet an everything, but she's a complete sap! She don't even eat meat! She's a damn vegetarian, a cutesy, prim, proper little-"

"You like her."

Raphael growled," Do not!"

Leatherhead didn't respond, smugly watching as Raphael stomped off.

"He likes her." The croc chuckled to himself, as he returned to his subway home.

***

Tristan tossed and turned. He was sharing Leo's room (great, just great) and he couldn't forget Agent Bishop's offer. It still sounded good…and after getting popped on the head more then once by Master Splinter's staff for profanity in the dojo, he was just about ready to scream. His meditation lessons had all be failures, and Leonardo had called him an 'undisciplined, rebellious, stubborn mutt'… whatever that meant.

Tristan looked up slightly as Leonardo's soft snores reached his sensitive ears. He sat up slowly and made his way to the door. His cold grey eyes glimmered like ice as he stole out of the room and wrote a swift note to Chloe. Even though she had given him hell, when he started acting up, he couldn't forget when she had raced to his arms and hugged him so tightly. She had really missed him… and she was really sorry that he had gotten mixed up in her trouble. For that, he told her this,

"Hey Chloe,

Don't worry about me. I've got to get out of here. Just forget about me, alright? I'm not stayin' here any longer. I just don't give a damn about what happens to me anymore. -

-Tristan

P.S.
Oh yeah, begin chilling jelly. Scuba here. Living peanuts chatter. Scholar beautiful juice eathereal.

Tristan nodded as he placed the note where she would find it and he swiftly left the Lair.

Oh boy, Tristan really gets on my nerves...will Chloe forgive him? And why would he leave? and what's with the whacky PS?

Review!!!!