Next chappie!

Tristan: You make me look like such a jerk.

Me: That's because you are, dear!

Tristan: WHAT?!

Me: Just kiddin!

Chapter 15

Here we go again

Chloe could hardly believe it. And yet, somehow, she was not surprised. The silent tears rolling down her cheeks were rebels that were winning an endless battle of her emotions.

Raph came back from his search, as did Leo, and then Donnie and finally Mikey. They all shook their heads.

Chloe turned away, and silently went into her room, closing the door behind her.

Alex was pacing the floor, growling low in her throat," That stupid boy!"

Tana frowned softly," Why would he run away?"

Leonardo shook his head," I do not know… but we WILL find him. We'll just have to keep looking. We'll also have to get more people involved. Donnie, you need to check the internet, see if you can find anything on werewolves in New York."

"On it." Donatello replied as he slid into his office chair.

"Alex, call April and let her know about Tristan. Se if Casey and Angel can be on the look out for our wolf-boy."

"Si, senor." Alex muttered as she grabbed the phone.

Tana wrinkled her nose," And me? What do I do?"

"For now, nothing. Tonight, we all need to go out and search for Tristan," Leo replied as he walked towards Chloe's room. He knocked softly.

Her muffled," Come in," was all he needed to hear to confirm she was indeed still in tears.

"Chloe?" he asked softly.

"Yeah?" she looked up, her blue eyes reddened and brightened by salty tears.

"You want to talk about it?"

She sighed and muttered," Not really… I love Tristan, but he just… ARGH!" she groaned, putting her face in her hands.

"Hey, I don't know if you noticed, but Raph and I don't exactly get along either." Leo reminded her softly.

"It's not even that, Leo. I mean, Tristan and I were the closest out of our siblings. We were closer in age, we told each other our secrets and when our parents fought… sometimes he and I would take walks to the park, and we would just talk. And then, he'd skate and I would run on the track and we'd come home, feeling better. We'd have our fights, cause he's like, my opposite, cool, clever and reckless. But this… I feel like, I've abandoned him. And it makes me sick."

"Chloe, listen, he CHOSE to run away. It's NOT your fault, you HAVE to stop blaming yourself!" Leo reprimanded her, reminded of a period in time when he had nearly destroyed himself with self-blame and guilt," Chloe, believe me, we all make mistakes, but the important thing is that we learn from them. Forgive youself, if you have to, but don't wallow in self-pity."

Chloe looked up at him, her eyes wide and a crooked smile on her face," Leo, how the heck did you fall in love with a spineless idiot like me?"

Leo kissed her forehead tenderly," How did you fall in love with a freak like me?"

She snorted," It's not the same!"

"But it is. Listen, tonight, we'll look for Tristan again. Don's already at the computer, looking to see if there's any news of Tris, and Alex called April to tell Casey and Angel about Tristan."

Chloe smiled softly," Okay, Leo. And Leo?"

He looked down at her, a little shocked when she tackled him with a huge kiss.

Leo's expression needless to say was a little goofy, as Chloe let him go, giggling down at him," I love you, Leo."

"I love you too, Chloe." Leo chuckled softly, looking up at her.

"Am I interruptin' somthin?"

Chloe looked up, her eyes big as saucers as she spotted Raph in the doorway.

"YOU DIDN'T KNOCK, BIGMOUTH!!!" she snapped.

He yelled back," I DID SO!"

"YOU DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"NOT!"

"TOO!"

"DID TOO!!!"

"DID NOT!!!!"

She smirked," okay, okay, you didn't."

"You bet I didn't…wait, WHAT?!"

"Oh, so you ADMIT it!" she cackled.

Raphael growled," You diabolical, little-"

"I TOLD you, Raph, DON'T call names unless YOU want to be called names, Shell-head!" she snapped.

Leonardo was on his feet by this time and sighed," Never mind, what do you want, Raph?"

"Um, we've got a situation. Tristan was spotted again…and it seems he's holed up in an abandoned warehouse."

Chloe stared and then muttered," That makes no sense… unless… he's got something up his sleeve!"

Her eyes widened and she yelled," He's onto something!"

Raphael winced and growled," Is yelling really necessary?!"

"It is when you're as fired up as me!!" she yelled as she charged straight out of the room.

Raph looked at Leo and observed," You've got the weirdest girlfriend ever, Leo."

Leo nodded," I wouldn't have her any other way."

Tana jumped slightly as Chloe charged into the room and hollered," WHERE'S THE LETTER?!?!?

Tana handed her the paper and she quickly grabbed it. She laughed hysterically at the ps which sounded like a lot of nonsense.

She pointed out," It's a stupid hidden message! See? Take every fourth letter!"

She quickly wrote down each third letter

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

I, l, l, b, e, I, n, t, o, u, c, h.

I.L. L.

B.E.

I. N.

T. O. U. C. H.

"I'll be in touch! DON! Where did Tristan hole up?!"

"Um, I don't know for sure, but there's a report here that a wolf-like creature was seen down at the docks."

She whirled back on Leo," Where you guys found Tristan, did he look… maybe thoughtful in an annoyed, don't-mess-with-me-cause-I'll-bit-your-head-off way?"

Leo thought back to that night…and yes, though Tristan had been defensive and angry, he HAD worn a thoughtful look on his face, like he was considering something.

"Yeah, pretty much." Don replied.

Chloe wrinkled her snout," Something happened. And despite that stupid letter… I think he's onto more then he was letting on."

"Like what?!" Tana bounced in.

"Well, maybe he met someone. Maybe someone offered him a job. I don't know quite what, but I'm going to find out." Chloe resolved.

***

Agent Bishop glowered at the holographic image as he coolly observed," So, you lost them, did you?"

"It was unavoidable!" snapped Baxter Stockman," I hope, however, that you were able to secure the boy!"

"I was. Now, if you'll excuse me, Stockman, I have some business to attend to."

He turned off the communications line and left the room. Walking down the hall, he paused as he looked into the room. The wolf boy stood, looking about with cool, grey, observant eyes. Agent Bishop reminded himself that the boy was quite possibly smarter and more perceptive then his more light-hearted sister.

Agent Bishop stepped into the office. The boy didn't look fazed or intimidated as he flatly observed," Took ya long enough."

"I'm a busy man, Mr. Mab."

Tristan snorted," You still haven't told me how you know my name. It's not only creepy, it's also wrong."

"I know your name because we keep careful records of everything that happens that is unnatural. You arrived in New York Nearly a week ago. Not long after that, reports of a wolf-creature, with your particular traits, shows up. Not hard to figure out."

Tristan kept his face hardened as he inquired," So, you offered me a job as a hero. What would go into my job description?"

Bishop chuckled," Nothing overly stressful, I hope. You're an aggressive3 fighter, it appears, Mr. Mab. I believe you would enjoy life as a defender of the American people, would you not?"

"Defend them from what exactly?"

"Alien invasions. Mutant attacks. It's happened before." Bishop continued," I believe you would be a valuable asset, were you properly trained and prepped.

Tristan nodded," Fine, but what about lab work? I ain't human… meaning a scientist would probably LOVE to dissect me. Would you let them?"

"Of course not. You're worth more to me in one piece, Mr. Mab." Bishop sneered.

Tristan rolled his eyes," Yeah? And what if I become useless to you? Honestly, dude, I don't trust you."

"Completely understandable, Mr. Mab. Rest assured however, the safety of the American people is all I am concerned about." Bishop informed him, coldly so.

Tristan nodded curtly," Then Bishop, you've got yourself a damn deal."

***

Charis frowned as she murmured," What are we doing down here again?"

"Lookin' for Tristan, that's what we're doin'. An' no, I don't like this any more then you do." Raphael snapped behind his shoulders. She stopped short and crossed her arms, her pale eyes blazing. He stopped when he no longer heard her and he turned around, snapping," What's with the hold-up?!"

She snapped," look, it's very obvious you don't like me, but do you have to remind me all the time?!"

He snorted," I never said I didn't like you!"

She snapped," Oh, you didn't SAY it, but you demonstrate it very clearly!"

He snarled," You're the one who hates me!!!"

She shrieked," I never SAID I didn't like you!"

"Oh yeah?! PROVE IT!!!"

She blushed bright red.

He frowned," What?!"

She swallowed," You want me to prove I like you?!"

He then blushed as a thought struck him full force and he sullenly replied," No."

She blushed further as she blurted,' Like, you want me to kiss you to prove it?"

His eyes widened and he stammered," NO! I mean, yeah, but, you don't, I, um, oh shell…"

Charis swallowed hard as she stilled his mouth by pressing her lips to his, before pressing just a little harder.

Raphael's eyes widened to colossal proportions as he felt her lips on his.

Finally, he decided," The SHELL with it," and pressed his lips to hers.

They drew back, Charis still red but challenging," NOW do you believe me?"

Raphael gulped," Yeah… have you kissed before?"

"Yeah," she shrugged," but they were all jerks… I was kinda a stupid girl. Why? Was it your first?"

He rolled his eyes," Well, yeah. Why?"

She blushed bright red," You're good."

He stared and then grinned," Really?"

She nodded, smiling slightly.

Raphael frowned," How come you acted like you didn't like me?"

"Are you kiddin? You acted like you didn't like me!" she protested.

Raphael snorted," You ignored me, gave me the cold shoulder an'-"

"-Only cause you did the same thing." Charis replied with a smirk.

Raphael chewed his bottom lip.

"Okay, so… now what?"

She grinned as she took his arm and coyly replied," Now, if I ever catch you with anyone else, you're going to get your shell kicked. Cause you're MINE."

He smirked," Likewise."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the beeping of Raphael's shell-cell.

"Uh-oh…" Raphael muttered as he picked it up and held it arms-length from his ear before answering.

"WHERE THE SHELL ARE YOU?!?!?!?!?!!!!!"

Raphael chuckled as he placed the phone over his ear, muttering," Like clockwork…"

***

Chloe wasn't listening as Leo yelled into the phone. Her eyes were riveted on the note she held in her hands.

It was another piece, another clue from Tristan.

"Thought you guys might try to follow me. Don't bother. I WILL be keeping in touch, but not in the way you might expect. Believe me, Chloe, I've got a reason for what I'm doing. I'm not in the mood to get all mushy, but I love you, Chloe. For what it's worth, you've been my best friend.

Cya later.

Tristan

PS

All guardian entities never try.

Be informed, sister haven. Optimus Prime.

Chloe frowned as she looked at the letter and tried to decipher the P.S. like last time.

So far, nothing.

At this moment, Charis and Raph appeared.

"Well?" Raphael asked.

Chloe looked up," Nothing. I can't figure this one out."

Donatello took the letter and suggested," maybe… it's not the same row of letters that need to be deciphered."

Chloe sighed in frustration as Donatello studied it. His face turned pale.

"Oh shell… AGENT BISHOP!"

Tana lazily dropped in front of him from one of the rafters," Say who?"

Chloe smacked her hand over her face.

"Great… just great. My brother is involved with that government goon! What next?!"

Alex, Tana and Charis glanced at each other and chorused," Who the heck is Agent Bishop?!"

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