I didn't know if she would come. Truthfully, I doubted I'd ever see the girl again. My sons could sense my unease, but I could always assuage their confusion by telling them I simply worried over their safety. Many days went by, many nights, and a week came and passed. My sons went out to protect the city that never knew about them, every night without fail.

And every night, I would wait for the ghost to walk among the living.

"Sensei, you alright? You seem a little...loopy." Michelangelo asked one night, his usual carefree expression morphed into one of concern.

"I am fine, my son. Do not worry about me." I smiled. "What you should be worrying about, however, is that pitiful fighting stance of yours. A gust of wind could knock you over!"

"Hey!" Michelangelo yelped. "My stance is...sorta good. 'Sides, I haven't been brought down by a Foot Ninja, now have I?" my youngest son smirked. I shook my head.

"Don't talk back to him, Mikey." Leonardo warned from across the room. My eldest was practicing his forms, his katanas slicing through the air with ease. "And you have the worst stance of all of us anyway." He said with a smug expression.

"Hey!" Mikey said, and Raphael laughed.

"How 'bout we go work on that, Mikey? Test out your 'abilities' topside. You in?" Raphael snorted, looking mockingly at his brother.

"I'm in." Michelangelo replied immediately.

"Second that." A muffled voice called from the direction of Donatello's laboratory.

"If you three are going then you'll need someone to watch your shells." Leonardo sighed, sheathing his swords. "You three would get into trouble without me."

"Or because of you." Mikey chuckled. A withering look was all the reply my youngest got.

"You'll be alright by yourself, Master?" Leonardo asked, coming to stand before me. I smiled softly at him, he made me so, so proud. He was becoming quite the ninja, and an honorable turtle as well. He had a kind heart, and I was proud to call this blue masked turtle my son.

"Of course, Leonardo. My stories come on soon, I will be fine." I told him, and he nodded an 'alright'.

"Ya comin', Leo?" Raphael called out. "Move yer shell, Ninja-Boy!" He smirked, and Leonardo ran racing after his red masked brother. Raphael had an unusual outlook on life, one filled with violence. But he was slowly maturing, losing his anger toward the world, slowly, but surely. One day, he would be proud of himself.

The lair became quiet after my sons left, the silence overwhelming. It was odd, I craved the solitude of silence when my sons were home, creating havoc in their boyish ways, but when they were gone, all I wanted was noise. It meant they were home, that they were safe... I started walking across the lair, passing the doorway to the dojo...and then backing up to see what I thought I had seen.

She was here.

The Shadow Girl was here.

Her hair had been pulled back into a limp pony tail, she was still wearing an overlarge sweatshirt, jeans. Her eyes were nervous, hesitant, looking from me and then the slight turn of the head backwards to indicate a want of escape. She was biting her bottom lip nervously,a trace of fear in her face. It was...unusual.

"Hello, child." I murmured, and she simply closed her mouth tightly. "Please, come here. I won't hurt you." The girl moved toward me slowly, and as she passed me by her eyes stayed glue to my person, watching for any sign of trickery or deceit. "Please, let's sit at the table like civilized folks." I instructed, and she moved to do as I asked.

She took a seat across from me, her hands folded in her lap carefully. She watched as I moved around her, going into the kitchen.

"Would you like something to eat? My sons ordered an extra pizza." I offered. The girl nodded slowly, and I started making two plates. "What would you like? Pepperoni? Anchovies or olives?" She shook her head, and I smiled. "Cheese?" She nodded. "I enjoy cheese as well. There is nothing quite like the original, is there?" I spoke. She nodded in agreement, and I placed the plate in front of her. She waited until I sat down and begun eating before she devoured hers. Her manners are polite...I wonder how she came across them in the sewers? I mused. She finished her pizza slices, and waited for me to finish mine. I swallowed the last bite, and knew it was time to start asking questions. Whether she would answer or not...I wasn't sure. I wasn't actually sure she had a voice, I never once heard her in all the years we had lived together in the sewers. And for a ninja to not hear an enemy, another shadow, that was something to be praised...or be wary of.

"What is your name, child?" I began. She looked at me almost unsure. Names are sacred, special, I could understand why she wouldn't want to give hers up. "How old are you?" I tried. Silence was my response. "Why did you decide to move into the sewers?" A reasonable question, I thought. The girl didn't reply, and I sighed. This may be a bit more complicated than I anticipated... "It is perfectly alright to maintain your silence. I will respect your decision." I told her calmly. "But while you're here, may I ask something of you?" the girl looked at me, curious, slightly confused. She nodded. "I would like to get to know you better, a girl who can out-hide me is a very interesting person indeed." I chuckled. "You're aware not many can do that, correct? Not even my eldest, Leonardo, has been able to thwart me in that regard. But then again, you are the Shadow Girl, aren't you?" I chuckled. She almost smiled at that, but averted her eyes to the floor. "You may not see it, but you are a very unique individual, someone worth getting to know." I told her calmly, truthfully. "Each person has a unique, individual aspect about themselves that no one else can quite duplicate. When we take the time to truly look for this special talent, the world becomes a better place because of it."

I stood up, moving to take the paper plates to the trash. She watched me with her eyes, possibly considering what I had told her, maybe wondering if I was crazy. I took my seat opposite her again, this girl with no name, no history, and no reason to trust me. She had watched us for some time, but that did not make us friends, nor did it make us enemies. I didn't know why she had decided to come tonight, what thoughts swirled through her head, why she didn't just move farther into the sewers and forever make sure we would never chance across each other again.

The Shadow Girl nodded, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Thank you for trusting me, child."