Ch.9

Walking to the copper elevator doors a smirk lingered on his lips as he pressed the bottom floor and held the button. Seconds later a key pad appeared from the panel, typing in the password the elevator soared down to the depths of the Winter's Tower. Walking out of the elevator four stone statues were lined in a row next to a large computer panel where sat box with a small lock. Opening the box, excitement rattled through his body, this was finally it. Taking out four circle device he placed it on each one of their chest.

"A rise my brothers, a rise dear sister we have work to do," watching as his family slowly came back to life he turned and pulled out a picture of a small tan faced girl with her two front teeth missing. Her eyes were the brightest green as her sea of curls were held up in a high pony tail.

"What do you seek brother?"

"Find the monsters and also find this girl," he showed them the picture as he smirked, "She's now a woman and she's ready".

"Ready for what brother?" the woman asked as he smirked before turning back to the elevator.

"Soon dear sister, find her and the monsters and you shall see," he finished as the elevator doors shut sending them on their nightly missions along side the foot with multiple pictures of the child but how to find her as a woman?

Coming in through the entrance I ran up to Master Splinter and hugged him tightly. Replacing the canisters with new bags of homemade tea I noticed Leo had everyone in the dojo for afternoon training. Heading to the nook I sat in the blue bean bag enjoying the new book I hadn't read since my high school days. I didn't notice the time go by till I heard a voice awake me from my adventure.

"I see I'll have to find a new book… and seat," looking up Leo was leaning against one of the pillar staring down at me with a teasing smile.

"So you're a fan of the classics, though I didn't see you being in to sci- fi," I smiled as I looked up at his small collection. Pushing himself off the pillar he sat in the chair next to me and chuckled.

"That obvious?" I giggled as I stared back up at him.

"What part did you leave off, I can read," I smiled as he blinked at me dumbfounded.

"Read aloud, uh, ok," he shifted slightly making my smile grow at his loss of words or how to take it.

"What?"

"Just haven't had anyone read to me since I was a kid".

"Well change is good," I commented as he made himself comfortable in the chair next to me as I continued to read Ender's Game. As the pages shifted its weight to my opposite hand I noticed my audience slowly grow as I the story drew to an end. Closing the book I looked up to see Master Splinter and Don were in front of me in the matching seats Leo was in. Don was tinkering in his seat with one of his new inventions as Splinter sat comfortably with his eyes closed soaking in every line, emotion and the fine detail of the story. Mikey laid in my lap staring up at the ceiling as Raph sat on the edge of the nook with his back against the pillar staring at the wall in front of him relaxed.

"So after all that, Ender saves their queen?" Mikey commented as Don stopped tinkering as Leo seemed to be in thought.

"The logical thing would have been to let the queen bugger die, would have ended the threat hence his name," Leo thought aloud as I chuckled. Everyone stared at me as I laid my hand on Mikey's head.

"Your right he could of but did you not understand the ending? The queen didn't want the war nor wanted to see her kind die. Ender saved the queen because he had mercy. Mercy isn't for the weak but a true sign of strength; the strength to not destroy her even though her existence was a threat. Then on he wanted to find a place in the universe where she could be safe," I explained as Leo kept his eyes to the floor as Don shrugged and went back to his lab as Mikey rolled out of my lap.

"I like you reading, you make it exciting," I smiled as he jetted off in to the sewers with his skate board and Raph went to watch TV. Placing the book back on the shelf I turned to see Leo training…again. Sitting on the ledge of the nook I let my leg dangle as I propped my chin on my other knee watching him curiously. Since I have met him he holds no other hobby but reading… or being a personal trainer.

"Leo what do you do other than read and train?" he stopped for a moment and looked up at me.

"I play video games with my brothers but other than that yeah," he finished as he tried to start again before I interrupted again.

"But doesn't that get boring, training all day?" he turned getting slightly annoyed.

"I'm good at it so why change it?"

"Maybe to in broaden your horizon, a good leader keeps an open mind," I commented as his boil started to boil over.

"Like you're an ideal example? I have never seen you do anything but cook and read or go to work, so you won't mind if I keep my so called boring routine". As he was about to turn I lunged off the pillar smacking both katanas out of his hands. Wrapping one arm around his waist and grasping his hand I put us in the proper position of a waltz making him in the female partner's shoes. Turning us fast I could feel his about to retaliate as I then dipped him making him yelp as I help him inches above the ground smirking down at him. Leaning in close I kept my focused stare.

"Leonardo Hamato, you know nothing of me and trust me I'm full of surprises," with that I let go making him give a small gasp as I walked to the kitchen where Raph watched the whole scene with a Root Beer in his hand.

"Sure showed him," he smirked as I took one from the fridge and walked past him and putting the kettle on the stove.

"Could easily show you too," I replied as I took a sip from my root beer and fixed Master Splinter's tea and walked to the dojo.

Standing up and watching her walk away I couldn't believe what just happened. Picking up my katanas I tried to replay what all had just happened. One second she was on the ledge then next she was in front of me, strong and swift enough to disarm me and take me by surprise. That speed, that strength…and gracefulness? Looking up at her and Raph I was starting to get curious how did they meet? What did she do? And where did she learn martial arts? Spinning my katanas I let them slide back in to the sheath as I felt my heart stop when her focused teasing eyes were intensely focused in to mine. Her bright green eyes were so alive. In that moment I noticed that she had a light hazel ring within her iris. They held a strange brilliant beauty about them... Just like their owner. Coughing slightly I felt my heart thud back to life when that moment kept rerunning in my head. Shaking it off, I noticed Don standing in front of me smirking.

"Done day dreaming?" Don smirked making me look away.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been standing there for a while now," his smirk started to grow, "even long enough for Cat to heat up dinner and take her portion home. She thinks that she wounded your pride. Though I couldn't agree more," he teased making sigh as I tried to walk past him. "You know she has a point," I turned to Don who looked up at me giving a small smile.

"Oh fine, she may be right," I let Don smile in pride, though the weeks of being back I had come to label Don and Cat together we close though never as close as her and Raph. Never thought I'd see Raph so tame around someone it was…new.

Walking in to my small living room I twirled in my long black shirt and lime green shorts as I then slid across the room in my hot pink socks. Flipping through my playlist on to Ricky Martin's "Viva la loca," on my stereo then turning it up letting it blare through my apartment. Letting the music intoxicate me, I started to shake my hips and roll them here and there as I remembered my steps for salsa. Keeping up with the rhythm of the music and throwing in my own moves I laughed and giggled till I heard a loud knock. Raising a brawl I went to the door and peeped out. No one came to my door this late and Raph and the others used the window. Hearing it again I jumped a bit as it came from my closed curtain window. Slowly approaching it letting my loud music play as I grabbed one of my daggers I crouched ready at the window about to draw the curtain till I heard my name.

"Catherine?"