So I'm a complete scatter brain. I had this chapter finished on Thursday of last week and I was so caught up with taking care of the horse I'm leasing and family things that I completely forgot to post this chapter. And week days are harder for me because I'm so exhausted after work and work has been insane this week. Please forgive me for that. I'm working on the next chapter and I'm hoping to have it done by Sunday, fingers crossed, so I can get that posted as well. Thank you for hanging in there and putting up with me, really appreciate those who take the time to review. Have a good day guys.

Chapter 19

"Elizabeth, he doesn't know who she is. Why are you putting them through this in having her stay?"

Elizabeth frowned at the purple banded turtle, normally she and Donatello always got along. What with Donatello's quiet but comforting presence and Elizabeth's easy going and level headed nature the two fit together like peas in a pod. And Elizabeth had really come to love Donatello as a brother. He was usually the first one she went to when she was upset, or on the rare occasion that she and Raphael had a fight. He never seemed to mind much, she would sit quietly next to him as he worked on the battle shell, handing him the tools he needed, or bring him a cup of coffee and sit with him into the late hours as he worked, never saying a word but just taking comfort from his strong, yet calm demeanor. But she also knew that Donatello was very protective of his brothers when one of them was hurt or sick. It was the only time that the purple banded turtle was really stubborn and it seemed as if she were talking to Doctor Donatello and not Brother Donatello right now.

Leonardo and Raphael were also present, but neither of them were speaking. Elizabeth wasn't sure if she was annoyed or relieved by this.

After Melinda had returned to her room, Elizabeth had gone to talk to the brothers, she'd seen it in the other woman's eyes. Melinda had no intention of leaving. Just like Elizabeth had when she had moved in, she'd fallen in love with it here. It was safe here. And, even though Donatello might not see it, Elizabeth could see that Melinda really was good for Mikey. The turtles had so little friends that she hated to see them lose one.

Retreating to the room that she shared with Raphael so as not to disturb Akemi, Elizabeth had informed the brothers that she had welcomed Melinda to stay as long as she liked. Leonardo had raised his eye ridges, leaning against the wall where he'd been standing, watching her with shadowed eyes. Raphael had been silent as well, sitting on the bed and frowning at the floor. Donatello, however, had seemed upset. Worried for both his brother and the woman downstairs.

"You shouldn't have asked her to leave, Donatello. She has every right to be here, she saved Mikey's life. What would've happened to him if the Foot had gone back for him before you or the others had found him?"

Donatello's shoulder muscles had stiffened. "Elizabeth, that's not the point. He doesn't remember any of that."

"No, but you three do! Shouldn't that count for something?"

"I just don't think it's fair to either of them, Elizabeth. It's not fair to try and make Mikey remember something that he can't remember and it's not fair to Melinda to give her hope that he will."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I never promised her that he would remember him!" Elizabeth's tone was sharp. Her normally even temper starting to bubble under the surface.

"How are we supposed to explain who she is to Mikey? He's not stupid, Elizabeth. He's going to know something's up no matter what story we give him and who knows what kind of damage it can cause if he pushes himself to remember her!"

"So you want her to leave? Act as if none of this ever happened, that it? You know that that won't happen, Don. And you know she won't leave the city. She'll try and get a new place, and how long do you think it'll take the Foot to find her there and take her back to Foot tower?"

"She's got family out of the city, Elizabeth. There's no reason for her to stay in the city."

"Really? You think she has no reason to stay?" Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. "Don, you're supposed to be the smart one."

Donatello scowled. "Elizabeth, it's not… "

"Don't you see the way she looks at Michelangelo? If I'd been forced to leave, after Splinter talked to me, I would've stayed in the city. Even knowing that Graham was out there, that he had people looking for me, who would stop at nothing to find me, and even knowing what he'd do when he found me… "

Raphael flinched at that, and scowled. Graham had found Elizabeth not long after Akemi had been born. Akemi had been too sick to return to the lair for almost a month after she'd been born and so the turtles had taken turns every night to guard April and Casey's apartment where Elizabeth and Akemi had been staying. But one night April and Casey had gone out to grab some food, unaware that Graham had found out where Elizabeth was and was just waiting for the moment to go in and get rid of her for good. Raphael had barely gotten there in the nick of time that night. And the memory of seeing the man's meaty fingers wrapped tightly around Elizabeth's neck, and the dark bruises forming on her pale skin while she clawed weakly at his fingers, her eyes rolling in their sockets, her breath rasping up and down her swelling throat still made him angry and made him wake up in cold sweats once in a while. When that happened he'd quietly slip out of the room and head down to the dojo to release that built up stress and anger that accompanied the dreams.

"… I would've stayed anyway. Hoping that I might catch a glimpse of just one of you again sometime. No matter how slim the chances were. I wouldn't have left the city and Melinda isn't going to go either. Don't you think it's better and safer for her to stay down here where she can be protected, especially since the Foot know you saved her from Foot Tower and will be more anxious than ever to get their hands on her to try and find out where we are?"

"How are we supposed to explain her to Mikey, Elizabeth? You know that we try not to bring everyone we save down into the lair. For obvious reasons, it's not safe."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but you aren't being fair, Don. I know you're just trying to protect Mikey, but if it means putting someone else in danger to do so it's wrong."

She saw Leonardo shift from the corner of her eye, obviously he was remembering as she did the night he would've traded her for Donatello's life. But this was different. Michelangelo's life wasn't in danger her, but Melinda's would be if she stayed in the city.

"She's gotta point, Don… I don't t'ink dat dis Melinda girl is gonna jus' pack up an' leave da city. An' it ain't safe fer 'er with da foot lookin' fer 'er. We'd jus' 'ave ta go an' get 'er outta dere again."

Don sighed shaking his head and looked at Leonardo. Leonardo frowned but pushed away from the wall.

"Ok, Elizabeth, Melinda is welcome to stay. When Michelangelo asks about her, we'll deal with it then. We'll come up with something to tell him. I think you're right that the Foot Clan will have put her on their hit list. They'll either find where she's staying and kill her, or they'll take her back to Foot Towers, interrogate her and then kill her. Either way, being in the city isn't safe for her. Even if Donny managed to set up a security system for her, depending on how far away her new place would be we might not get there on time. We got lucky once, but Karai is sure to have stepped up the security since our last visit, and having to go out on another rescue mission is sure to be more risky. Mikey needs all of us here right now, the last thing he needs is for one of us to get captured, or injured – and we'd have to explain who Melinda is after that anyway."

Donatello had paused in his pacing, and was rubbing his forehead as if trying to ward off a headache. "We'll have to come up with something. You know Mikey – he'll be wanting to get out of bed tomorrow."

"We'll think of something to tell him, Don." Leo said evenly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He'd taken his jōnin tone. It was a tone that left no room for argument. Leonardo was jōnin of the family, and had the last word as to what he thought was best for the family when it came to their safety or what he thought would be best for his clan. If Leonardo had decided that Melinda should leave, Elizabeth knew that the discussion would be closed. She felt herself relax a little in relief that Leonardo had seen reason for this particular argument and had ended up taking her side.

She knew that explaining Melinda to Mikey would be a very delicate process, especially since the turtles normally didn't bring people down here, and when they did it was because they had no choice. Leonardo had been very angry when Raphael had brought her down to the lair at first and it had taken her nearly dying for him to really accept her being here. But she knew that she had a very loyal friend with Leonardo, as she had with all of the turtles.

She would come up with something to tell Michelangelo, she'd make sure that Melinda and Mikey's re-introduction to each other would go as smooth as possible. She knew she had one thing in her favor. Mikey was always eager to make new friends. She had a feeling, remembering Melinda or not, this really wouldn't be as difficult as Donatello seemed to think it would be.

"Elizabeth, will you watch Mikey tonight while we go on patrol. He's not well enough to come but I don't think he should be alone tonight either. I want to see just how active the Foot are becoming, and if they've returned to Melinda's apartment to search for her."

Elizabeth nodded. "Of course, Leo, you know I will."

"Guys, meet downstairs in twenty." And with that Leonardo and Donatello left the room.

Elizabeth turned to Raphael, sitting next to him on the bed and slipping her hand into his. His fingers closed around her hand and those rich amber eyes looked up at her. She met them steadily.

"You alright, Raph?"

His fingers squeeze her hand. She was here. He could feel her hand in his, could smell the scent of her conditioner, and the faintest waft of her perfume as she moved a little closer so her hip rested against his thigh.

"Raph, you're scaring me… " Elizabeth's jade green eyes looked at him anxiously, sparkling a little in the overhead light.

Raph's free arm pulled her closer to him and he felt her stiffen for the slightest second before relaxing into him, as if knowing in this moment there was no need for words. Right now just holding her and feeling her here with him was enough.

The apartment was dark and empty, not that the turtles had expected anything else. There was no sign that anyone had been here since the Foot had taken Melinda from it. Of course that meant little, the Foot tried not to leave traces of them being there, anything that would lead police back to Karai and Foot Headquarters.

Leonardo's dark brown eyes carefully scanned the darkest corners, looking for a scout that might have been planted here. He didn't like how quiet it was. Something just didn't feel right. One thing was for sure. Melinda wouldn't be safe if she came back here, or anywhere else in the city. Leonardo knew that Elizabeth was right, the Foot wouldn't stop hunting until the found her. But was Elizabeth right in thinking that Melinda wouldn't leave the city?

He could understand Donatello's point of view on why he thought Melinda should leave, but if Elizabeth was right and Melinda wouldn't leave the city her life would be in danger no matter where she went and the turtles would have to make sure to keep an eye on her in case the Foot tried to go for her again. Karai was bound to have punished her soldiers for their failure to stop the turtles last rescue mission and getting in again would be a lot more difficult, especially since they had gone for Melinda once, and Leonardo knew that Karai would be expecting them to come for her again. This time she'd be ready, and that wasn't a risk they could afford to take. Not with one turtle down. Mikey was in no shape to fight.

"I don't see any sign of anyone coming back here, Leo." Don's voice was soft, barely louder than a whisper right next to him. If Leonardo hadn't had years of training, of knowing he had to be aware of his surroundings at all time he might've been startled by Don's sudden appearance next to him. Don was blending right in with the shadows. Barely visible in the dark apartment. They hadn't wanted to risk drawing attention to their presence here by turning on any of the lights.

"I was thinking the same thing, Donny," Leonardo admitted. He shifted his weight. "But that doesn't mean that they haven't come back, or that they won't come back looking for her again."

"Let's jus' get 'er stuff an' get outta 'ere," Raph growled quietly as he grabbed a trash bag. He headed for the bedroom. He opened up the closet and began to stuff the clothes into the bag before moving on to the drawers and began to add those as well. Moving as quickly as he could. He didn't want to be here, it was an eerie silence that had settled on this apartment, as if it were just holding its breath, waiting before springing the trap on them. He knew that Leo could feel it too. Something here just wasn't right. The sooner they got out of here the better off he'd feel.

In the living room Leonardo had paced away from Donatello and had stationed himself at the boarded up windows, peering around the edge to the world outside. His shoulders tense and stressed.

"Don…"

"Yeah, Leo?"

"Get Raph… we've got to go. We've got company."

Melinda heard the three turtles leave, she wasn't at all sure how they'd taken Elizabeth's little talk with them. And Melinda wasn't at all sure whether she was still going to feel welcomed here or not. Not by Donatello anyway, and that made her a bit wary. But still she couldn't hide out in the guest room forever.

As she left the guest room she saw Elizabeth on the couch, a book in her hand, quietly reading, enjoying the silence of the lair. Akemi had already been put to bed, and with Raphael gone Elizabeth was able to get caught up on a few of the books she'd wanted to read. Melinda hesitated, she didn't want to interrupt Elizabeth's reading. She knew from personal experience that it could be annoying when you were interrupted while reading a book. Especially if you had really gotten into it.

"Um, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth placed her finger on the paragraph she was reading and looked up at Melinda with a friendly smile. "Hey, Melinda."

Melinda had a hard time not smiling back at the other woman. There was just something about Elizabeth that was warm and friendly. It was hard to believe that she'd been in an abusive relationship with someone who had actually tried to kill her. Even her eyes were clear and bright, warm, inviting.

Elizabeth stretched, placed a bookmark in her book and closed it, standing up and placing her hands on her hips as she arched her back forward a bit. Melinda heard a couple of pops and Elizabeth relaxed.

"So I've talked to the guys, and they agreed with me that it is safer for you to be here with them than to go somewhere else in the city. The Foot may still be looking for you and I know the guys don't want you taken again. If you stay in the city somewhere you'll just be in danger."

"Even Donatello feels this way?" Melinda asked dubiously.

Elizabeth hesitated for only a split second. "Donatello will be fine, Melinda. Don't worry. He's just being protective of Michelangelo. But he listens to Leo. Leo's jōnin so it's really his opinion that matters. He takes the responsibility of his family's safety very seriously. I think that he feels it is safer for you to be here, even if Mikey doesn't know who you are, and I'm not saying he won't remember… but even if he doesn't, Leo knows that we can tell Mikey something. He doesn't want you in danger, and you will be in danger if you stay in the city. Since the turtles rescued you once they'll know that they'll come again and this time they'll be waiting. Leo doesn't want to risk another one of them getting injured, and he doesn't want you getting injured again either."

"Not that I'm complaining about that," Melinda said as she made her way around the couch and sat down next to the other woman, the crutches under her arms were really starting to make her sides ache.

"Didn't think you would," Elizabeth said flashing her another smile.

"I could leave the city… " Melinda said, she saw the smile falter on Elizabeth's face. "My sister has a ranch out in Montana… I know she'd be willing to let me stay there. Problem is… " Melinda trailed off biting her lip. "I don't think I want to. I've never been crazy about horses and everything that comes with them. They're a lot of work. I just… I can't imagine myself happy there like I am here in the city… I think even if I left I'd just come back."

Elizabeth nodded. She'd figured as much. She wasn't going to say it out loud, but she watched as Melinda's eyes glanced toward the infirmary where Michelangelo was sleeping. She had a feeling that she knew what would have Melinda coming back to New York and it wasn't because she didn't want to be on her sister's ranch forever. She had a feeling that the thing that was going to keep her in New York had bright blue eyes and a smile that could cheer up anyone on a gloomy day. She recognized the look in Melinda's eyes. The look of pain, excitement and fear. It was the same look and the same feelings she'd been feeling when she first realized that she would rather die than let anything happen to the turtles. That she would give her life for them. That she was totally devoted to them. That butterfly feeling that made her always want to stay here. When she'd looked at Raphael and realized with a start that she'd fallen in love with him.