Leo stood frozen in the tunnel and stared at the spot where Raph had been standing only a few moments ago. When it was clear Raph wasn't coming back, he turned and headed for the nearest manhole cover. Moments later he was up out of the sewer and running across the rooftops, eager to put as much space between himself and that last heart-wrenching moment with Raphael.

He ran until he spotted a familiar silhouette sitting on a rooftop ledge. In the actual last place he thought he'd ever find her. He jumped to the rooftop where she sat and silently padded over to her before taking a seat as well.

Karai turned her head and eyed him. "You follow me out here?"

"No, but what are you doing out here alone?"

"Do I need permission to leave? Am I out past curfew?"

Leo frowned at her tone. "No, but it would be better if we knew where you were."

"Why?"

"Because that's how this family works," Leo said.

Karai sighed dramatically. "Sorry, Fearless."

Leo swallowed as Raphael's face immediately came to mind. Raph was right, that nickname was meant to come only from Raph's lips.

"Don't, uh, don't call me that."

"Why not?" Karai asked, pulling a leg up in front of her so she could rest her chin on her knee. "You going to try to tell me you're actually full of fear?"

"I have plenty of fears," Leo said, pausing to take a deep breath before continuing, "but I don't want you to call me that because it's Raph's nickname for me." He peered at Karai out of the corner of his eye and watched her turn and look at him.

"It's not a family nickname?"

"No."

"It's a special nickname?"

"Yes."

Karai paused. "Like how Donatello calls April his sweet chinchilla?"

Leo made a face and Karai released an actual laugh.

"Stop laughing."

"I'm not laughing," Karai said, although still outright laughing. She took a deep breath, feeling slightly better than she had a few minutes before. "I'm just slightly amused given the interactions I've witnessed between the two of you."

"Amused?"

Karai smirked. "You push each other's buttons. But, if that's what you like, then you're made for each other."

"We don't always push each other's buttons."

"Hey, I'm fine with you two together as long as I don't have to hear the sordid details," she said with another laugh.

"Well you can stop being amused," Leo said dryly, although he was pleased with her reaction. "It doesn't matter anyway. It looks like it's already over."

"Why?"

"I screwed up with him."

"You mean to tell me you're not perfect?" She threw in a fake gasp just for fun, which earned her a dirty look from Leo. "So? Isn't that when a good ol' fashioned apology -,"

"And then he said he didn't want to be with me and left."

Karai raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?"

"You did something stupid and the hothead turtle said something in anger and stormed off? Well that's unpredictable."

"Have you always been this sarcastic?"

"Doesn't that happen all the time?" she continued. "What do you normally do in these situations?"

"This is different, Karai. This isn't us arguing over the best plan of action against an enemy."

Karai stared back across the street. "Yeah, well, the Leonardo I know is not a quitter."

"It's not just up to me, though," he said slowly.

"You still have to do your part. And anyway, I highly doubt he meant what he said. And I'm pretty sure that once your head clears you'll realize you know him well enough to doubt what he said too." She paused to let that sink in before turning to look at him. She cleared her throat and fidgeted with the sword handle at her hip. "Listen, Leo, I'm glad I got a moment alone with you. And if you could quit gabbin about your love life for a second – ," she watched him turn back towards her and scowl again, "- well, you know I'm not very good at saying thank you, but I do want to say it. I'm glad that the Shredder is de- gone, and I'm glad you got me out and back with my real father."

"You're welcome," he said, slowly, doing his best not to relive the moment he'd beheaded the evil man. He glanced back at the building across the street. "So, if you're happy to be out, what are you doing up here staring at the Foot headquarters?"

Her eyes moved back to her former home. "There are a few pictures of my mother in there. And I'd like to have them."

Leo's blue eyes refocused on the building and Karai watched with interest as Leo's mission mode setting was seemingly switched on.

"Have you seen any activity?"

"I'm not asking for help-,"

"Activity?"

She sighed. "No."

"Then lets move," Leo said, heading to the rooftop edge so he could use the fire escape to quickly make his way to the ground.

She rolled her eyes but followed him. However, when they reached the ground, she got his attention and lead the way to a secret side entrance. Once inside, they moved silently down a dark hallway.

"It's so cold in here," Leo said in a low voice.

"The entire building is metal on top of more metal," Karai answered back. "Not a lot of heat."

"Well then I guess you must be plenty comfortable in the lair."

Karai huffed out a breath. On her next step she nearly fell, but didn't hit the ground only because Leo had managed to grab her by the arm and keep her upright. Karai stared down at the ground, confused as to what she could've tripped on in an empty hallway.

"Uh oh," she whispered when she spotted the wire that had made her stumble.

"What does that mean?" Leo asked as a high-pitched sound filled the corridor. There was a flash and a loud popping noise near the ceiling.

"Run!" Karai said, taking off down the hallway.

"What is that?" Leo said, moving quickly behind her.

"That's just a distraction," Karai said, looking back at Leo to make sure he was sticking with her. "Leo!" she yelled as a large device lowered from the ceiling with swords spinning. "Leo!" she yelled again as a sword headed towards Leo's neck and he fell backwards on his shell. She ducked down to check on him and watched as his uninjured head popped back out of his shell. She breathed a sigh of relief as he quickly moved towards her and away from the spinning machine.

"It creeps me out when you guys do that."

"You know what would creep you out more?"

"You without a head?"

"Me without a head," Leo replied dryly as they watched the machine grind itself into a mess of twisted swords and machinery when it tried to drive through the metal floor. Sparks flew until the machine finally shorted out and stopped, leaving them in silence once again. "Now, what was that?"

"Looks like Stockman added some devices that were set to go off if triggered by intruders -,"

"He set up booby traps? Are there more?"

Karai shrugged. "These updates must've been added after I was locked in the basement."

"Let's just be more careful," Leo said. "Where's your room?"

Karai tilted her head and began walking. She watched Leo's eyes flip to white as he took the lead again. She was about to protest when she realized he had a better chance of seeing future triggers in the dark.

"Next door on the right," she said quietly a few minutes later. "It's a stairwell."

Leo nodded, although he stopped at the door to examine it before opening it. He suddenly wished Donnie was there, since he was certain Donnie would know what best to look for. He didn't see any wires or devices attached to the door. He slowly wrapped his hand around the knob and turned.

"We're going to be here all night, Leo," Karai muttered as she watched him slowly open the door.

Leo ignored her, and when the door opened without issue, he started up the stairs. One flight later and Karai was directing them down another hallway.

"Watch it!" Leo yelled as spiked metal balls he quickly recognized as Stockman's handiwork flew towards them.

She threw her back towards his shell as their swords were pulled to defend themselves. Karai swung and hit one of the spiked weapons, sending it across the room where it flew into the wall. And immediately exploded. The two of them were blown back into a small, empty room.

"That's a new feature," Leo muttered as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head.

"Next time we see him I'll let you compliment him before I kill him," Karai growled as she sat up as well.

Leo moved to stand, but froze when the only opening in the room was quickly blocked by a metal panel slamming shut, trapping them in the small space.

"Karai, what is this room?" Leo asked uneasily. He looked to her and his eyes widened as he caught an actual flash of fear on her face.

"Shredder had a few rooms like this installed in random places around the building."

"And?" Leo prompted when she stopped talking.

Karai's eyes lifted upwards. "We're not mean to leave here alive," she said quietly as the cold water began to fall from the ceiling.

A/N: Three chapters in a 24 hour period isn't too many, amright?