Chapter 14

Layla was in the kitchen making coffee and eating a croissant. She was very quietly humming a song to herself. It was still early, and she had the kitchen to herself. Leo peered around the corner at her, anxiety eating away at him. He had gotten up early to meditate, and was pleased to see she was the only other one awake. Her hair was still a bit messy, but she looked breathtaking to him. Breathe in, breathe out. You can do this.

He sauntered up behind her.

"Good morning," he said, voice still morning deep.

"Good morning, Leo," she replied, voice soft as they were the first words she had spoken. "I'll make you breakfast," she offered, motioning for him to sit at the counter. Instead, he reached up just by her head, grabbing a glass from the cupboard. He pressed against her lightly as he did so.

She turned around. He fiddled with the glass in his hand before filling it up with juice.

"I was thinking we should do something else tonight instead of watching those horror films," he said. "We could get dinner, and I have a place I want to show you." He leaned against the counter, looking rather confident, almost smug. It was all a front for how nervous he was feeling inside.

"That sounds really nice," she whispered, nervous excitement welled up inside her.

He tapped her nose with the half-filled glass, a cocky smirk spreading across his face. "It's a date then." And with that, leaving her stood there, speechless, he grabbed a croissant as he swaggered out.

They spent the day as they normally do, the women almost seamlessly integrating into their daily routines.

The harmony was broken that evening by Raph storming out of the gym to find his brothers. Mina followed him out, brows furrowed. His phone had dinged while she was helping him, (rather watching him) work out, and he asked her to look at it. It had been Casey, telling him he needed help and sending his location.

"Casey's getting fucked up. Needs some help," he grunted to Mikey, who was helping Nora cook. Donnie peaked his head out of his lab when he heard Raph, heaving a sigh.

"Casey is just like Raph, gets into too much trouble with their vigilante nonsense," he said under his breath to Talia, but stood up to go help his friend regardless.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart," he whispered roughly in a pitch so low only Mina could hear him. "Please be careful, Raphie," she whispered. He nodded. Raph started to head out the door, ahead of his brothers, but ran into Leo making his way downstairs.

Seeing his brother worked up, he tensed. "What's going on?"

"Casey's in trouble, needs our help."

"Alright, let's go."

Layla was curled up on the chair, reading a book Leo had recommended to her, watching the whole situation unfold. Leo knelt down next to the chair, disappointment turning into frustration. Why the hell did Casey have to go off and get himself into trouble tonight of all nights?

"I'm really sorry Layla. I don't know when we'll be back, but we'll go tomorrow night."

"It's ok, your friend is more important." That doesn't mean I'm not a little disappointed to postpone my first date. She would never let him know that, however.

You're important too, he thought.

She continued, placing a hand gently on his bicep. "Please be safe."

"Of course. Don't wait up." As he turned around, he saw Mikey kiss Nora very dramatically on the lips, leaving her standing there, stunned. The group rolled their eyes.

"I'll be back, angelcakes!" He called to her as he rushed up the steps.

They peered into the warehouse. Casey was in the middle, surrounded on all sides by purple dragon goons. He was holding his ribcage with one hand, swinging his baseball bat clumsily with the other.

Leo sized up the situation, taking careful stock of the overwhelming number of purple dragons. They must have been doing something important. "Ok Mikey, you and Donnie go around to the side there and take out those guys, Raph and I will-" but he was cut off by Raph bursting down through the window, down into the middle of the fray, throwing Casey behind him. Ugh Raph, please not this again.

"Hey man, nice of you to join," Casey smiled weakly.

"You owe me, Case," Raph said before jumping into action. His brothers used the distraction to their advantage, taking out the periphery guards before joining their brother.

Raph's shoot first, look later decision, made purely out of his own good intentions to protect his friend, did leave him vulnerable to a few more injuries than his brothers.

"You good?" Leo shouted when Raph was catapulted into a stack of crates right next to him. Leo noticed the cut on his brother's arm and winced. Doubtful Raph even knew it happened, but he would once the adrenaline wore off.

"Yeah," he snarled as he jumped up, immediately ready to fight again. Leo hadn't seen his brother this worked up in a while. Maybe it's because of Mina. Did something happen? They seemed on good terms when they said goodbye…Oh…Then it hit Leo. His brother was acting out a bit because he was frustrated. Leo understood, but that did not mean Raph needed to be so reckless. He should control himself better than that. He could have gotten seriously hurt, and he put all of us in a worse position!

"Donnie, can you take Casey out of here?" Leo asked.

"On it!" Donnie yelled back, carefully grabbing Casey and pulling him out of the fight.

"Do you think they're alright?" Talia asked Splinter, who had joined them for dinner.

"Yes. This kind of situation is more frequent than I would like. You should know that it happens often." Splinter sighed, always worried for his sons, but endeared to see how their houseguests fretted about his sons' safety. Layla offered him some tea.

"We all wish it didn't," she said softly, chewing her lip. The nervous ticks the girls displayed were not lost on the old rat. He sympathized with them, and deep down quite grateful there were others who would watch over his sons just as fiercely as he did.

"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that sitting here fretting won't solve anything. Perhaps we should try to do something more lighthearted."

"Oh! 90 day fiancé is on tonight. It's the tell-all! We were going to miss it to watch movies, but now we can watch it!" Nora sat up, excited.

"Watch it with us, Splinter?" Mina said.

"What is it?"

The girls looked at each other devilishly.

"Well, screw the tell-all, let's start with season one," Talia said.

"You'll love it," Layla said. "It's even trashier than your soaps."

"It's about these couples, one partner is American and the other foreign, and they have ninety days to get married for their visas. It's a whole mess," Mina added.

They settled on the couches with tea.

"God TLC is good at what they do," Talia added.

"Oh my god, you guys. It just came to me. TLC makes…cringetertainment," Nora giggled, proud of her creative name for the trash shows they binge. Mina and Layla rolled their eyes so far back into their heads the only the whites showed.

The boys panted on a nearby rooftop, taking a breather after dropping Casey off to an exasperated April.

"Who were some of those guys?" Mikey huffed out. Even the athletic little brother was tuckered out.

"Those were the guys Casey was telling us he noticed more of. They're good fighters," Leo added.

"They had that weird emblem, almost like some DNA design, but it wasn't that exactly," Donnie added.

"Well, whoever they were, they put up a hell of a fight, but we still kicked their asses," Raph said as he winced at the cut on his arm.

They inspected each other's bruises before heading home. Leo was pissed. They didn't need to be this beat up if Raph wasn't so impatient. He knew his brother meant well, and was protective of his friends, but he needed to slow down again. He had been doing well for so long, what is going on?

"Raph," Leo started as they walked in the tunnels towards their home.

"Save it, Leo. We ended up fine," Raph growled.

"We ended up bruised," Donnie complained. He was not one to jump into a Leo and Raph fight, but he too was annoyed at Raph's behavior tonight. The fight lasted a lot longer than it needed to, by his calculations, and that was simply due to Raph charging in headfirst, getting them all in a bind.

"Fuck off Donnie," he rumbled. "Casey was really hurt down there, you can't just leave ya friends high and dry."

"We weren't leaving him hanging," Leo said.

When they walked into the lair, three girls had fallen asleep on the couch. Layla was conspicuously absent. Splinter had gone to bed already.

"Aww, they waited for us," Mikey whispered, grinning. He picked Nora up and carried her upstairs. The other two stirred awake, only to see Leo and Raph storm into the dojo, whispering roughly at each other. Donnie helped a sleepy Talia up.

"Don't mind them, sweetie. Let's get you to bed," he whispered, slinging his arm around her.

Mina sat up and looked at the dojo door, worried.

Layla was in the middle of the dojo, meditating. She jumped up when she heard them walk in, not paying her any mind. Her eyes met Leo's and he went to say something, but she quietly made her exit, giving them space. As she passed Leo, she ran her hand on the back of his shell.

She ran into Mina in the kitchen. They had, of course, heard of Leo and Raph's famous arguments, but never heard one for themselves. They listened quietly, neither wanting to get in the middle. It didn't take long for the two to raise their voices.

"Raph, you just leapt in there, without any forethought, and now look."

"Yeah, and Casey was standin' there, in tha middle, getting his ass handed to him."

"If you would've just been patient for another minute, it would've gone so much better. And now, because we had to jump in there for both of you, we're all bruised and tired, and you have a nasty cut. It was a disorganized mess, because of you."

"A cut?" Mina mouthed to Layla, pressing her lips together in worry.

Raph snarled. "Fuck you, Leo. Don't put all the blame on me. You wanted to sit on your ass and analyze the whole fucking thing."

It sounded like it was getting out of hand as they snapped at one another, voices harsh.

"Raph, you know that's not true. You're the only one to blame this time. Don't you dare fucking put this back on me. What the hell is wrong with you lately?" Leo narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Nothin'. I ain't puttin' up with your little interrogations."

"When you're impatient like this, it jeopardizes everyone! How many times do we have to argue about this? Why can't you see it?"

"See what? You know how many times bad things could have been stopped if ya weren't so fucking careful?!"

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe I'm careful because I'm concerned about everyone's well-being?"

The girls peeked around the corner, shocked to see just how in one another's faces the two were, like alpha males battling for dominance. Layla couldn't help but feel upset at Raph for how he spoke to Leo. She felt protective. He's just looking out for you!

"Doesn't look like it to me, Fearless. If ya were a betta friend, you woud've wanted to help him right away. But you ain't."

"It's not about that," Leo said, teeth clenched. "I've always helped all of you. How many fucking times have we rescued you because you decided to play vigilante and got yourself into more than you could handle? All because you don't fucking think. It puts us all in a bad place."

"Fuck you! Maybe some of us actually care."

"And I don't? The difference is, I care about all of us being ok," Leo growled. "You just go off and do your own thing, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces. It's selfish."

"The fuck did you just call me? You think I'm fucking selfish? You prick. Holier-than-thou, fucking God-complex, smug-ass -" Raph entered a tirade of insults.

Mina and Layla stepped back instinctively at Raph's aggressive body language, but Leo held his ground, used to the behavior. Layla noticed how Leo's eyes looked almost dead when he argued with Raph.

Leo knew Layla could hear them. He knew she was outside the door. He took another deep breath. I can't do this with her here.

"I'm not fighting with you anymore tonight, Raph," Leo growled, having the final word as he stalked off, brushing past a seething Raph.

"I ain't done talkin'!" Raph called out, following his eldest brother out, but halted when he saw Mina. Not looking her in the eyes, he rushed off to his room. Mina quietly followed, wanting to talk to him, and make sure someone looked after that cut.

Leo kept his gaze straight ahead as he stalked off to his room, ashamed Layla had seen them argue. He sat on his bed, mulling over the argument, going over everything he should have said but didn't. He exhaled deeply at the sound of a soft knock at his door.

Layla stood there quietly shuffling her feet, watching Leo crack his neck. She winced at the loud crack. He motioned for her to come in and closed the door behind her.

"Layla, I'm sorry you had to hear that. I never wanted you to hear us argue, especially not like that." He hung his head.

"It was going to happen at some point," she lulled. "It's ok."

"I just, I would never want you to be scared. You know I would never yell at you like that, right?"

"I know. It doesn't scare me." I hate that they argued like that. Clearly it's stressful for Leo. But…him being that dominant turns me on just a little bit. That authoritative tone of voice…I wouldn't mind if he ordered me around.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Are you hurt?" she gently traced her fingertips over his bruised collarbone. He smiled softly down at her.

"I'm alright. It's just a few bruises. I've had worse," he chuckled, but she hardly seemed amused.

She looked at his hands, gasping at the bloody scrapes that littered his knuckles. She took both his hands in hers, frowning as she intensely studied the injuries.

"Leo," she breathed, kissing his hands softly. He held his breath watching her, feeling something rather tender, but he couldn't put a name to it. No one had ever shown him this kind of affection and care before. He was, in all honesty, eating it up.

"Sit." Layla didn't know what to say, but she knew what to do. She directed him to sit down on the floor next to the edge of his bed. She sat on his bed, and he groaned quietly as she massaged his shoulders. He closed his eyes as she worked out the knots.

"You're so tense," she whispered, ducking down to reach his ear. He just mumbled in response. He never before thought physical touch was his love language, but he was willing to change his mind. After several minutes, she moved onto his neck, and could feel his body relax underneath her fingertips. She smiled softly, pleased at his reaction.

His angry, swirling thoughts about Raph and their argument faded away.

It was her running her nails gently at the base of his head and down over his neck, shoulders, and down his upper arms that sent electricity coursing through his body. Holy fuck, he thought as goosebumps welled up all over him.

She gently dragged her nails over his scalp, and a shiver ran down his spine. A low moan escaped his lips, and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

She very lightly brushed her lips against his head in a soft kiss. She just kissed me…A gentle smiled formed at his lips as he sunk back onto her.

"Did that help?" she asked, chewing her lip as if she was unsure she did the right thing.

He sat up and turned around, placing his hands on either side of her thighs on the bed.

Their eyes met. I love you, he thought, completely sure of himself and the feeling. Completely unsure of how to tell her, however.

"Very much so, sweetheart. Thank you." This time, he very confidently called her a pet name, and was pleased when she smiled at his use of it.

Leo wrapped her in a tight embrace, leaning his head on her shoulder. His hand played with the ends of her hair.

"I'm sorry about tonight," he murmured. "It's not what I had planned. You should know, things like this happen a lot, and our lives are complicated. Sometimes dangerous. I don't want to drag you into something that's too demanding."

"I don't mind at all. It's not like my life is uncomplicated. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't at all. It's worth it."

They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the closeness and the comfort that comes with it. How did she know exactly what I needed? Even I didn't know…

"Why were you up meditating so late?" He inquired.

"I was so worried about you," she said in a whisper barely audible. "Splinter and I meditated for a little bit, but he went to bed. I couldn't sleep."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Besides, someone besides Splinter has to worry about you."

Leo felt needed, wanted even.

"We should meditate together," he said as he nuzzled her shoulder.

"I think so too."

He carried a bag of take out and led her by the hand to a secluded little garden in China Town. They cuddled together on a bench, enjoying the soft light the lanterns brought to the garden.

God she's beautiful.

They sat there talking about everything that came to mind. The first date jitters that invaded their space at the beginning faded away.

"This is perfect," she whispered as they strolled around the garden. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. He was still nervous, don't fuck it up, but his usual bravado started to seep through due to her comforting presence. She seemed to enjoy when he did things, giving him the confidence to carry on.

"Good cause I really don't know how this is supposed to all work," he admitted with a nervous chuckle.

"Me either," she shrugged, and leaned her head against him. Is he going to kiss me?

"I have one more place I want to show you," he grinned excitedly. Leading her with his arm around her waist through a maze of alleyways, he scooped her up to carry her up several ladders and across quiet rooftops. Woah,, was all she thought to herself, feeling rather like a princess with her prince carrying her away to his castle.

"Wow," she breathed, taking in the incredible view of the skyline. The moon reflected off the surface of the water. "Is this the spot you like to come and look out over the water?"

"It is." Biting his lip, he stepped up next to her. His weight shifted on his feet from side to side as he studied her. The rooftop was silent and dark, and allowed the lights of the city to sparkle.

After several quiet moments he spoke. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

She turned to face him, quirking an eye ridge. "What about?"

He looked away towards the city, hands fidgety. I'm 29 years old, why do I feel like a scared little kid?

"Look I – I really care about you," he started, voice betraying anxiety. His gaze flitted from her eyes to overtop her head, out towards the city. "You are so beautiful, kind, smart. I know all those things sound generic, but it's true. I feel like we understand each other, you laugh at my cheesy jokes," they both chuckled. He took both her hands in his, turning his gaze towards them, "I like how your hands fit in mine. You make me feel wanted, and you listen to me. I want to be there for you, always."

He paused, collecting the thoughts that were beginning to run away from him. Nervous butterflies engulfed both of them. Layla could feel her heart race and she chewed her lip, holding her breath.

"No one has ever made me feel the way you do. What I'm trying to say is that I care about you, deeply, and I don't want to just be friends. I want to be more than that. I would very much like it if you were my girlfriend," He looked at her with anticipation, pupils dilated, heart pounding.

"I care about you too, quite a lot. Of course I want to be your girlfriend," she smiled softly, giving his hands a little squeeze. They stepped towards each other. "No one has ever made me feel as safe or as cared for as you do. You make me so happy, and I hope I make you feel the same."

"You most certainly do," he murmured as he leaned towards her, his brown eyes losing themselves in her blue. Her hair blew gently in the breeze as he hastily closed the gap between them, his hand cupping her face as his thumb grazed her cheek. Layla's heart began to race.

Leo ducked his head to meet her lips in a soft kiss. Their lips brushed against each other clumsily at first. His snout grazed against hers, both unsure of what exactly to do as they pressed their lips together. Soon enough they found their rhythm as they sunk into it, their lips parting to allow the other more access. One of his hands entangled into her hair as the other pulled her flush against him by the small of her back. Her hands cupped his face, gently tugging him towards her. Her lips were just as soft as he imagined they would be, and she tasted like tea and honey.

His lips were a bit chapped against her own, but she enjoyed how the rough sensation contrasted with how gently his lips moved.

He broke away for a second before diving back in. In response, she mewled softly. That little sound nearly sent him over the edge, but he kept it gentle. As much as he wanted to throw her against the wall and keep exploring everything about her, he wanted to enjoy this first kiss as just that, a kiss. He wanted to savor her.

Pulling away, he pulled her tightly into his arms, protecting her from the chilly air, and gave the top of her head a lingering kiss. Layla could hear his heartbeat, strong and fast. She breathed him in, nuzzling into his chest, clinging to the fabric of his jacket.

Holy shit, she thought, dazed over her first kiss. It was completely unexpected, yet exactly what she had hoped for. And it wasn't as awkward as she feared it would be.

Not bad for a first kiss, he grinned smugly to himself.

He pulled away, cupping her cheeks before ducking down again to meet her lips. He grinned into the kiss when he felt her stand on her toes to meet him and curled her fingers into his jacket for balance. God that's nice, he thought as a fire ignited in him, intense arousal pooling between his legs at the realization that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

Time and space had no meaning anymore, there was just the two of them.

Losing themselves in the moment, they had no idea how much time had passed when they headed home.

Layla found it difficult to sleep that night, too jittery and reeling from her first kiss. It was everything she had fantasized about, and she could still feel how firmly he held her against him.

Is he going to kiss me good morning? Goodnight?

Unable to meditate, she opted for a shower, which turned rather steamy, and not because she customarily turned the water to a scalding hot temperature.

As the liquid slid down her body, she imagined Leo pulling back the curtains, surprising her.

"Hello, sweetheart," he murmured, his hands trailing down her body. "Let me help you."

Leo was meditating the next morning, but having difficulty clearing his mind, which was determined to focus only on the kiss and how sweet she tasted.

It was much easier now to lose himself in how it would feel to make out with her, to pull her down onto my lap right here, her soft lips trailing down my neck. He reimagined that soft mewl, only this time it escaped her lips when he gently guided her down onto his cock, right here in the middle of the dojo while everyone was sleeping. He would have to muffle her screams with his own lips. He imagined flipping her onto the floor, bringing her legs up around his waist as he pounded into her, his lips never leaving her own.

Can I kiss her whenever now?

"You still have to show me your little hideout," said Layla.

"We can go right now. It's storming out, and you can hear the rain from it, which I know you like," he said as he kissed the side of her head. They were both still figuring out how to be affectionate, and neither one felt comfortable with PDA. However, if they had a chance to be alone, Leo often found himself kissing her on the head or cheek or wrapping a hand around her waist. He liked feeling her close. Sometimes, if he was sitting down, she would kiss the top of his head or the side of his cheek, giving him the slightest nuzzle. Without fail, he would blush and shake his head. It was those stolen moments that sent heat straight between her legs.

"Here," he wrapped one of his sweatshirts around her, drowning her in fabric. Snorting at how ridiculous she looked, he added, "It can be a little chilly."

They wandered through a maze of tunnels. Layla wasn't sure how they would be able to hear the rain, as they seemed to go deeper underground. They turned down a small dark tunnel and entered out the other side into a large concrete cavern. Sunlight trickled in from a few grates what seemed like a few stories up. Water cascaded down, creating a large artificial waterfall, through one of the grates. On the opposing concrete wall were a few other large entrance grates that led deeper into the tunnels. Leo led her down the cavern until they reached an old metal maintenance ladder that looked as if it climbed at least three stories.

"We have to go up there?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, one of these old tunnel entrances is actually open. Don't worry, I'm gonna carry you up. I know your flimsy arms couldn't make it anyways," he teased. Picking her up, he began his ascent.

They reached the tunnel and climbed through the broken grate. The other side of the tunnel was collapsed in, so it left a little nook where they could sit and look out over the cavern. He had a couple of pillows, a large floor cushion, and a few blankets. A few books laid strewn about, as well as some snacks.

"Wow, this is so cozy! Do you keep all this stuff here all the time?"

"I might have brought an extra blanket or two." He settled onto the cushion and looked out over the expanse. She snuggled next to him, wrapping a blanket around them.

"You were right, you can hear the rain," she whispered, the sound of the deluge pounding down making her feel a bit drowsy. She kissed him on the shoulder, "Thank you for bringing me here."

He grabbed a book from the stack and opened it. She rifled through the stack until she found one to her liking. Settling down next to one another in a comfortable silence, they read as the rain poured on.

After some time, Layla moved and curled up like a cat, resting her head on his thigh as she continued to read. Leo smiled softly as he placed his hand on her. The storm continued to get worse, and peals of thunder echoed through the cavernous space. Eventually, her book slipped from her hand as she fell asleep.

Leo chuckled and ran his hands through her hair while she slept, content to just enjoy being near her. He pulled the blanket tighter around her.

I don't normally nap but maybe it isn't the worst idea…he mused, the rain also making him feel a bit sleepy. Carefully so as not to wake her, he slid down behind her under the blanket, and wrapped his arms around her. As he pressed up against her, he placed a kiss on her shoulder. She stirred, rolling over to face him.

"I didn't mean to wake you up," he whispered.

"It's ok," she yawned. She pressed a kiss to his lips and began to trace the little grooves and scars that littered his plastron. "Can I ask you something?"

"Mmhmm." Leo's eyes were still closed.

"What does it feel like? Like if I do this…" she traced a little pattern on his plastron. A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest.

"Uh, it feels really nice," he laughed. "But actually, it's not as sensitive as skin. It's kinda like if you're wearing a jacket, and someone touches you. You can still feel it, just not as much. Sorry, that's not the best analogy, it's a little hard to explain."

"That's ok. It makes sense."

Thunder crackled loudly and the rain fell in sheets. They both turned to look out into the cavern. When they turned back towards each other, Leo tucked her hair behind her shoulder.

"I don't imagine it's very comfortable for you to lean against."

"I don't mind it," she stifled a yawn. He pulled her in closer, pressing small kisses wherever his lips happened to land on her face. She giggled.

"Let's get back to that nap."

Usagi and Gen walked through a portal, right into the turtles' living room. Loud music blared from the gym.

"Hello?" Nora and Mina questioned them, giving each other curious looks.

Talia peeked her head into the gym, catching Donnie's eye and motioning to the living room. The music died down as the turtles appeared out of the gym, surprised to see the pair standing in their living room.

"Usagi?" Leo said, confused but glad to see his friend.

"Gen?" The others added, thinking back to the not so fond time when Gen was last in NYC.

"Leonardo-san! It is good to see you. I am sorry to arrive unannounced, but we have need of your aid." Gen and Usagi turned towards the women, who had also gathered around them.

"It is lovely to see you all again," they bowed.

"Likewise," the girls replied.

"Here, uh, have a seat," He motioned for his friends and brothers towards the kitchen table.

"Hungry?" Mikey asked, already gathering food before the pair could answer. Leo went to prepare tea.

"Here, I can do that. Go talk to your friends," Layla whispered, taking the kettle from his hand.

Leo gave her arm a squeeze as he walked back towards the table.

"What's goin' on?" Raph asked.

"My friends, we have quite the tale to share."

"It all started when my little nephew Ren went missing!" Gen, agitated, slammed his fists down on the table.

The eight turtles and Splinter patiently listened to the tale. After Usagi and Gen traveled to Edo to talk to the orphans and inquire after Nozomi, they seemed to hit a dead end. The orphans spoke of men and women in strange clothing offering the orphanage aunties large sums of money for certain children. They were told it was their new family adopting them, but the orphan children seemed to believe otherwise. The pair could glean no further information.

As for Nozomi, it appeared as the family had fled not long after she went missing.

"I have not been able to contact my own family! They are gone too. Vanished!" Gen yelled, angry.

"The only other clue we have gathered is this." Usagi unfolded a piece of paper with a drawing on it. "The orphans said this symbol was on the clothing of the strange individuals."

It was a square field with a grotesque screaming humanoid face in the middle, blood dripping from his severed head.

"We were wondering if you had ever seen something of this nature before, or if you would be able to help us locate Ren, and hopefully the other children." Leo grabbed the paper, recognizing the horrific style related to the statue Layla and he had seen over that weekend.

The sisters gave each other an odd look that none of the others could decipher. Leo didn't say anything, unsure if he should ask Layla about it first, privately.

Finally, Nora spoke up. "We know that symbol." The entire table turned to look at her. "It's a place."