A New Home ( TMNT Leonardo love story)

Solo Adventure

A few weeks later

It had been a few weeks since the fire. The turtles had been trying their best to make you feel at home. You were happy with them but you still longed to be on the surface and at home. You'd only been up there once to get the contents of the fire box, but that was weeks ago.Nothing really had come of the talk about training you. Splinter had said that you needed time to recover and get your head straight. Then you would talk about it again.You had hoped that you'd be let up top again to get some things that you needed. But any time you asked the Splinter would deny your request and April would bring the the things you needed when she would visit. You'd given up on asking to get them yourself and just texted her the items. Even though you had stopped asking you didn't stop trying to find your own way up top. You'd snuck out a few times but had gotten lost in the tunnels every time. And every time you called one of the guys to come and get you, you'd end up getting a lecture about the dangers of going out alone. When they asked why you had left the lair, you would say that you wanted to stretch your legs. And that if you were going to be staying down here for a while you should learn the tunnels. Donnie was nice and printed you a map of the area, but unfortunately he left out enough information so you didn't know what tunnels led up to the surface. The bright side to that was you were pretty sure that you'd found the route up to the surface. Now all you had to do was figure out the right time to sneak out.

After a couple more days of observing the turtles habits and solidifying your route, you were ready to go. Just after breakfast you grab your backpack and head for the exit. You quickly stopped by the dojo and make sure that all five mutants were there. Upon hearing all five voices come through the paper doors, you move as slowly and softly as you can to the exit.You silently make your way out of the lair and take a right down the tunnel. You pull out your flashlight to read the map. You were certain that the exit was closer than the boys made it out to be. You'd passed a few ladders to manhole covers, but the trick was finding the ones that lead into alleys where you could emerge unseen. Your calculations were right and you find the manhole you'd been searching for. You could tell because when you climbed the ladder, you couldn't hear any kind of traffic.The cover proves to be heavier then you thought, so it takes you longer to get out then you'd planned. But after climbing out and replacing the lid, you take a deep breath in, relishing the natural light and the wind whistling down the ally.

A few hours on the surface and you were feeling better than you had in a while. You glance down at your watch. You hated to admit it, but you needed to get going, or you'd get caught.

Over the next two weeks, you make a number of trips up to the surface. Every time you went, moving the cover in and out of place got easier. You had to make sure that anything you brought back looked like something April brought you, edible or easily hidden or disposed of. Today was the day that you were going try something new. There was a new store in the mall that you'd been dying to check out soon as you'd heard they they were putting it in. On order to make it out there though, you were going to need more time then you would have during the day. That means taking a trip out at night when the turtles were out on patrol. They wouldn't miss you when they got back because you were normally in bed when they did.That night, you dress in typical dark clothing and wait for the turtles to exit for patrol. You wait for them to have been gone for 15 minutes before saying goodnight to Splinter. Now all you have to do was wait for him to go to his room and you were golden.You reach the surface without a problem. The night air was chillier then you'd thought, but you didn't want to head back for your sweater. You take a look at the list of things you wanted to do, what to do first?

After a number of hours wandering blissfully down the mall hallways and taking in everything you could, you glance at your watch and gasp. It was getting close to dinnertime. You hadn't meant to be out there this long. You had to get at least back into the tunnels within fifteen minutes, or they might just figure out that you'd been up top. Exiting the mall, you head straight for the point where you exited the sewers. The hair on the back of your neck stands up, as though someone or something is watching you. You weren't sure what to do. You glance over your shoulder and catch a glimpse of black darting out of your view. You decide that you were better off walking past your entrance, losing your possible tail and then doubling back. The further you get from the mall, the more you feel like you're being followed. You turn around again and try to catch a glimpse of your pursuers. This time, they aren't hiding the fact that you're being followed. You pull your phone out of your pocket and pick up your pace.

"Y/N! Where are you?" Leo picks up on the second ring. "We've been trying to find you for half an hour!"

"I'm really sorry Leo" You pant "I'm up top and I need you. The Foot spotted me on my way back"

"I'm on my way, don't stop running" Leo says "What do you see?"

"Like buildings? Or road signs?" You ask, making a sharp right

"Buildings" Leo says "Keep to the main roads and streets and out of the alleys. Too many of them are dead ends"

"Lot's of apartment buildings" You say "I ran right out of the movie theater. And right past the pizza place."

"Keep talking and moving Y/N" Leo says "Don't stop, I'll be there soon"

"I can't keep this up for much longer" You say "I can see the ninjas on the roofs, they'll be on me in a minute"

"Just keep going" Leo says "They won't go for you right away in hopes of getting us. You're going to be fine. I'll find you before they get you. Do you see the radio tower?"

"Yes" You say "I'm not that far"

"I see it too" Leo says "That means we're not that far apart. What else do you see?"

"Just passed the TV store with the huge neon sign" You say "If they want you, just forget about me. I promise I won't tell them a single thing, no matter what. I p-promise."

The line goes dead. You panic, thinking that your phone had died, or worse, the Foot had gotten Leo. You continue your path towards the radio tower. A soft thump behind you spikes your adrenaline even higher and you try to move faster. Two strong arms scoop you up and head for the next ally without so much as a pause.

"Thanks, but I told you that I'd find you" Leo says "You're one of us now."

"Leo" You whisper, both thankful and exhausted

Leo manages to put a good distance between you and your pursuers. After a series of sharp turns and a bit of backtracking, Leo turns down a dead end alleyway and the both of you slip through a manhole unseen. You're still worn from all your running and panic. The adrenaline was wearing off and the reality of what happened was really starting to set in. Leo helped you down the ladder and the two of you were now slowly making your way back to the dojo.

"Are you sure that you're ok to walk?" Leo asks

"I think so" You say "Thank you for coming for me Leo."

"I wouldn't leave you out there on your own" Leo says "As I said, you're one of us now."

"But what if you got caught?" You ask "I meant what I said, I wouldn't have told them a thing."

"I know you wouldn't have." Leo says "I never thought you would, but why were you up there in the first place?"

"I've actually done it a number of times now" You say sheepishly. "But those were all during the day and for not as long as I would have liked. The only way to be out longer without being noticed was to go out at night after you guys left."

"And you thought that was a good idea?" Leo asks

"I know that it wasn't" You say "I know that you'd be putting yourself and your family in danger by coming for me. It would have been safer if you didn't and then you wouldn't have to take care of me anymore."

"Woah Y/N" Leo says "It sounds like you're trying to convince me to hand you over or something. What's bugging you? We like having you around."

"It's just that ...when they were closing in on me... I was so sure that I was done for, even with you on the phone." You say, trying to find the right words "When the phone went dead, I thought that they had gotten you or you'd been cut off from getting to me and that if they got me there were legitimate reasons for you to not come after me. And.."

"Y/N, stop that. Promise me you'll never give up like that again." Leo says "You may have not been with us for long, but you're one of us now. No matter what, I'll always come for you."

"Leo.." You whisper

"Promise me Y/N" Leo says, looking you in the eyes

"I promise" You say softly

"Now, let's get you back and to bed and no saying you can walk, it's going to take all night at this pace" Leo says, picking you up "Master Splinter won't lecture you till the morning and you'll want to have had some sleep."

"Just hand me over to the foot now" You groan, burying your face in his chest

"Not going to happen" Leo chuckles