And how right she had. Leo was making his best trying to severely destroy an innocent tree. This whole matter was threatening to break his inner walls. His concentration and control was dropping quickly.

"Leo?" said a voice behind him. A voice he knew so well. And loved so much. He stopped hacking away, and turned to face her. In the sunlight, she was like a shimmering emerald. So beautiful to him that he felt as if his inner core would break in shards any moment.

"We... I... need to speak to you."

Please, don't speak, he thought. Please, don't break the illusion...

"We don't need to speak. You've said so yourself."

"Yes, I did say do. But that was wrong. I was wrong to say that." Said Venus as she moved in closer. She stopped on armslength from him, looking up at him.

"Why did you leave me? Wasn't I good enough?"

Venus looked sad and shook her head "no, You are a wonderful man. All a woman can ask for. You care, you listen. You love someone unconditionally. When you give something, you give it to 100 percent. But...I just couldn't keep up with the devotion you had for me. It was just too much..."

Leo moaned, wanting to raise his hands, to hold her close. To say that he...

"I still love you. I always will."

He saw her lowering her head, taking a deep shivering breath.

"I know, Leonardo. But I can not. I can only love you as my brother. As my closest friend and someone I always can talk to."

She paused and looked up at him, "But that's where it ends for both of us. That's where the line is drawn for us."

Leo felt his arms shake, as he had to keep himself from touching her.

"But..."

Venus placed a finger on his lips before he could say anything further. "No. Don't speak. I know, Leonardo. I know. You don't have to tell me."

The turtleman sighed deeply, gently taking her hand in his hands. He leaned his chin on the hand, then placed a kiss on her palm before he gently closed it.

"Anything, Venus. Ask anything and you'll get. Regardless of where and what it is."

Something inside Leo froze this moment in time; took in this very moment and locked it in a small chamber in his heart. It would be his treasure. This was a moment in time from which he could pull strength and trust from.

"I ask you to love me as a sister. To treasure our friendship and bond in that way. Is that too much to ask?"

"No. I... can do that now."

Leo felt his heart froze. Even if he seemed to be at peace outside, it felt as if his heart truly turned to ice and stone. Venus smiled at him when she motioned for him to go back.

***

The evening came. They knew that the next day at this time, they would not be around the ranch. Then they would be far off. Far off in another time maybe. In the garden behind the house, a big campfire roared, sending sparks up at the sky. It was still bright at the horizon where the sun had settled just a few moments ago. A big full moon hung big and orange in the sky. The gathering around the fireplace seemed to enjoy themselves. Susan had made sure they all looked like real ranchpeople, with jeans, shirts and a couple of Stetson hats as well. Who knew? Maybe this was the last evening before the doom. No reason to fear it. If it happened, they could atleast leave this world with style. Mike, wearing a scotscheckerd shirt in red and blue was the barbecue chef and turned the thick ribsteaks and hamburgers with expert manners. Susan had an old radio playing some country tunes. She managed to get Candace to learn a few dancesteps as well as Raph. Don laughed heartily at the brother as he tripped and fell. Pulling Candace with him in the fall. They both laughed at the obviously silly scene they've caused.

Even Leo seemed to enjoy himself, laughing and chatting as the night went on. One of Susan's dogs, a little ratlike critter nicknamed Scruffy somehow got attached to Mike and followed him closely all night long. In the long run, Mike couldn't help it but give the little brat a piece of meat. After that, he had a devoted follower. While the dancepairs got sorted out, Kelly joined them as well. Venus and TwoFeather got up too and the cheerful music made them all feel good. Even if Raph loudly complained about the dorky voice of the singer. Candace placed a hand over his mouth, saying he was being rude. That earned her a chase round the garden. The barbecue evening was a blast. Except for Mike. He suddenly realised when he looked at Kelly that he was in love. Yep. Couldn't be anything else. It felt as if he was about to get 200 volts of electricity thru his nerves each time he looked at her. He followed her with is eyes. When he had first met her, she'd had her hair dyed black, but now it was her own rich chestnut colour sparkling in the light from the fire and moon. The black jeans, white and red shirt and green scarf fitted her perfect in the colours. He absentmindedly turned a couple of burgers before he once again studied her looks. If he failed to save White Eagle Woman, he'd never get back to her. He'd never...

"I'm gonna die without ever having a woman!" he said out loud.

Don looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You are gonna what?" he asked and took a burger from the grill.

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

Don gave him a look that said it all, and Mike cleared his throat.

"So? You'll do that too!"

His brother just shrugged his shoulders. "If I die, I die. If I win, I win. All I have to do is to do my best. A matter of Karma, as Leo says."

"What about Maria then?" he said and grinned at his brother. Don seemed a bit annoyed suddenly.

"Weeeelll...?" said Mike and poked at him with the fork. Don made a quick move and stole it from him.

"So what? Maria is just a good friend. So stop hinting, okay?"

Mike chuckled "Hehehe... Yeah, right. Sure. A friend. Whatever you say"

He turned his attention back to Kelly. With a quick move he pulled off the apron and handed it to Donatello.

"Here, Don. Keep them medium, alright?"

He hurried up to Kelly and joined in the dancing. Something he didn't regret when he found himself face to face with her finally. The more he was next to her, the more happy he felt. As if he had found something that finally made him whole. As if a second part of him was glued back on. With a grin on his face, Mike held her closer and whirled out of the light and the rest of them. Don chuckled as he saw them disappear out in the darkness and kept gently stirring the coals in the grill. He didn't particularly fancy being the chef...

"Medium...Yeah, right."

***

"I had no idea you guys was such partyanimals!" panted Kelly and leaned back against a big appletree stem. He cheeks was blossoming red from the dance and her hair looked tangled.

"Party... Animals? Yeah! Ha! You're right about that!" laughed Mike where he stood just armslength from her. Kelly still had her hands on his shoulders face to face with him, looking straight into the sweetest nutbrown eyes she'd ever seen. Mike felt hat his laughter and silly grin was a bad idea. He looked quite serious when he carefully placed his hand on her neck and carefully brought her closer to him. Kelly looked a bit taken by the moment as well, but didn't hesitate when she leaned closer and kissed him.

"Whoops!" said Don when the sparks from the barbecue flew high like fireworks.

Out in the darkness, Mike felt like he was about to fly. Atleast he wouldn't go on this mission without a decent kiss in the luggage. That alone was more then enough as they slowly parted. Kelly smiled and caressed the rough skin on his face.

"I knew it would be someone special right out there...Just waiting for me." she whispered and leaned her head on his shoulder. Mike smiled softly and stroke across her hair. He was amazed over how soft it was. And that it smelled faintly of lemon and lime as well. Fresh, tingling and enchanting at the same time.

"Me too...Me too, Kelly."

They didn't say a word for several minutes, just stood there holding eachother close. Marvelling over the stirring emotions. Kelly wondered why she had to discover such a charming, sweet and funny guy now? When he were to go out on something so dangerous. She could feel how her heart ached. It was almost like real physical pain, making her squeeze him tighter. Mike carefully turned her back to the others, holding an arm around her waist as they returned.

***

Leo grinned at Mike as he came into the room they shared. Mike has this smile, a cheesy smile. As if he was in another world. He'd just spent the past fifteen minutes in the doorway to the room Kelly had. Judging from the silence, they'd not exactly talked very much. Mike sat down on the bed and pulled off the old flanellshirt he'd worn all evening.

"Hey, Leo? Now I really know how it feels for Raph. Wow... It's great!" he sighed and fell down on the bed and laughed. "I'm in L-O-V-E, Leo!! Isn't it just the best?"

Leo shrugged his shoulders, preferring not to discuss it anymore. Mike apparently didn't expect an answer.

"Turn out the lights when you're done." Leo grunted and pulled up the blanket over his shoulders. He stared into the wall, as if he tried to see thru it, into the bare core of the house.

***

Down in the office, Don stared at the ceiling. His mind was far from this place. It was back in New York. Back in the rooms of a certain apartment. Back at Maria's place. He took a deep breath and tried to sleep. But he felt restless and worried. It took several hours before he finally fell asleep.

***

Opposite from the kitchen, behind the door to Candace and Raphael's room, there was worry as well. They'd done their best to soothe it, but they still laid awake looking at eachother. Trying to etch eachothers face into their minds forever.

"I love you." whispered Candace and snuggled up to him. Raph put his arms around her, holding her close to him. They might loose eachother now. Might never see eachother again. The bare thought made him almost panic. He almost gritted teeth as he leaned his chin on her head, caressing her soft back in the darkness. There was so much he wanted to say to her, so much he wanted to show her and give her. He would not fail the mission. He would prevail. He would make it back to her, even if that meant dying to achieve it.

***

Venus sat silent on the dark, looking at TwoFeather's face. In the light of the moon outside, he looked like an ebony sculpture. A warm smile played on his lips as he pulled off her bandana. He carefully placed it on the floor, seeing her face for the second time without the mask. Those big warm eyes in the most enchanting face TwoFeather had ever seen. If this was their second and last night togheter, so be it. Atleast they had eachother and that was all that mattered in that moment. Venus slowly unbuttoned his black shirt and with s quick flick of her wrist threw it into a corner of the room. If this were their last night, she'd make the best of it.

Chapter nine

Chapter eleven

Turtles Fanfiction

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