The hills around us were green and lush with vegetation, despite the cold of the approaching winter. Flowers and plants rose up along our path, creating a world of vivid colors and smells. Such beauty I had never known. We had only been in the country for a couple of weeks, yet I never wanted to go back. I was dizzy with euphoria as I followed the others through the twisting maze of branches and rocks. Life was simpler here. Simple and peaceful.

Splinter and Leonardo led the way. As we walked, I noticed they were talking rather in depth about something, but their voices were too quiet to be heard. April and Donatello were in front of me. Don was explaining the scientific reasoning behind why trees shed their leaves in the fall. April just nodded and smiled politely. Michaelangelo walked behind me, along with Raphael, Casey and Shadow. Mike had been unusually quiet earlier that morning, but now it seemed as though he was returning to his normal, chipper self, threatening to tickle Shadow, and chatting anxiously with Raphael. I couldn't have been happier about that. I had been starting to worry that I'd really hurt his feelings with my rejection a couple of nights previous, even though he acted perfectly normal in my presence most of the time. And as I've said, fending off guilt is not my strong suit.

Splinter walked on and on through the hazy morning, finally stopping to sit under an enormous tree. I lowered to the ground with the others, grateful for the rest. We'd been hiking for two hours. I took a swig from my water bottle and glanced around. Dew was still dripping off the bare branches of the trees, and I could see the sun's golden reflection on the lake far below. I sighed contentedly, breathing in the crisp, clean air.

Once everyone was seated and quiet, Splinter began. He addressed his students.

"I have brought you here to teach you an important lesson. Look around you."

The turtles did so. I too, stared quietly, taking in the majesty of my surroundings.

"What do you see?"

"A blue sky." Leo said matter-of-factly.

"Trees." Don added.

Mike sighed dreamily. "A crystal blue lake."

"The sun..." Even Raphael seemed caught up in the beauty of this place. He stared up at the glowing orb as if he'd never seen it before in his life.

You shouldn't look directly at the sun, or you could go blind. I thought, but didn't dare voice it.

"All of this...everything around you..." Splinter motioned with his arms. "It is all special. More so to those of us who can not venture out freely to witness it. We must remember to take nothing for granted. We must cherish these special moments while we can."

"Everything fades..." Leo said softly.

"Yes, my son. That is the way of the world."

I wasn't quite sure where this conversation was headed, but it was beginning to depress me, so I blocked it out for the moment and diverted my attention to the beauty around me. I finally came to again when Splinter raised his voice a notch.

"That is why we must show our appreciation to our friends as well." He was saying. I glanced over at him, and he offered me a smile. I mimicked his expression and flashed a look at April and Casey. They were grinning too. I figured they must have heard this speech a million times by now.

"You are all very important to us." He said softly. "Sometimes we forget to tell one another how special they really are. We consider all of you family, and I am grateful at how that family is continuing to grow."

I knew that last part was directed toward me. I bowed my head and smiled. "It's a family I'm very glad to be a part of."

I was indeed happier than I'd ever been. Never had I felt so loved and so accepted.

A couple of hours had passed since we'd returned from our hike. Everyone seemed to have disappeared, either to take a nap or spar or explore the great outdoors. Surprisingly, I found I wasn't tired. I had a strange amount of energy, in fact. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sit still, and I was filled with too much excitement for practice just now.

I went to the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee. It had been sitting in the pot for about an hour already, but it was still warm. Cradling the cup in my hands, I hurried upstairs, seeking out companionship. I walked down the hall carefully, hoping not to wake anyone with the creaky floorboards. All was quiet up here, save for a distant clicking sound coming from behind one of the doors. I laid my head against it carefully, trying to discern the source of the sound within. It sounded like typing. I knocked lightly. Donatello's voice called out softly a moment later.

"Come in..."

I opened the door and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, and he sat at a small desk, the light from a computer monitor highlighting the curves of his face.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything. I can't find anyone else, and I was getting lonely."

He smiled. "No, you're not interrupting. In fact, you're just the person I wanted to see."

"Good thing I stopped by then, huh? What's up?"

He glanced down at the screen, then back up at me. "What's your social security number?"

"Ummm... 572-32-6104, why?"

His fingers moved quickly over the keys, typing at an almost frantic rate. He frowned and cursed under his breath. I watched him hit the backspace several times, and then retype some of the information a little slower. Though they were nimble, it seemed his fingers were a bit too wide for the keys. It was a wonder his brawny hands could type on that keyboard at all.

"How about the credit card? Do you remember the number?"

"Don...?" He still hadn't told me why he needed the information.

"Huh? Oh...sorry. I'm a little distracted. I'm attempting to alter your account history. I've hacked into several federal servers, and it's only a matter of time before they find me out. I'm hoping to repair the damage before I'm discovered. If I'm successful, it'll be like your accounts were never closed.

I stared at him in amazement. "You can do that?"

He nodded. "In theory. Now, what was that credit card number?"

I thought about it for a moment, surprised that I actually remembered it. I rattled it off to him, moving closer so I could study the screen. He had three or four webpages going at once, several of which were displaying top secret information.

"How can you keep track of all of that?"

"It's called multi-tasking." His thick fingers flew over the keys, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"But...how did you get in there? Those servers are password protected."

He smiled up at me. "I guess you can call me a certified hacker."

God, how I wished he would have been there when I had breached security. I probably could have avoided this whole mess.

I watched him type some more, filling with nervous energy. If this worked, maybe I could start to get my life back together again.

"What's up guys?"

We both jumped at the sudden interruption.

"Oh, April. Don's trying to get my accounts back up and running."

"Great! How's it going, Don?"

"Not bad...but I may need some of your computer expertise later."

"I'll help however I can. Right now, I need to go into town and get some groceries."

A chance to get out of the house! "As soon as Don is finished with me, I could go along. Want some company?"

"That would be great, thanks."

It was a long drive into town. I'd brought Buster along, and spent most of my time subconsciously scratching his head and gazing out the window at the passing scenery. I sincerely hoped Donatello would be successful in his efforts. April, too, seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. We were almost to the store when she finally broke the silence.

"So...did you enjoy the hike this morning?"

"Yeah, it was great. The scenery was awesome."

"Mmmmhmmm..." she grinned.

I gave her a skeptical look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing." She tried to look innocent. "I was just wondering if you meant the hillside or Splinter, that's all."

I bit my lip. "Was I that obvious?"

"No..." Her grin turned wicked. "I was just trying to see if I could get it out of you."

"That was a dirty trick!"

She laughed. "Yeah, well, you live with those guys, you learn from the best."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, well...you caught me."

"Want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing much to say, really." I shifted in my seat, turning toward her. "Except...well..."

"What? What? The suspense is killing me!"

I laughed. "Let's just say on Monday, Splinter and I got to know each other a little better..."

April giggled. "See? I knew you two would make a good couple!"

She pulled into a parking space and shut off the engine. I looked around at what she referred to as a 'town'. There was nothing to it, except for the grocery store, a gas station, and a couple of run down houses. Still, it was closer to the city than where we'd just come from. I left a window cracked open for Buster, knowing we wouldn't be long, and hopped out of the van to follow April into the store. While it was nice to have some time away from the others for a while, I secretly wished this wouldn't take long. I missed the serenity of the farmhouse already.

We spent the next twenty minutes choosing cereal, picking out laundry detergent, and squeezing produce. It was a welcome change to be able to do the usual chores again. If I kept this up, I might actually start to feel normal. As we shopped, we chatted about television, recipes, and men. She told me some amusing stories about Casey--his unusual habits (some of which, like what he did with his dirty underwear, I think I would have rather not known), and his strange fascination with pointy objects. I told her about the awkward meeting with Splinter and my freezing swim in the lake.

I was so engrossed in the conversation, I didn't notice it at first. A creepy sensation had begun to crawl up my spine. I froze in place suddenly, nearly dropping the can of corn I was holding.

"Holly?" April's face was filled with concern.

"Shhhh!"

She stopped and just stared at me, curiosity filling her features.

I knew this feeling. Someone's eyes were on me...someone was watching us.

I turned around slowly, attempting to casually survey my surroundings. The isle was empty, save for a young mother with her baby, and a man dressed in a long coat and hat. It seemed an unusual ensemble, even for this time of year. I watched him for a moment as he searched the shelves, but he made no indication of malicious intent.

"What's wrong? What is it?" April was getting nervous now.

"Probably nothing." I said quickly. Still, I couldn't shake the ominous feeling. "Come on."

She followed me without a word, stopping only when I did, a few isles down. Feeling safe enough for the moment, I let out the breath I'd been holding and inhaled slowly a few times to calm my shaking nerves.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know...I thought...I thought I saw something, but I'm probably just being paranoid."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah...I'll be fine. Let's just finish up, okay?"

Reluctantly, she did as I requested and shuffled through some boxes on the shelf. "I thought we could make a cake. What do you think, yellow or chocolate?"

The rest of her words became a distant blur, because as I turned around I saw him again--the man in the coat. He was standing several feet away at the end of our isle. Something about him was alarmingly familiar. He looked toward me for the first time, our eyes meeting for a brief moment before I lost all sanity.

Larry? But it can't be...

"Oh shit..."

My heart thudded in my chest. I grabbed April tightly by the arm, and pulled her through the store, dragging the cart noisily behind her. The couple of people we passed watched us curiously, and then returned to their shopping as if we were just mental patients to be humored and ignored. Finally, I ducked into one of the isles and crouched down, pulling her with me.

Her eyes widened in shock. "What's going on?"

"He's here!"

"Who? Who's here?"

I swallowed. "Larry. One of the guys from the lab. He must have followed me here. Shit!"

"Oh god..." She breathed. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. I couldn't speak. I was too frightened to even breathe.

"We gotta get out of here."

I gave her a pleading look and glanced behind my shoulder. In a matter of seconds, he would be here again. We rose to our feet quickly and hurried down the isle, but not quite fast enough. Larry blocked our path, a triumphant look on his face. I rose my head and looked into his eyes defiantly.

"We meet again, Holly."

"Go to hell!" Was that my voice that was shaking like that?

He smiled that contemptible, superior smile. He spoke softly, but the threat behind his words drove deep into me. "You have two choices--you can tell me where it is, or you can come with me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Let's not bullshit, Holly. We've been playing these games for too long. You know what I'm after. Now, where's the rat?"

I sucked in a breath, the anger inside of me bubbling. "I don't know."

He grabbed my arm, squeezing it hard. I felt the skin bruising beneath his grip. "You will tell me!" His voice was a furious whisper. "One way or another." He started to pull me. I let out a yelp, and pulled back, trying to break free of his hold. For the first time since we'd left New York, I wished we were there again. The isles would have been filled with people, instead of empty like this ghost of a town, and maybe--just maybe, someone would have helped us. April yelled something I couldn't make out in my panic, and he grabbed for her too. She punched him, and he loosened his grip, staggering backward and bringing a hand up to his eye.

"You bitch!"

She grabbed my hand and we took off running. He followed though, and he was quicker than I'd given him credit for. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on--a big, seven-pound rump roast. I hurled it in his direction, smacking him in the head. The impact took him by surprise, and he was knocked off his feet.

"I heard steak is good for a black eye!" I yelled as April pulled me quickly away.

"The rat will not be alive much longer!" He called in fury. "You have my word on that!"

Leaving the groceries behind, we ran as fast as we could toward the exit.

It's amazing how quickly something can end, isn't it? One minute, you're on top of the world, and the next, that world comes crashing down around you. I had been so happy the past few weeks, I'd almost forgotten my troubles. In an instant, however, all of my joy, all of my new-found peace was shattered.

An overwhelming sense of deja vu flooded me as we jumped into the van and pulled out of the parking lot. Luckily for us, April is a fast driver. I kept glancing behind us, fearing that I'd see that black car following our every move, but we made it back without further incident.

By the time we got back to the farmhouse, we were both nervous wrecks. April parked the van behind some bushes in case we'd been followed. I could barely walk, I was shaking so badly. We hurried inside and shut the door. Seven pairs of eyes looked up at us in surprise.

"Where are the groceries?" Casey tried.

"Forget the fucking groceries." April breathed. She sank to the couch and laid her face in her hands.

I started to pace the floor, chewing on a fingernail, trying to fight back my own tears. This was insane. This simply could not be happening, not again.

"April?" What is it? "Casey sat down next to her and rubbed her back gently, trying to soothe her. "What the hell happened?"

All eyes turned toward me. I didn't know what to say. Was I supposed to tell them that because of me, their lives were in danger again? I couldn't speak for fear that I'd burst into tears.

"Holly...?" Splinter was at my side in an instant. How I longed to just let him hold me while I wept, but I had to be strong. I couldn't give in to despair, not this time.

"I...they're here..."

Leo came close. "The men from the lab? Are you sure?"

I nodded. "We ran into one of them at the store."

"Shit!" Raph cursed.

"Did they follow you here?"

"No." April spoke up. "I don't think so."

"If they do not know where to find us, that will bide us some time." Splinter said. "I suggest we try to get some sleep here tonight and head out in the morning. Raphael, Leonardo--you will take turns on night watch."

"Yes, master." They both answered quickly.

"But where will we go, master Splinter?" Mike asked.

"I do not know. We shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

Try as I might, I simply could not sleep that night. Who can blame me? I'd been through hell and back, and just when I thought I was getting my life back on track, tragedy had struck again. How the hell where these guys tracking me? It didn't make sense. This was madness. I kept staring at the front door, thinking that at any moment, they could break it down and attack. And I, laying here with nothing but a nightshirt that hung down to my knees and a blanket, was helpless to defend myself. My only comfort came from the knowledge that Raphael was up on the roof guarding this place. I just hoped he hadn't fallen asleep.

My hands were shaking, my mind working a mile a minute. I threw back the covers and rose quietly, hurrying up the stairs as fast as my trembling legs would allow. I knew which room was his. I'd seen him in it earlier that day.

I knocked on the door, listening carefully for a response. When I got none, I opened it slowly and peeked inside. It was dark, and the smell of incense invaded my senses.

"Splinter?" I said softly.

"Holly...?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I was not sleeping, only meditating. Please, come in."

I closed the door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed while Splinter lit a couple of candles. The tiny wicks provided just enough light to see one another clearly. He watched me in silence as I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts.

"I can't sleep." I sighed.

"I figured as much. It is understandable after what you have been through today."

"I just keep seeing their faces over and over in my mind. When he grabbed me, I thought that was it. I thought the rest of them would swarm in, and we'd be captured. If not for April, I might not have escaped so easily. And there were others there. I could feel them..." My voice was growing louder and louder, shaking with pent up fear and rage.

Splinter reached for me and pulled me close. He held me in silence for a moment while I tried to clear my mind of the horrific thoughts that had invaded it. I could live with the fact that they had found me again, I could even accept the idea that I had almost been captured. But one thought kept burning in the back of my mind--something I couldn't bear to acknowledge...Larry's words. The rat will not be alive much longer...You have my word on that!

I shuddered and pulled away, staring into his face. A look of dread washed over his features, and for a moment, I thought maybe he'd read my thoughts. Noticing my worry, he smiled at me gently, squeezing my hand.

"Do not be afraid, Holly. All will be as it should, soon."

I swallowed. "I hope you're right."

"You should try to get some sleep."

"It's so creepy down there. Can I stay here tonight...with you?"

He looked at me in surprise, but slowly, his features softened, and his mouth turned up in a smile. "I suppose that would be all right. I would enjoy the company."

I scooted up on the bed and curled my legs beneath me, facing him. "I just can't shake this feeling...like everything I care about is about to be taken away from me..."

Splinter lowered his head for a moment, as if in deep thought. Again, that look of knowing dread crossed his face, if only for a brief moment. When he rose his eyes to mine, they were filled with an emotion so intense, I was forced to break eye contact.

"Ai shiteru, Holly. No matter what comes of this, know that I am always by your side."

I closed my eyes, battling tears for the third time that day. "Ai..." I whispered. "Love...you love me?"

Splinter just smiled and closed his eyes. I stared at him in disbelief. Slowly, a thought came to mind. There was something I'd been wanting to do for several days now. This seemed an appropriate time to test it out.

Slowly, I unbuttoned the top button of my nightshirt. Sensing my movement, he opened his eyes, staring at me questioningly. I smiled at him, moving my hands down to the next, searching his face for disapproval. He said nothing. He didn't even move. It was apparent that he was trying to focus his attention on my face, but from time to time, his concentration would slip, and his sight would fall to the ever-widening neckline of my shirt.

"Holly...what--" My look silenced him.

I continued unbuttoning the shirt in silence, and when I was finished, I very slowly slid it off my shoulders, exposing my skin and the bra I hadn't bothered to remove before bed. I heard him gasp--a sharp intake of breath, and his eyes widened, staring at me in surprise. After a couple of seconds, he turned his head and looked away.

"I...I can not."

"Why?" I asked gently.

"I...I do not--" He looked at me again, and swallowed hard, unable to finish the thought.

I took his left hand gently in mine and laid it on my shoulder. He stared into my face, a look of nervous wonder in his eyes. Slowly, his right hand joined his left on the opposite shoulder. His grip was light, the cool fingertips brushing over my skin so softly, it made me shudder. He seemed fascinated with the smooth skin of my arms, running his hands over them repeatedly and using his claws to gently trace patterns over my skin. I allowed him to explore a while longer, then reached back to unhook the bra, allowing the straps to slide down my arms.

Again, he inhaled, and removed his hands from me, this time not daring to look away. He leaned back, his eyes running over my body in silence.

"Ah! Kami sama..."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Anata wa totemo utsukushii desu yo." He practically gasped. You are very beautiful. Those words had only been spoken to me once before, and he had been the one to say them.

A little bolder this time, he reached out to me, running his hands over the soft curves of my body. I closed my eyes, relishing the contact. It had been a very long time since I had last felt a man's hands, and the way he touched me--it was the very embodiment of gentleness, tenderness, need--I had never experienced anything like it.

Finally, he pulled his hands away from me, his eyes darkening. He fumbled with the knot at his waist, untying his belt and sliding the kimono from his own shoulders. The orange glow of the candlelight highlighted the coat on his torso and arms, giving them the illusion of fire. I laid my hands on his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath the soft layer of fur. He wrapped his arms around me, pressing his palms into the small of my back, his hold gentle, loving, yet very strong. He lowered me carefully down to the mattress and kissed me deeply. As he rose a little to pull the sleeves from his forearms, I leaned over and blew out the candles, bathing us in darkness.