When I woke up in Mike's apartment, the sun had just begun to set. Thin rays of yellow light trickled in through the slats in the blinds. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, feeling calm, yet confused. How long had I been asleep? What time was it? I glanced around for a clock, but couldn't find one. Instead, I caught sight of a lone figure, sitting across the room in a chair. His eyes were on mine, watching me in silence.

"Splinter?"

"You had me very concerned." He said softly.

"I know...I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize. How do you feel?"

"Okay, I guess. I must have been pretty tired. How long have I been asleep?"

"About an hour. The tea leaves act as a mild sedative. I thought you could use the relaxation."

"So it was the tea?" No wonder I'd seemed to pass out so quickly. "Geeze, that stuff's pretty potent. If I didn't know any better, I think I'd be worried that you might slip me some of that stuff unexpectedly and try to take advantage of me." I smiled playfully.

Splinter stared at me with a look of surprise. "Holly, I would never--"

"I know..." My grin widened. "I was just joking."

His face seemed to soften a little, but he continued to watch me apprehensively. I worried that what I said might have offended him, so I changed the subject.

"Where are Mike and Raph?"

"They have already gone below to prepare for your arrival and to inform Donatello and Leonardo that we will have a guest tonight."

Prepare? What did they need to prepare for? It wasn't as if I'd never seen their lair messy before.

"I guess I better get some things together then."

"I will escort you to April's."

As we walked, I took his arm, still feeling a little sluggish. I felt him tense beneath my grip, but he smiled warmly and led me down the hall without a word.

The turtles had really worked hard. The living room was spotless. Even the couch pillows and the videotapes had been stacked neatly in their places, and a bouquet of flowers had been left on the coffee table for me to find. It really was a sweet gesture. I smiled as I set my bag down.

"Thanks guys. This is very nice."

"Hey, it was the least we could do." said Leo.

"And now, it's time for dinner!" Mike announced.

It was a good dinner, too. We gathered around the table, feasting on Michaelangelo's lasagna. It was the best I've ever tasted, I think. There was little conversation as we ate, creating an unusual, awkward silence that seemed to hang in the air around us. That was okay with me, though. After my brush with danger earlier in the day, I didn't feel much like talking anyway.

Leo was the first to break the silence. "So...what now, master Splinter?"

Splinter set down the fork and focused his attention on his student. "I am unsure. We must weigh our options carefully."

"What about the farmhouse?" Don asked between bites.

"Yes, that idea has occurred to me, but we must discuss it with April and Casey first."

"Farmhouse?" That was the first I'd heard of it.

"Casey's got this old place up in Northampton." said Raph. "Used to belong to his mom. We go there sometimes to get away. It's pretty secluded."

"Yeah." Mike added dreamily. "There's this really awesome river there that leads to a stream with this mini waterfall, and all these birds--well, the birds might not be there this time of year, but it's really beautiful."

The farmhouse was sounding better all the time.

"It would be nice to take a vacation up there." Raph agreed. "Get some fresh air and be able to move around a little. It's so damn cramped down here."

Splinter nodded. "I will speak with them in the morning. If all goes well, we will have a long journey ahead of us. I believe we could all use some rest."

Leonardo and Donatello both insisted that I take one of the bedrooms, but I declined. I felt like I had already intruded on their lives enough as it was. I wasn't about to steal their beds away from them too. Michaelangelo would be spending the night in his apartment where he could help Casey keep a closer eye on April and Shadow, should anything arise, and Raphael would be bunking with Leonardo.

Donatello gave me one of the pillows from off his bed. It was a little lumpy, but it would do. I fed Buster his dinner and settled down under the blanket, watching him eat. He rose his head and looked at me, and I stared into his big brown eyes. His tail began to wag as he moved toward me, licking my face. I scratched him behind the ears, causing his hind leg to thump rhythmically against the floor.

"You like that, don't ya, boy?" I kissed him on the muzzle and laid my head back against the pillow. "Eat your dinner." I said softly.

I laid there listening to him crunch on the dry food, and another noise caught my attention. It took me a moment before I realized what it was. Leonardo and Raphael were talking rather heatedly. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but it was clear that they were arguing about something. After several minutes of angry discussion, there was a loud bang, and Raphael's voice flooded into the hallway.

"Fine. If I knew you were gonna get all mental on me, I wouldn't have stayed down here! I'm sleeping in Don's room!"

I laid my head back against the pillow again as the voices died down. I could only wonder what had caused their disagreement. Michaelangelo had warned me that the two of them fought occasionally, but it was the first time I'd witnessed them argue.

Setting those thoughts aside, I closed my eyes and snuggled up on the couch, willing myself to sleep. As I drifted, an image of the laboratory came to mind. I saw myself feeding the blind mice, and wondered whether they were being properly taken care of in my absence. Again, I envisioned Splinter tied up in the cage, alone and helpless. How frightened I'd once been of him. My new friends--all of them--had been so good to me. I found myself wondering how I had ever lived without them.

The next day, Splinter went alone to discuss plans with April and Casey. While he was gone, the turtles took a short break from the workouts and dedicated their attention to entertaining their guest. I must say I was flattered by the attention. I'd never had so many men rushing around, trying to grant my every wish.

Michaelangelo made me the best darn breakfast I'd had in a long time--bacon, eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns, you name it. Donatello spent all morning searching the internet, and when he provided me with a gigantic list of promising job positions, I felt compelled to kiss him on the cheek as my way of saying thanks. It was really sweet of him to work so hard for me.

"What was that for?" He looked at me in surprise.

"For being so good to me." I smiled. "You didn't have to spend your entire morning on things that I should be taking care of."

"Aw, it was no trouble, really."

Yet it was more than most people would have done. He'd gone out of his way for me.

Raphael was rather aloof. It seemed he was still angry with Leo over whatever had happened between them the night before. Still, he wasn't unkind to me. In fact, I caught him staring at me once or twice, and I wondered what was on his mind.

It was almost noontime when Leonardo approached me. I was watching TV with Mike and Raph. He came over and stood behind me, resting his arms on the back of the couch behind my head.

"Holly?"

"Hmmm?" I turned and looked up into those serious eyes.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uhh...sure, what's up?"

He made a motion for me to follow him. It seemed whatever was on his mind was a private issue. Reluctantly, I rose and did as he asked. I caught sight of Raphael as we left. He rolled his eyes in our direction, but made no comment.

Leonardo led me toward the back of the lair, into the mysterious room I'd discovered a few weeks back.

"What is this place?"

He motioned for me to sit. "This is Splinter's meditation room. This is where we come when we want to clear our heads. We also hold tea ceremonies here from time to time."

"Oh. I've never witnessed a tea ceremony before. They sound really interesting."

"Yeah, they're kind of fun really." He crossed his legs on the mat. "Maybe you can sit in on one sometime."

I mimicked his pose. "Yeah...that sounds great."

He eyed me for a moment in silence, then cleared his throat. "I need to talk to you about a few things."

"Okay..." I had no idea what this was about, but the seriousness in his face made me feel uneasy.

"How well do you know Jim Wong?" Leonardo got straight to the point.

"I dunno...not that well really, why?"

"I need you to try to remember everything you can about him."

"Okay, but I don't quite understand..."

"It's always a good idea to know all you can about an enemy--the way they think, their strengths, their weaknesses...any information that you can use to your advantage."

"Well, there's not much to say really. I know he doesn't give a rat's ass...ummm...I mean, he doesn't care about the animals he works with. He'd much rather see them dead than have to take care of them. He has no respect for life. All he cares about is what's best for him. He revels in authority, he has a short temper, but otherwise, he keeps to himself." I lowered my head. "I never knew he was such a greedy man. I always respected him...until..."

"Yeah..." Leo said softly. "I know."

We sat in silence for a few moments. I could tell he was contemplating something, but I didn't want to interrupt.

"What about the other two? Larry and...Cameron was it?"

"Curtis." I said softly. I felt my rage return, just at the sound of his name.

He noticed my discomfort. "I know you don't want to think about this any more than you have to, but if you know anything about them, it would be a big help."

"Okay...well, I just met Larry the night I freed Splinter. All I know about him is that he appeared to be highly intelligent. Other than that, he's a crazy, pompous fool. As for Curtis..." I swallowed hard, lowering my gaze. I didn't trust my voice enough to continue speaking.

Leo laid a hand on my arm and stared at me intently. "Holly?"

"Look...he's a horny, perverted bastard, okay? He's a rapist asshole, and the next time he tries to lay a hand on me, he's gonna loose that lump in his pants!"

Leonardo grew extremely silent. A long, agonizing stillness followed as I tried to get a grip on my emotions. I was so embarrassed, I wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Still, hadn't Splinter said it was better to get out my feelings than keep them locked inside?

"I'm sorry." I said finally. "I...I just can't seem to--"

"Holly, you don't have to explain. I understand. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked the question."

"It's okay."

"Look, how about if we move on to something else, okay?"

I nodded. That idea sounded wonderful.

"How about your hometown? Have you always lived in New York?"

I nodded again.

"Do you have any family here?"

"No. It's just me and Buster."

"Any relatives living elsewhere?"

"My mom moved to Michigan after my father died. Aside from her and my aunt Rose, and a few cousins in California, that's about the extent of it."

"Never been married?"

"No..."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Why are you asking me all of this?"

"It's important. The more they know about you, the more harm they can do. I've known people like this, Holly. They don't mess around. If they don't get what they want, they'll attack those who are closest to you."

"No...I don't have a boyfriend."

"Good."

I frowned at him in curiosity.

"One less person to threaten you with." He explained.

"What about my mom? God Leo, what if they try to find her?"

"Relax." He said gently. "I doubt they would go that far just yet. Right now, they're trying to scare you into doing what they want. They haven't stated their demands, but when they do, we'll have to think fast."

The thought of them hurting my mother enraged me. "If they dare lay a finger on her--"

"They won't." He said quickly. "We won't let that happen. You have to trust me on that, okay?"

I bit my lip. "Yeah...I guess." But how could he possibly promise me something like that? We were only just beginning to realize what they were capable of.

"I don't think I need to tell you that things can get very dangerous very quickly."

I shook my head, remembering the chase. "Believe me, I know."

"You know..." He cocked his head, thinking for a moment. "I could probably teach you how to protect yourself..."

"Hey, just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. I've done pretty well so far. Hell, I've already escaped their clutches twice."

"Yeah, I know. You're a very strong woman, Holly. We all know that. But I'm talking about special moves that would give you an advantage should you ever be in a tight situation."

"You mean like martial arts?"

"Yeah. Simple throws and punches, and even some escape moves that--"

It sounded fabulous. "When do we start?"

"Uhhh...well, how about right after lunch?"

"Great."

We stood together in the dojo, face to face. I had changed into a tanktop and shorts for better mobility. Leonardo was dressed in full ninja gear--elbow and kneepads, belt and mask. Both of us were barefoot, and the mats felt cool under my feet. Leonardo took my wrists suddenly, gripping them tightly.

"Hey!" I protested. I tried to pull away, but my attempts were futile.

"How are you going to break free?"

I stared at him for a moment, his intentions slowly dawning on me.

"Oh, I get it. You want to see what I would do if someone grabbed a hold of me. Well..." I tried to twist my arms free, but his grip was firm. He didn't even so much as waver. I thought for a second.

"By this time, I would have you captive." He scolded me.

"Yeah, well, there's always the old stand by..."

"Which would be?"

"You really don't want to know."

"Try me."

I grinned evilly. Leonardo's hands still firmly gripped my wrists. Without warning, I brought my foot up as hard and quickly as I could, toward the lower edge of his plastron, between his legs. I felt his hold slip from my wrists to block the attack, so fast that I didn't realize what hit me until I was on my butt on the mats.

"Normally a very effective move." Leo looked down at me, smiling. "Not in this case, however."

He offered his hand to me and I accepted it, letting him pull me back to my feet.

"Okay...so what should I have done?"

"That was a good start. It's always a good idea to go with what you know. I was ready for your attack, because you warned me ahead of time. The most important thing to remember is the skill of distraction."

"Distraction..."

"Yeah. Obviously, a person will only attack if he feels that he is stronger, or has some sort of advantage over you. In that case, you'll need to create some sort of diversion, allowing you time to sneak in your own attack and get away. Let's try it again."

He took me by the wrists again, locking his grip tight.

"Ummm...you said to go with what I know. I know kicking and slapping. But since you have my arms occupied..."

"Well...okay, yeah. So say you try that kick again, only this time, not so hard, huh?"

I blushed. "Okay..."

"Now, as you bring your foot up, feel how my grip begins to slip from your wrists?"

"Yeah..."

"But I still have a hold of you. So if I'm quick enough and smart enough to avoid your kick, I can gain control of you again very quickly. And you don't want that. So you have to be fast. Here, let me show you the simplest move to break free..."

He demonstrated. He pulled his hands away from mine very quickly, bringing them down toward his thighs and outward, away from his body, in one fluid motion.

"The key here is speed. You distract your attacker with the kick, then quickly break free from their hold and run like hell. Now you try it."

I smirked at him. "Run like hell, huh? You did say you were ninja, right?"

He smiled back, but his eyes were serious. "Ninjitsu can't be learned in a day. It takes many years of practice and dedication to get where we are. This is just an effective means of escape, okay?"

"Yeah, I got ya."

He took my wrists one more time. I glanced down toward our legs, ready to distract him with the kick, but he stopped me.

"Don't look around. You need to look your opponent in the eyes, so he doesn't know what to expect."

I looked into his face. "Okay..." I took a breath, trying to focus. His grip was so strong it was almost painful. I kicked toward his groin area again, and felt his hold on me lessen a little as he backed out of the way. As soon as he did, I brought my arms down and out, mimicking the move he taught me. His hold slipped a little more, but he managed to maintain his grasp.

"Good." He said. "You got the move down. It just takes a little practice. "Let's try it again."

An hour went by before I mastered the three escape moves he'd decided to teach me. My favorite was escaping an attacker from behind. I got to elbow him in the ribs (plastron in his case), though I did so carefully. I didn't want to hurt him, and I feared I might break my elbow on the hard chest plates.

We then moved on to basic punches. Leonardo took great care in teaching me how to hold my fist. He stressed the importance of hitting with my top knuckles so I wouldn't break any fingers. We went over and over basic positioning--bringing my elbow back so my fist rested against my body, then extending my arm forward, and quickly rotating my wrist to make the punch. He showed me the importance of the proper stance so I wouldn't lose my balance. Then we worked on the various types of kicks. He stressed the relevance of foot positioning for each. Once I'd mastered that more or less, we moved on to blocking. He showed me overhead blocks, as well as mid-level and lower ones. Finally, after much sweat and hard work, he smiled and bowed.

I returned the bow, ready for a well-deserved break, but he lowered into a ready stance instead.

"What are you doing?"

"It's time to test what you've learned."

"You want me to fight you?" I raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Not fight. Just spar a little. Come on, I promise I'll go easy on you."

Okay, I could do this.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped up to his challenge, mimicking his stance. "So, who goes first?"

Without a word, he punched. I yelped, and stepped back, making a weak attempt at an overhead block. I managed to knock his hand away, but my form was awful.

"Concentrate." He said. "Think about what you're doing as you're doing it."

He punched at me again, and I focused on the positioning. I stepped back quickly, knocking his hand out of the way. I counteracted with a kick, which he blocked with no effort at all.

We circled around one another, sizing each other up. His face was so calm and controlled, it almost drove me crazy. He made no indication of when or where he would strike next. When his foot came toward me suddenly, I nearly panicked, but I managed to block and counteract with a punch of my own. He blocked it and threw out another, which I blocked quickly. We continued a routine of punch, block, kick for several minutes. I was concentrating as hard as I could, trying to show Leo that I could meet his challenge. Finally, hot and tired, I stepped back, resting my hands on my thighs and breathing heavily.

"That was very impressive."

I turned my head quickly to find Splinter standing in the doorway. How long he'd been there, I had no idea. I blushed a little and wiped the sweat off my forehead. "Thanks." I bowed to him, and he did the same.

"She's a quick learner. Leo smiled at his sensei, then turned toward me. "I'm gonna hit the shower. You did really well today. Maybe we can pick this up tomorrow."

"Yeah...thanks."

I watched him bow toward Splinter on his way out.

Splinter waited for me by the door as I poured myself a drink of water and drank it down greedily. "I am afraid your next lesson will have to wait a day or two." he said, smiling.

"Oh?"

"Tomorrow will be a very busy day. We will be leaving for the farmhouse in the evening."

That night I was restless and nervous. No matter what I tried, I couldn't fall asleep. I just laid there on the couch for a long time, staring up at the concrete ceiling. A feeling of doom I couldn't quite explain washed over me. I remembered what Leo had said earlier that day. Things could get very dangerous very quickly. My enemies were getting close. They'd almost caught up with me yesterday, and even though we would be heading out the following evening, I knew it would only be a matter of time before they would track me again. How they managed to find me so easily, I didn't know. What I was sure of, was that they had a power I could never possess--the ability to alter someone's life with the press of a button. I doubted very much that the government had gotten word of what they'd done. I was the only one outside of their circle who knew about their illegal experiments, and I didn't dare report them for fear of my life and of endangering my friends.

I couldn't reveal my secret--not to anybody. If word got out that there were mutants living under the streets of New York, my friends would probably be in for an even worse fate. I couldn't bear the thought of what they'd done to Splinter. They could have killed him, and I believe that that was their ultimate intent. What sick purposes that would have served, I still can't be certain, but I knew I didn't want to find out. I couldn't allow the turtles and Splinter to get involved in this. The risk was too great. This was my problem now anyway. They wanted me. So, I would deal with it alone.

My mind made up, I got up and quietly began to pack my things. I had no idea where I would go. I only had about forty dollars to my name. Maybe I could rent a cheap hotel room for the night, and then figure out where to go from there in the morning.

After my bag was packed, I slipped the strap over my shoulder and sat down on the couch, patting my legs so Buster would come near. He sauntered up to me, tail wagging. I scratched him behind the ears--his favorite spot, and kissed him on the head. I knew I couldn't take him with me right away. Most hotels didn't allow pets. Besides, he'd be safer here for the time being.

"Goodbye, Buster." I whispered. "I'll be back for you really soon. I promise."

He licked my hand as I stood, taking in the sight of the lair one last time. I was really going to miss these guys, but I knew that this was for the best. As I turned and walked through the living room, sorrow filled me. I really didn't want to leave. Everyone had been so kind to me. They'd sacrificed their time and space to help me.

That's why you have to go... I told myself. Time for you to make the sacrifice.

"Hey, what's going on...?" An angered voice asked behind me.

I whirled around to find Raphael standing a few feet away, hands on his hips. How did he sneak up on people like that so easily?

"I...look, Raph..."

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

"I...I just think it would be best--"

"I don't believe this! You think you can just walk out of here, just like that, without even saying a damn word?"

"I..."

"You have a lot of nerve, you know that? My family has been bending over backwards for you, trying to help you out, and this is how you repay us?"

Donatello and Leonardo, hearing the commotion, came out into the living room. They stood silently, watching us in confusion. I could practically feel my face turning red.

"What, are you rushing off to tell the feds about us now?"

That accusation hurt me deeply. "Don't give me that shit, Raph! You know I'd never do that. How dare you accuse me of something so horrible?"

"Fine then. Just what the hell do you think you're gonna do now? Where are you gonna go?"

"Far from here, that's for sure."

"I don't think so." Raphael demanded. He rushed toward me. I tried to push him away, but he grabbed a hold of my arm, dragging me back toward the couch.

"Let go!" I yelled, trying to break free from his grasp using the techniques Leonardo had taught me earlier.

"Oh no you don't!" Raphael roared, intensifying his grip.

Buster was barking loudly.

"You're hurting me! Let go!"

"No!"

"Raph..." Leo warned gently.

"No, Leo! I'm not gonna let her do this. I'm taking her to Splinter!"

I tried to break free with all of my might, but he was much stronger. He pulled me harshly toward Splinter's room. I was literally kicking and screaming the entire way.

When Raphael shoved Splinter's door open, I was surprised to find him already sitting up on the cot, a silky kimono draped over his shoulders. He stared at us in silence, making little movement as Raphael dragged me into his room.

"Master Splinter...I caught her running out on us. After everything we've done for her...after all we've risked for her, she was gonna leave!"

"I...you don't understand." I protested.

"Like hell I don't!" Raphael yelled. "You think I was born yesterday? You think I don't know when someone's running from something? I'm an expert on that shit! I've been doing it all my life!"

"Raphael..." Splinter said softly.

He stopped shouting and looked at his sensei. His expression softened, but he didn't lessen his grip on my arm.

"Let her go."

Reluctantly, he did as he was told. The muscle by my elbow was throbbing where his fingers had dug into the skin. I rubbed the spot painfully.

"Leave us now."

"Yeah, but she--"

"Raphael!" It was the first time I'd ever heard him raise his voice. "I said to leave us."

Raphael backed down. "Yes, Master."

"And close the door."

He turned to leave, glaring at me on his way out before slamming the door behind him.

I stared at Splinter in silence, unsure of what to say. If only Raphael hadn't found me! Damn him! I could have gotten away, and their lives could have returned to normal.

Splinter cleared his throat, his eyes filling with an emotion I couldn't quite place--something resembling a mixture of worry and grief.

I lowered my head, unable to look at his sorrowed expression any longer. "Look, before you say anything, there's something I think you should know."

He remained motionless, his silent gaze penetrating into me.

"I...I never meant to hurt anyone. Least of all, you, Splinter. But I...I can't stay here."

Still, he said nothing. His silence was killing me.

"I don't want to. I don't want to leave, but I--"

"Where will you go?" He spoke at last.

"I dunno. A hotel for tonight. After that, I'm not really sure."

"And you do not think that they will track you, Holly?"

"I...I don't know, but that's a risk I'll have to take."

"You would be much safer down here."

"Yeah...I know. But that's the problem. They're so close, Splinter. It feels like any day now, they're going to find me. It's only a matter of time. And when they do...well, I don't want them to find you too."

He motioned for me to sit down. I did so reluctantly, the bag still strapped securely over my shoulder. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't try to talk me out of leaving. My mind was already made up.

"So you would rather be alone?"

"I...I would rather be away from you. If I have to, I'll give myself up so they can't hurt you again."

"I see."

"Splinter," Grief overwhelmed me suddenly, and I felt warm tears slide down my cheeks. "I don't want to lose you. It would kill me if anything happened to you or your sons. I couldn't bear it if they--" I lowered my head, unable to finish the thought. "You're very important to me." Those last words came out as a whisper.

"Holly..." He laid a finger under my chin, lifting it gently until our eyes met. Through the blur of my tears, I could see a seriousness in his eyes I had never seen before. "Please, do not leave."