Guess who's back; back again with another super late chapter sorry.

Three Months Later

"You know-ah!-when you said if I ever-oof!-thought about learning a martial art-hah!-I didn't know you meant right then and there!" she threw herself on the floor, dodging another whack of his tail and rolling to the side as it came down to strike the floor exactly where her head had been only a few seconds before.

Splinter didn't fuck about. The minute she had stumbled over her words to answer his question three months previous, he was on her. If she hadn't seen the movement of his fist she would have been thrown into the dojo with a black eye. Apparently her reflexes-thank you, video games!-was a very good sign.

And so her training began.

Sitting wedged between two giant turtles with arms the sizes of coconuts was how she found her afternoons since, watching the brothers spar on the sidelines then spending their patrol time training with Splinter, someone actually close to her weight and less steroid filled then Michelangelo, the closest to her in height. She was beginning to think they were catching on to the fact that she was training, because her arms were definitely toning out and she could lift three heavy bags of groceries without having to lie down after.

Also her 'I'm just curious' lie about suddenly appearing in the dojo did not go forgotten, which was probably why the four turtles were currently hiding on top of the rafters to watch. In normal circumstances, they-the support beams-wouldn't actually be there but after the destruction of the last lair and the hours it took to salvage their precious weapons from the rubble Donnie thought it best to install strong support beams that could make the dojo less...destroyed if it ever happened again.

"It's best to not delay things as important as this, Miss Ahrens. Especially under these circumstances." he replies in that way of his, "You do not have the years my sons took to perfect their skills, and they are still learning each and very day. Of course once this is all over you may continue your training, and I will be glad to become your Sensei permanently."

She smiled. "I thought you already were?"

He laughed at that. "Then I am honored to be, and you have my word I will train you to the best of my abilities."

"Hai, Sensei!" she grinned and threw herself back into her training.

Okay, I can do this.

Ugh...

"Should we get some ice?" Mikey asked, placing his hands on his knees and squatting to peer down at her.

It was either a rhetorical question or he was asking his brothers, regardless she wasn't going to dignify that with an answer. All she did was let out a throaty groan of pain causing a sympathetic wince to come from Leo and a self-neck rub from Donnie.

Raph decided to chuckle instead, crossing his arms. "Nah, she seems fine."

"Shut your whore mouth, Raph." she moaned and finally pulled herself up into a sitting position.

Her entire body ached; it seems Master Splinter was much rougher with her on that day then any other. It could be the said for every single day before if you had never saw their work out routine, but this time she hadn't been able to actually reach a piece of furniture to collapse onto.

"I find meditating helpful." Leo pitched in but immediately regretted it once her glare locked onto him.

"Not all of us can have your arms, Leo."

He looked at each crossed bicep and smiled to himself.

"You know what you could have done?" she turned her head towards Donnie, ready to hear some scientific fact that she didn't want to hear, "A warm up BEFORE you started training. That way you wouldn't be lying on the floor now unable to get up."

Okay she wasn't expecting that.

"I did. Keep talking and I'll show you a picture of a crow again, Donnie." he stepped back and it felt, from her position on the floor, that the four brothers slowly grouped closer together.

And she was certain, so certain, that the second-youngest brother let out a whineful 'no' at the thought of the winged-animal. If Sophie had learned anything from her time in the lair it was that if ordinary turtles were afraid of something, so were the mutated boys. It was ingrained in their biology, mutant or not, that they would be afraid of the same things. Like crows.

Not all things of course, anyone would be afraid of fire and alligators. But it was funny to know that the ninjitsu-trained mutant turtles who had killed people before were also afraid of birds. They couldn't even watch the rest of Dumbo (which is how she found out).

"Okay let's go." Leo was the first to snap out of the fear of the creature, squatting and scooping her up into his arms like she weighed nothing. And she probably did, to him anyway. She wrapped her arms around his neck as a security measure, a plea to not drop her.

He walked out of the dojo and placed her, ever so gently, on the sofa so she had it all to herself. She began to giggle cheerfully, but it suddenly ended as quickly as it had began when he effortlessly lifted both legs and sat down, dropping them onto his lap. A winced escaped her before she glared at him, but he just sent a cheeky wink in return. How dare-

"So, while Little-Miss-Always-Tired here rests her aching legs, why don't we play a game?" Mikey plops down onto the floor, leaning against the arm chair next to her head. She glares at the back of his own at his little comment but is stopped from flicking him by a small throaty chuckle from Leo. She turns her head to look at him just as he lifts his head up from staring at his lap and the two make eye contact.

He arched an eyebrow, still with that post-chuckle smile on his face, and a softer version grew on her lips.

"A game? We're not eight anymore Mikey." Raph grumbled, but takes a seat anyway, making Sophie and Leo take their eyes off each other. Donnie shrugged and took the last seat.

"Come on it'll be fun!" the orange clad turtle was adamant, so she sighed and shrugged.

"Okay Mikey, what do you want to play?" she asked.

"Marry-Fuck-Kill."

His grin was mischievous but it soon fell when Master Splinter shouted from his room while deep in meditation.

"Michelangelo!"

"Dad!" was his whiny response and even the group laughed; she giggled, hiding her mouth behind her palm. Raph let out a deep bellied chuckle, Donnie snorted and Leo let out a huff of amusement.

"Sophie you're first." Raph was the one who decided to take the initiate, grinning. "Marry-uh...Sleep-Kill; Mikey, Leo and...the Falcon."

The name seemed to set the other three boys off and she watched, stunned, as the boys began to flap their arms like birds. Sophie had to lean her head back to avoid getting accidentally punched by Leo, which would have surely killed her, as he copied his brothers. They began to mimic the bird, letting out loud 'caw-caw! caw-caw!' and Raph chuckled.

"He's not even here, numb-nuts," but he smiled nonetheless. "Anyway, that's your options."

"Well firstly kill the Falcon straight away; I knew the minute I watched that interview from the Sacks incident that he couldn't have saved New York. I could say I saved the city and it'll be more believable; he's just so...puny." she wrinkled her nose and Leo laughed, tapping her leg.

"You've got us there." Leo replied, squeezing her knee with a nod. "Man couldn't even kill a fly."

"Poor old man." Mikey shook his head in sorrow and she giggled.

"Okay, answer the rest of it; Marry or Sleep, Mikey or Leo." Raph asked.

"Hmmm."

She honestly had to think for a moment; because both would be great marriage material, as partners and later as husbands. Mikey would, without any hesitation, bring humor and laughter into the union. Not that Leo wouldn't, but he was too stuck up, to put it into words. Oh, she liked him and he would treat her or any other lucky woman like a Goddess or God if he was into men, but the turtle had to loosen up a little.

He was now, without any threat to his family, which was another point in his corner but so was Mikey, in a 'living in the moment' kind of way. Leo was more 'living to survive' and she did not like that at all, although it wasn't his fault in the slightest. And both would be undoubtedly loyal, she knew that right off the bat.

Her silence had gone on long enough, as the boys stared waiting for an answer, and she nodded in confirmation;

"Mikey."

"Yes!" he fist-bumped the air and Leo looked at her with mock horror.

"I saved your life!" he gasped. She couldn't help but begin to laugh as he continued, "I dedicated my life to the lord and savior Jesus Christ and this is the thanks I get!"

She burst out laughing even louder, holding her side and nearly falling off the couch. Leo smiled.

"Really man, vines?" Mikey said, "I don't think you even quoted it properly!"

Sophie shrugged. "Does it matter? It was funny."

"No don't gloss over what just happened! Who in the world showed you vines?" Donnie said in surprise.

Sophie smirked and looked at him right in the eye. "I did, bitch."

Donnie looked a little horrified, but Raph decided to focus on something else. "Really?"

"Really what?" she asked.

"Mikey. You'll marry Mikey." he chuckled. "I wasn't expectin' that; I was thinkin' you would sleep with him then pop off across the hall back to your husband's room."

She gave a fake gasp, making it sound like she was insulted. "Are you insinuating I would cheat on your brother with your other brother?"

"Yeah Raph, why would you be so insensitive?" Leo joined in, before grinning. "Why?"

He said it so nasally Sophie laughed at the reference. "Why?" she copied.

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Okay stop!" Raph groaned in the middle of their giggling and with no hesitation picked up the pillow from behind him and threw it in their direction. For a brief moment she thought it would hit her straight in the face and with the force of his throw knock her out, but Leo's hand came and caught it before it could make contact. He glared at his brother, who shrugged but looked almost guilty for not pulling back his arm.

"So, what's this about Mikey being a bad husband?" Donnie got them all back on track. "As true as it could be."

Yeah!" the said-turtle tried to stick up for himself, but his brother's words made him backtrack. "Hey!"

"Hey, Mikey can be mature when he has to be!" she said, "Watch, it'll happen someday."

"Ha!" Raph snorted. "Someday."

"I didn't mean it like-oh nevermind."

"I'll fight you for her hand, Michelangelo." Leo threw his arms around her, grinning jokingly down at his youngest brother, who jumped up at his declaration. The shining allure of competition was right in front of him and he was almost giddy with excitement.

"I'll wrestle you for her hand, Leonardo." he said almost as serious as said-turtle would have been and Leo chuckled darkly, letting go off her and slowly standing up, allowing her legs to fall down onto the couch. He towered a little over Mikey, who did not seem intimidated by him at all, probably used to it by now and so he stood there with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face.

"Is that so, brother?" Leo's voice had dropped in tone, and Sophie sat up in astonishment just hearing how husky it had become. It was...arousing, in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time. Probably since that night she-

Her eyes glanced over to his biceps and shivered.

And in the short time she had once again was reminded and therefore taken in the view, Leo had rocketed from zero to sixty so fast Mikey had no idea what hit him until he was across the lair, on his back. The noise of his shell hitting the floor concerned her for a mere moment but when he jumped back up, eyes wide but in no serious pain, she relaxed.

If she had looked, peeked over to where Mikey had landed, she would have seen the piles of blankets that needed washing at April's place that had not been moved into the bag, and the now broken skateboard underneath.

It seemed to be something the boys regularly did, throwing each other this way and that, using the fact their shells were hard enough to withstand anything (except the boots of the Shredder, it seemed) and they did it in such a way that it was like they had barely moved at all.

Leo made no sudden move to wrestle his brother, instead he sat back down again. She moved her legs out the way herself and kept them where they were, bent at the knee, because he suddenly crossed his legs and leaned his chin in his hand, a shit-eating grin almost identical to the one he had given her three months ago on his face.

"Well, it seems I won." he looked at her and winked, pupils blown for some reason. Was he aroused by the thought of fighting?

She didn't even have time to register it before Mikey sat back down in his seat, "That wasn't fair dude, not by a long shot." he groaned, but neither of them were paying attention.

And in that moment, still staring at Leo and thinking about how he had thrown his youngest brother across the room like it was nothing, she felt rather small. The four of them, except for the youngest turtle, felt huge compared to her in both height and muscles. She felt tiny in comparison to them, even though she was the same age. Which reminded her (like her brain decided to make her change course of thought from Leo to this) that she hadn't really asked them when their birthdays even were.

Did they celebrate their birthdays as quadruplets? Or were they even related at all?

Her screwed up thinking face caught Leo's attention and he nudged her knee. The look in his eyes gone as suddenly as they had appeared, making her briefly think she had imagined it. "What's with that face?"

"I was thinking...well, do you all share a birthday? I mean I gather you're from the same clutch of eggs, so..."

"No." Donnie's the one to answer for them, "Well, yes. I ran some DNA tests on us all years back and found out we are biological brothers-"

"But that wouldn't have mattered." Leo butted in and the purple clad turtle glared at his interruption.

"No, it wouldn't have. Anyway, Dad wanted us to have a day each we can celebrate our birthday, but keep it in the same year. We're all 18, like you, but in a few months Leo will be 19, followed by Raph, then me, then Mikey." he smiled.

"You all have separate birthdays then?" she said, but something was bugging her about the way Leo shifted, and how Raph sighed, and how Mikey kind of curled up into himself. It wasn't that they didn't like having their own days, she knew that deep down they liked it very much, but it just felt...odd.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Unfortunately for me you're older by 18-19 days, depending on if there's an extra day in June that year; July 18th is mine. Mikey's is 1st October, because Dad wouldn't let us pick a holiday for us to celebrate our birthday on," he sent a look at Mikey who placed his hands up in surrender.

"Hey bro, can't blame me for trying."

"Raph's is April 22nd, and Leo's is 3rd March." Donnie continued. The flinch she felt travel up her legs caused her to turn her head and blink, startled, at the ones underneath her own. "Dad chose January, as you already knew. He said he liked the month because it reminded him of new beginnings."

"Wow, you must be rather proud of yourself for remembering that."

To her surprise the snide comment came from Leo, who's arms had made their way to the back of the couch to use as arm rests. He was leaning backwards against the cushions glaring at his brother with a hurt look, turning the irises from a light cobalt blue sky to rings of cerulean fire.

And what's when it hit her.

She leaned up a little to look into the kitchen, which was close enough for her to look at the calendar attached to the fridge. It was the 3rd today, and in the small box the date belonged too was the looped writing that belonged to Master Splinter, if the use of his eldest sons full name was anything to go by.

'Leonardo's 19th Birthday'.

"Oh fuck Donnie." the turtle seemed oblivious to what he had missed, or had forgotten, because he just looked at her with a little bit of confusion but his face was otherwise blank. "What day is it today?"

"Uh..."

Mikey's shoulders dropped and he shook his head, "Come on dude."

Even Raph slapped his hand into his forehead at his brother's stupidity and even Leo seemed to tense up beneath her. She wanted to comfort him, but even she had forgotten (although in her defense, she had not known) and didn't think it was best to try anything.

Oh poor Leo.

It seemed his brother's reactions helped him a little, as he froze before slowly growing pale. "Oh crap, Leo I'm so sorry."

"You remember birthdays and even what Master Splinter said to us nearly 13 years ago and you couldn't even remember what day it was?" he growled in response, "Why do you think we were heading to April's tonight WITH him? Which reminds me, we should be going." he stood and any and all playfulness was gone.

It all suddenly felt awkward, and she shared a look with Raph and Mikey who both thought the exact same thing.

"Right, I'm gonna get some fresher clothes on." she stood.

"Why bother? You're going up to April's to shower anyway." Leo had not looked away from Donnie as he spoke, and she felt the tension in the room start to rise and reach it's boiling point. If someone didn't do something soon an actually fight will take place in the lair, and she had no idea who would actually win that one.

"Well, I'm going to grab some fresher clothes."

And so she ran.

Leonardo had not meant to make the evening end on a sour note, but just the thought that his own brother had forgotten his birthday infuriated him. He saw in his eyes he felt guilty, of course he realized it, and Sophie even more. Which rather confused him.

She wasn't to blame; she had no idea when their birthdays even were. Wait, maybe that's why she was blaming herself?

In retrospect she hadn't realized it had been Master Splinter's chosen birthday two months ago and completely bi-passed the sudden secretive nature Raph and Mikey had going on when they were trying to buy himself presents without him realizing what they were. Which is probably why she fled the scene as fast as she could. She also could have felt that he was going to throw a punch (or really, really wanted too) at Donnie and wanted to flee before it got out of hand. Both options were possible.

Or, a tiny part of him called out, she got uncomfortable.

When she had picked Mikey to marry in that stupid game it left him feeling...he didn't know what. He had tried to joke about it, but the urge to pummel his youngest brother left him feeling slightly nauseous, and when he had finally realized it he had already picked him up. His eyes had widened and in a last ditch effort not to kill him, he threw him in the direction of the pile of laundry he had still not put in the bag to take to April's and had instead left on the floor in a massive pile.

He also knew underneath all of that that was his skateboard, and so he threw in a little lesson on doing chores when asked by throwing him onto the laundry. The snap of the now-broken skateboard startled her and her eyes had widened in fear for a few seconds but when Mikey stood up, laughing, she had relaxed. He wondered if he knew what he had just broken, but didn't bother asking.

When he had sat down though and looked at her, she was looking back intensely, pupils blown. He couldn't tell why or didn't really understand why she was looking at him like that, but he liked it. He liked that she was looking at him, only him, like that. It made him feel the tickle of butterflies in his stomach.

But then she had pulled a face and the look had gone. He would like to see it again someday.

Then they had went onto the topic of birthdays and his attention had drawn to Donnie's ignorance and stupidity.

He ignored him on the way to April's, instead pulling back to ask Mikey if he was all right and apologizing for throwing him so hard, but his youngest brother had just laughed and shrugged it off. He didn't look to be in pain, so Leo relaxed.

"There's road work a bit too close to the manhole in the alleyway next to April's." Donnie said, ignoring his eldest brother and talking directly to his father.

Master Splinter pondered for a moment, stroking his beard, before he answered; "Then the rooftops are the only way, my son."

Sophie, carrying her bag full of her own clothes that needed to be cleaned, looked surprised. "Are you sure, Master Splinter? Not that I don't doubt your ability to travel via roof but...you're old."

Raph elbowed her gently and snorted.

His father just chuckled in response, not feeling any kind of offensive at her words. "Let me put this into words you young ones would understand; If I can still kick my yours and my son's asses, Miss Ahrens, I can travel by rooftop. Can you?"

"I...I've never tried, Sir." she said as Donnie unscrewed a manhole cover and one by one, they climbed up. Immediately she inhaled the fresh air of New York City, which even though was vile was much better then the sewers and what she had to breathe in. Leo was actually concerned she would become ill one day, but Donnie had reassured them all that the lair was suitable for human habitation. It was just travelling through the sewers that was the problem.

"Would you like too?" Splinter dusted of his robes.

She paled at the thought, "Absolutely not, I have short legs."

"So do I."

"You've been a ninja for nearly a decade."

"You do have a point, Miss Ahrens."

Then, probably to show off, he began to scale the building nearly as fast as his sons before standing at the top as suddenly as he had moved. He smirked down at the gaping girl who was stood, spluttering.

"I-you-Leo!" she whined.

He laughed as his brothers slowly began to follow their father, leaving the two of them standing in the alleyway. "What do you want me to do?"

"Carry me!" she placed her arms in the air, "and do it quickly I think I saw movement in that window."

The threat of someone seeing him made him the second of the group to make it up the building as he shot up past his brothers, Sophie in one arm who was holding tightly to his neck but loose enough that he could breathe. She remained like that the entire journey to April's, when the brunette let them in and he deposited her onto the carpet in the living room.

"Hi April, hi Casey." she greeted and all April had to do was give her a thumbs up, signalling that the bathroom was available, before shooting off the door slamming behind her.

"Hey April." he greeted, accepting the hug she gave him after she had finished hugging his brothers and father. Mikey had immediately went towards the pizza waiting for them while Raph had went straight to the beer, clapping Casey on the shoulder. Donnie had just taken a seat in front of one of the TVs, accepting the can of beer thrown his way by the red clad turtle and Splinter took a seat in the ottoman leaving him standing at there, not knowing what to do until she came over.

"Happy birthday, Leo!" she said cheerfully.

"Yeah happy birthday, buddy!" Casey called, "Come and get a beer!"

"We'll have some cake once Sophie's finished then we'll start the party, but first-" she took the bag of the boys clothes, "-I'll go put these in the washer, be right back." and then she was off, leaving him to wonder towards Casey, accepting the can.

The boys had only been drinking alcohol for about a year, but only for special occasions like birthdays in the presence of their father who could watch their intake; unfortunately for him, they were all heavy weights and could only begin to feel tipsy at their 6th-7th can, as they had found out on Mikey's birthday last year when they had, as brothers, taken their first group drink.

He cracked it open and took a mouthful, hearing the dull sounds of the TV and the water hitting the drain in the bathroom. She never took long in there, only about 10-15 minutes.

Wait, why had he been keeping count?

In a matter of time, and proving him right even though he felt it was wrong, she came out in fresh clothes and all her dirty ones in the bag. "Thanks, April." she smiled as the older woman took it.

"No problem." she smiled back, "Your clothes from last time are dry too, so you can take them back to the lair tonight. Same goes for you boys, now." she clasped her hands together, "who's ready for cake?"

A chorus of 'yes' went about the group and she laughed, walking back into the kitchen. Sophie followed to help transfer her clothes into the washer and the clean ones from the dryer into the bag, leaving the boys to entertain themselves.

April came out with a chocolate cake with two candles in the center, '19', and the words 'Happy Birthday Leo' written in white icing. He sat in the middle of the sofa and as April placed it on the coffee table they all gathered around and began to sing. Half of them were terrible singers and some were not that bad, but he wasn't going to name them. He was nice like that.

When he blew out the candles everyone cheered and clapped, and April took the cake away to cut in pieces. He remained in his seat and Donnie took that opportunity.

"Leo."

He sat down next to his brother and fidgeted a little, eyes darting around the room. He was never good at things like this, even though he was confident as he could be in every other area. He was just a dork.

Leo sighed and clapped him on the back. "Don't bother Donnie, I know you regret it and I've already forgiven you. Just gives me the chance to forget your birthday too, for once anyway."

He chuckled. "I don't think you ever will forget anything important to you; it's not in your nature."

Maybe he was right.

"But I'll make it up to you, I will." Donnie nodded and Leo could see his mind was already conjuring gift ideas he could make him. "I know you won't forget my birthday, but I won't mind if you don't buy me a present this year. As revenge."

"I'll try to remember." he winked. The two smiled at one another, everything forgiven with just that one gesture, before Donnie excused himself to talk to April and Leo watched him go with a sigh.

"Vern couldn't make it tonight," Casey suddenly said to his left, drawing his attention. "Don't know why, didn't ask. He wanted us to tell you 'happy birthday' though."

"Tell him thanks." he replied, taking another mouthful.

Sophie came out of the kitchen, giving Donnie a nod of acknowledgement as she passed, placing her bag near the window and handing Splinter a cup of tea. He whispered a 'thank you' to her over the noise from the TV, which he had changed to a soap opera much to Mikey's distress, even though he was focused on devouring all the food.

She smiled back at his father, one that seemed more genuine then the ones she had given in the past. Maybe because Master Splinter just had that more comforting presence then anyone else; surely he and his brothers were more menacing at first glance considering they carried around weapons and had arms that could crush anyone's head like a coconut or snap limbs in half. If he was anyone else he would share her same sentiments.

So yeah, it would be understandable she was more comfortable with his father then with him or any of his brothers.

But when he went to bin his third can before gifts were handed out (from the people who had remembered and brought some) he would learn how wrong he was.

"I thought you didn't like people touchin' you." Raph of all people (who had an uncanny skill of being rather observant in situations like these) had asked her, mouth full of cake. He wanted to go over and scold him for being so impolite but something kept him from leaving the kitchen and doing just that. "Hated it, even."

"Yeah-?" he heard her ask, probably with an eyebrow raised.

There was a few seconds of silence from the other side, a cough from Master Splinter who must have been giving him a look before Raph finally swallowed the food in his mouth, as his next words were must more clearer;

"Leo's touched you at least seven times today and you haven't reacted once."