Author's Note: Hello, everybody! Welcome back to Hogosha. I'm sorry for the long update, but I hope you guys will enjoy the wait for this chapter. I really want to thank you guys for all the reviews as well as the favs and follows you guys do. You, as the readers, are amazing, and I can't imagine not being able to entertain you with my writing skills.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of TMNT. All rights go to their creators.

XXXX

"W-What am I to you?"

The question itself rang as clear as a bell in his mind. Leonardo had no idea how to respond to her question; what did she mean by that? Was she that oblivious to know how much she meant to him as well as his brothers and father? She was their beloved hogosha, their guardian who watched over them when they were merely infant turtles in her father's lab. He had cherished her very existence, long before knowing that April was the one who saved them from the fire. And now, knowing that she was the true face of the myth, she was everything that he could imagine a hogosha being. She was beautiful and sleek, but also sharp and fierce like a katana blade, the very weapon that he also cherishes deeply.

"April . . . I'm not sure I know what you're asking of me." Leonardo answered, wanting to tread carefully with his answer. But, he wanted to know the true meaning behind his hogosha's question.

"Leo . . . what I mean is, what am I to you? Do you think that I'm a distraction?"April clarified her question, wanting to know what he as well as his brothers truly thought of her.

While she had been chained up on the rooftop with Karai, she had been thinking a lot about herself lately. She had been wondering if all she ever was, to anyone in general, was just a pretty face and nothing else. Sure, she did have flawless facial features, a sleek and toned body and a fashionable taste in clothes. But, on the flip side of the coin, she had a brain, one that would pick and prod into the minds of her interviewees. She always had a curious mind, and wanted to put it to good use, but sometimes, she felt that she was out of line when it came to her job. Not getting her wrong, she loved her old job, but she felt that she wasn't putting herself to good measure.

"A distraction? Why would -"

"I mean, yeah, I get it. You guys save me a lot, especially since the Foot Clan's activity has been increasing the last few months. And after what happened last night on the rooftop with Karai. You guys are always on the move, protecting those who need it most. And, well - I, um . . I feel like, I've been a distraction to you guys lately. And if I am, I don't mean to be." April cut him off, wanting him to know the truth about how she felt about her being around them. She loved them, each one of them in their own different way. She wouldn't trade anything in the world to keep them in her life, but she just felt like she was in the way of their duty.

Leonardo could pick up the faint hint of sadness in her voice. She had been beating herself up about this for quite some time, and he never felt that she was a distraction, in any way, shape or form. She was the reason for them being alive; the reason that they were brought up in the art of ninjitsu, and the reason why they were who they are today. If it weren't for her bravery and her keeping them as her main priority, they would've perished in the fire, along with her father who died trying to save them.

"April -"

"It's not that I don't think you guys are trying too hard to save those who need it. I just feel like I've been holding you back, not letting you see the world through your own eyes. I'm only letting you see what I see, and I don't think that's fair to you at all, considering you've been living down here all your life. And me, well - I've lived a sheltered life, and I wish I could take it all back just so you could live that for one day." April continued, letting her hands fidget around the blanket and trying to keep her guard up.

Leo watched her small movements, and noticed that she started to shake. But it wasn't from the cold, it was something else. It was as if she were hiding something from him and his family for a long time, and she was afraid to let anyone of them in for being in fear of what she would tell them. Her life, despite having a better upbringing than them, hadn't been easy since her father died. She had pushed herself, fighting to become the best reporter New York City had ever seen; but the price, was not about the fame, but what she was truly missing: someone to love her for who she really was, and not what was on the outer surface. She was judged on what was on the outside and not on the inside, just like her precious turtle boys. And it wasn't fair for any of them.

"I-I-I just want to say, th-that I'm sorry for being in your way. If you don't want me, well, down here for a while because I-I . . I would be in your w-w-way, let me ..." April tried to finish, but the lump in her throat caught up with her, silencing any further words that dared come forth. Lip quivering, eyes burning with fresh tears ready to spill, April had finally cracked. The tough reporter that could handle any form of criticism from the public as well as her peers, had finally let her guard down, and broke down the wall she had built up for many years.

Leonardo was shocked! April thought of herself as a distraction to them? Why would she think of herself as that? She was nothing like that to them. She was a deity that deserved to be treated with honor, respect and love. She hadn't had anyone to lean on, no one to pour her heart out to, and no one would listen to how she truly felt. Their hogosha - no, HIS hogosha, felt that she was holding them back from doing their duty to protect the city. And that was not the case, she was everything he could ever want in someone. She had accepted them for who they were, and not what they looked on the outside. Well, if you could count fainting on the rooftop in front of them a first impression.

Leonardo gently scooted closer to her trembling form, and placed his large hands on her shoulders, being extremely careful as to not apply too much pressure on her petite form. He didn't like seeing her in distress, especially if it was something she didn't do intentionally. Being the leader, he knew it was in his best interest that their hogosha was put at ease.

"April, look at me." Leonardo said calmly but softly, all the while placing a large hand on her soft cheek and wiping the stray tears from her porcelain face. She breathed in a shaky breath before looking up at him with those beautiful sapphire eyes of hers. Tears clung to her eyelashes like tiny raindrops, almost as if to enhance the beauty that was of April herself.

"You are not just a distraction. You are our distraction. You are the reason why we're here. If it wasn't for you rescuing us that night, we would've perished in the fire alone with your father. If it wasn't for you, we would've been crushed by the tower up on Sacks' building. You are the reason why we're fighting the Foot Clan. You give us the reason to protect the innocent. And you . . . you are my reason for doing reckless things, such as fighting Karai on the rooftop alone." Leo said to her, only speaking to her with words full of honesty and truth.

"You are always more than welcomed down here, April. We would never turn you away, no matter what happened. I wouldn't trade anything that I have, just to be able to see you smile. You are a smart woman, one who is willing to fight for the words that the people need to hear. You are willing to go out of your daily life just to see us. You are more than just a face on the television; you are our hogosha, and there is nothing more that I want than to see you be that distraction to us." Leo continued, wanting to know that she was a welcomed distraction to their daily lives.

April looked up at Leo, her sapphire eyes gazing up into his bright ice eyes, searching for any signs of regret or repression. But none were there; there was no discrepancies, no hidden meanings behind his answer, no lies. He was telling the truth, and all the while not breaking eye contact with her and soothing her by wiping away her tears.

"And plus it would give me some peace and quiet from my brothers for a change." Leo smirked as he watched April genuinely laugh for the first time in a long time. He smiled, knowing that just to see her smile alone was enough for him to keep her happy.

April laughed, and knowing that it was Leo, not Mikey, Donnie or Raph, but Leonardo, the fearless leader and eldest of the four brothers, made her laugh. She leaned into his large hand, enjoying the feel of his warmth radiating to her slight chilled skin, even for a brief moment. She wrapped her arms around his plastron as best as she could, and gave him a hug, shocking the large terrapin for a brief moment. He was not used to this kind of affection, well, not from her at least. But, if this was his reward for cheering her up, he would gladly accept it. It was more than enough for him.

"Thank you, Leo." April whispered with a smile on her face as she felt herself slip back into sleep, the time for rest had come back to claim her once more.

He felt her body relax against him, and he felt himself contradict his emotions for a long moment. Here he was, the leader, holding onto his - their beloved hogosha, and not knowing what else he should do. He had never felt these feelings before, and it was a strange feeling in his chest. His heart felt like beating out of his plastron, wanting to know that he, too, could feel genuine affection for those other than his family. Leo smiled as he laid himself back on the couch, carefully cradling April to him and wrapping the blanket around her petite form. Before he could stop himself, he looked down at her sleeping form and placed a small but meaningful kiss on the crown of her head, inhaling deeply the scent of her. Fresh apple and lily, it was now ingrained into his memory as he smiled before letting himself get a well deserved night's sleep.

XXXX

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry for the late update. I wanted to get some fluff between these two before I start kicking things off on here. I haven't been able to get a lot of my writings done in quite a while with school, so I'm trying to make the best of it for the time being until I have more free time to write more again. I thank you guys for reading, and as always, I'll see you in the next chapter. Reviews are always welcomed :D