Disclaimer: please leave your message after the beep

A/N: Okay just to let everyone know this is my first ever TMNT ff. So give me a chance. Anyway there is an OC in here but I will try my best to not make her Mary Sue. If that's what you want I suggest you go somewhere else. So here it is. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Fateful Encounter

"Hide under the sink, sweetheart." The man told his young brunette daughter who stood there hanging onto his pant leg and shivering in her soft, blue dress. The man smiled sadly and leaned down as a series of loud bangings echoed from the next room. "Lilly, please."

"B-but Daddy," the young girl cried, her lip trembling as she looked into her father's green eyes with her brown ones. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine." He assured her, but there was a touch of sadness in his eyes. He hugged his daughter tightly, then kissed the top of her head as the sound of their front door caving in filled the room. "Please Lillian. Do it for Daddy, ok?"

"O-ok." Lilly surrendered and gave her dad one last hug before disappearing under the kitchen sink. As she opened the door, she turned to give her dad one last look. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, darling." He told her as he turned to the sound of stampeding feet. "Never forget what I taught you."

"I won't." the young girl promised as she slipped into the cupboard and closed the door until there was only a sliver of light. It took only a few moments before several men clad in black entered the small kitchen and attempted to take down her father, but were dispatched quickly. But the next opponent was not as easy as he stabbed her father making blood splatter everywhere, then walked away laughing evilly before igniting a match and left it near an electrical cord setting the whole place up in flames before strutting out the front door.

The small girl could feel the heat and smell the smoke that began to fill up her lungs, causing her to cough, but she did not care as much as she should have. She could not take her chocolate eyes off the sight of her lifeless father. "Daddy!"

"Daddy!" A young girl screamed as she lurched forward in her twin sized bed, tears flowing down her cheeks as she laid her head in her hands.

"Lilly?" A woman's voice called from the hallway. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, Aunt April." The young girl raised her head, wiped her brown eyes, and tucked a piece of her chocolate hair behind an ear. "I'm awake."

"I thought so." mused the voice as its owner entered the small bedroom. She was a young woman She was a young woman in her twenties with orange hair pulled back in a ponytail and clear blue eyes. She sat on her niece's bed and laid a warm hand on the girl's shoulder. "Was it another nightmare?"

"Yeah, the same one." she whispered in a tortured tone as she returned her face to her hands. "It's always the same one."

"I know but," She soothed her, grabbing the girl's other shoulder and hugging her tightly. "All scars fade with time you know. So maybe this will too with time."

With time?!" the girl laughed bitterly and turned to stare at her aunt in the face, fresh tears laced her eyes. "It's already been seven years, Aunt April! It's never gonna go away!"

"Maybe," her aunt said tentatively. "What you need is a distraction."

"A distraction?" the teenage girl echoed as she raised one eyebrow in suspicion at April's tentative tone. "What kind of a distraction?"

"Well, you are getting older now," April answered, watching her niece closely. "And I was wondering if you were ever interested in having a, well, a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend?" laughed Lilly as if her aunt was joking but glancing at her face the girl stopped and gazed at her aunt in amazement. "Oh, Aunt April. You're not seriously asking me that question, are you?"

Well, why not?" asked April curiously. "Don't you ever think about finding someone special?"

"Not really." the girl shrugged. "Though it wouldn't matter since I don't venture outside too often."

"I don't know what to do with you anymore, Lilly." her aunt sighed sadly as she shook her head. "All you do is sulk around. You barely go outside and won't talk to anyone. I know I don't do much of that myself, but you're younger and have more to look forward to. Don't you ever think about your future?"

Lillian just gave her exasperated aunt a nonchalant shrug and watched her leave her bedroom shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter Aunt April." she whispered to the empty air miserably as she pulled her knees close to her chest and hugged them tightly, rocking back and forth. "It doesn't matter if I start to like someone. Who would want someone as messed up as I am inside?"

~True Love of A Different Sort~

Ring! Ring!

The shrill ring of the obnoxious phone echoed throughout the confined space of the apartment and through a bedroom door to the ears of a young girl. Her dark eyebrows knitted in growing irritation as she sat in a formal Japanese style in front of a makeshift shrine which bore a photo of a man with jade green eyes.

Ring! Ring!

What is Aunt April doing? The girl thought irritated that her daily prayer had been interrupted by the obnoxious shrill of their phone. Maybe she's in the shower and just can't hear it Though I don't see how she can't. Oh well, I"d better get it.

With a sigh, Lillian stood up and bowed to the photo respectively before striding out of her room and to the phone. As she reached out for the phone, a wave of apprehension rolled over her as if something huge was about to happen to her.

I'm being ridiculous. She chided herself, shaking her head in an attempt to get rid of the sudden wave of feeling. I'm just answering the phone though...I don't know who it could be. Unless it's Aunt April ad that's why she isn't answering it. Though I don't know why I would feel so anxious about answering if it's her. Oh whatever!

Lillian picked up her phone, tucked a chocolate lock behind one ear, and held her phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Miss Lillian Oneil?" Asked an elderly man's voice speaking in a formal matter as if he came from Japan.

"Um, yes." answered Lilly, unsure of why the guy knew her name. "Who is this?"

"This may sound strange but," continued the raspy voice.

Too late. She thought to herself. It already sounds strange. I mean, what could be stranger than some weird old guy knowing who you are and where you live?

"Excuse me," called the voice, interrupting her mental rant. "Are you still there?"

"Huh? Oh yes!" Lillian replied, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was saying," continued the voice seriously. "That your aunt was attacked in the sewers."

"Wait! What?!" exclaimed Lilly as she almost dropped the phone. "How? Who? Is she okay?"

"Relax, Miss Lillian." the voice soothed her. "I assure you that your aunt is just fine. She is staying with us at the moment. Luckily my sons found her and she is now resting."

"But how, why, who?" demanded Lilly.

"All will be answered, but first I must ask you to come and pick her up." requested the voice.

"Of course. Where are you? I"ll come right away." she answered.

"Right underneath your feet in the sewers." replied the voice trying to sound nonchalant. "I'll have one of my sons come to escort you to our home where you will find your aunt."

"And you're sure that one of your sons will want to escort me?" She asked unsure if this was such a good idea. After all, what kind of guy lives in a sewer? I mean, should I even trust him and meet one of his sons? What if they're a bunch of weirdos? But if they are, I can't just leave Aunt April with them. Besides, I could take them in a fight if I had to.

"Of course, ." The voice assured her. "I promise, you have nothing to fear. All of my sons are courteous and will not harm you. One of them will be by the sewer hole in five minutes, is that alright?"

"Yes, it's fine." she answered. Like any of your sons could take me in a fight anyway. "I'll be there."

"Excellent." said the man, though he seemed worried about something. "Then I will be seeing you shortly."

"Yeah, bye." She said as she hung up the phone and took in a deep, relaxing sigh that her father had taught her when she was a child. "Yeah, you will."

~True Love of A Different Sort~

I can't believe this. Lilly thought as she took off the man-hole and climbed down the rusted ladder into the sewer that smelled rancid of an odd assortment of different things, replacing the cover as she went. When she arrived at the bottom her foot slipped and fell into the murky water of the sewer. "Oh yeah, this isn't gross or anything. I mean seriously, what kind of family lives in a sewer? I..."

The young girl stopped mid-sentence as her ears picked up a small sound, but there was noone in sight.

Hiding in the shadows, huh? Looks like someone has some skills. She thought to herself as she unsheathed her precious tonfas that she had been given when she was only five years old. The girl stole onto the shadows at an entrance that led to another section of the sewers and waited. She could make out a shadow of someone, or something, since the figure looked distorted, but she remained focused as she waited as the figure crept closer and closer, then pounced at the last possible moment.

Clash! Clang!

The sound of metal tangling together echoed throughout the confined spaces of the sewer as Lilly's tonfas were met with a pair of sais held by...

"Ow." complained Lilly as she was forced back on her butt by a powerful force of a fist. She shook her head as she tried to stand back up, but her hand slipped out from underneath her in the sewer water. "Damn it. What was that for?"

"You're the one that jumped me," retorted her attacker angrily who had a most unusual appearance as she glared up at him. As she got a good look at him, she now understood why his shadow had appeared so distorted to her earlier. Her attacker was not a man, well not by human standards anyway. In fact he was a tall, taller than her, mutant turtle with a red bandana over his eyes, pads on his forearms and shins, and a pair of gleaming sais in each green three-fingered hand. "How long are you gonna sit there staring at me? It's not nice to stare you know."

"Yeah, I know." She said indifferently as she once again tried to get back on her feet, but in vain as her hand once again slipped out from under her in the disgusting sewer water, or would have if not for a green three-fingered hand grasping her forearm. The hand felt oddly warm to Lilly and sent an electric shock through her body, confusing the young teenager as she allowed the mutant turtle to pull her back onto her feet. He then released his grip sending an odd sensation through her which she shook off quickly. "Um, thanks. So are you the one that's suppose to escort me to my aunt?"

"Yeah. You know," he told her as he stared at her curiously. "You're a little different."

"Really? Well thanks," she replied sarcastically. "I never knew that."

"No, I mean"he continued, smirking a little. "You're different from that aunt of yours. When she first saw me and my bros, she completely fainted."

"Is she awake now?" the girl asked eagerly as the turtle shrugged, unsure of the sudden changes in her behavior. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The turtle shook his head at this very unusual teenage girl who seemed to not care what he looked like, a freak.

Or maybe she's just plain dumb. He thought as the girl looked at him expectantly with round, chocolate eyes which soon turned to ones of exasperation.

"Come on! What are you staring at?" Lilly asked, irritation slowly overcoming her features as she stood there with hands on her hips.

Or she's just a really impatient brat. He thought as he also became irritated, but shook it off for now. After all, Master Splinter gave me a job to do. Well, actually he asked one of us to and I signed up for it. Though now I think I"m beginning to regret it.

"What?" demanded Lilly as she tried to hide her insecurity at being looked over, the way he was doing or at least the way she thought he was looking. I hate it when guys look at me like that. It's not like I'm beautiful, well, not on the inside at least. In truth, I'm messed up inside. So stop looking at me like that!

"Nothing!" he answered angrily as he came out of his mental rant because of the girl's annoying voice. "Except a spoil rotten brat who takes joy in bossing others around and bitching her head off!"

"I wouldn't be 'bitching' if a certain stupid turtle just did what his father told him and escorted me to my aunt!" she snapped back at the insult that she had become used to since she was eight years old though, truth be told, it still stung.

"Yeah, I'm the stupid one." He replied, laughing sarcastically as he stared at her pointedly.

"What? You think I'm the stupid one?' Lilly demanded as the mutant turtle shrugged. "Whatever. We're wasting time. Can you please take me to my aunt?"\

"Yeah, sure." he replied as he sheathed his sais and started to walk out to th next section of the sewers, then stopped cocking his head to look back at her. "You coming or what?"

"Yeah." She said as she walked to him, trying not to slip in the murky sewer water. "Yeesh, how do you guys walk in this water?"

"We've lived down here for 15 years, you get used to it." he told her nonchalantly, than halted and pointed at the floor a few feet behind her and off to the side. "You forgot something."

"Huh? What did I..." she muttered, then realized her hands were empty. "Oh, my tonfas."

"Yeah, you know" he suggested as Lilly bent down in the murky water behind her and grasped her tonfas. "You should keep a better track of them and treat them with more respect."

"Yeah, I know." she whispered as she shook off her pink jacket to reveal a sleeveless pink blouse on top of her white shorts and blue sneakers. Her chocolate hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail as she dried off her weapons. "These are the only things I have left of him, so I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe."

Him? Thought the turtle curiously, but let it go just then as he saw the change in the teenage girl's expression from one of anger and irritation to one of softness and sadness. The turtle sighed and waited until Lilly had sheathed her tonfas and led her through multiple sections of the sewers.

~True Love of A Different Sort~

"Well, here we are." announced her escort a while later as he stopped in front of one of the many walls of the sewer. But this wasn't just any normal wall as Lilly figured out as the mutant turtle pushed a section of the wall forward to reveal a hidden den. "Go ahead. They won't bite, much."

"Haha. Very funny." She said sarcastically, though to be honest she was a little nervous as she ducked her head and climbed into the large sewer den which amazed her. "Wow."

"Ah, you're here at last Ms. Lillian." came the same raspy voice that Lilly had conversed with over the phone. "Please, come over here and sit down so we can talk."

"Okay." said Lilly, unsure of what to do until she saw her escort walk over to an old, battered couch at the other end other room and followed him. Near the couch was, well, a giant mutant rat in a tattered robe with a walking stick. There were also three giant mutant turtles who were similar to her escort except for the fact that they were wearing different colored headbands and carried different weapons. They were all staring down at..."Aunt April!"

The girl rushed to her aunt's side as the rat motioned to her to not wake April, for she needed her rest, but it was too late.

"Meh, what...Lillian?" her aunt asked curiously as she looked all around her then jumped up on the couch in pure shock and surprise at the sight that lay before her eyes. "What, who are you guys? I must be dreaming. That's it! I'm dreaming. Only a dream, only a..."

"Aunt April, calm down. You're not dreaming." Lilly told her aunt calmly as she turned to the giant rat. "I"m sure there's a logical explanation, isn't there?"

"Yes, there is." answered the rat calmly, though his yellow eyes expressed sadness as though he wished this encounter had never occurred. "Our story begins back in Japan where I was a pet of my Master Yoshi. My master was one of the greatest ninjutsu masters in all of Japan, but he had a rival in not only ninjutsu but in love as well. My master and his loved one were murdered and I found myself here in the sewers of New York City where I came upon four baby turtles..."

"That was us." interrupted one of the turtles, who wore an orange bandana over his eyes as hi brothers groaned at him.

"The little ones were crawling in ooze from a broken canister. I scooped each of them up into an old coffee can and took them to my burrow." continued the rat, ignoring his adopted sons. "When I awoke the next morning, I found that hey had doubled in size. I had also grown, particularly in intellect. But nothing prepared me for what happened next, one of them spoke and the others soon followed. Eventually I gave them all names."

"Leonardo." The rat called as he glanced at one of the turtles who carried twin katanas sheathed in a holder on the back of his shell and wore a deep shade of blue bandana over his eyes. "Michelangelo."

"That's me." said the turtle with the orange bandana who also had a pair of knunchucks on his belt.

"Donatello." The rat continued, looking at another of the turtles who carried a bowstaff on the back of his shell and wore a deep purple bandana over his eyes.

"And Raphael." he finished, gesturing towards the turtle who had escorted Lilly through the sewers. Instead of smiling or a slight wave of a three-fingered hand, he had a sai in one hand picking at his teeth.

Lovely. What was that about respecting your weapon? Hypocrite. Thought Lilly, mentally rolling her eyes as she turned her attention back to the rat. "And what is your name?"

"My name is Splinter," answered the wise rat as his serious yellows eyes bore up into her chocolate ones. "And I have a question to ask both of you."

Oh boy. She thought as she glanced at April who nodded slightly. "And what question is that?"

"If you promise to keep our existence hidden from the outside world." he told her seriously as she once again looked at her aunt who nodded again.

Looks like Aunt April understands this isn't a dream. Though I kinda wish it was. Lilly thought as she shook herself mentally and took in a deep breath then exhaled. "Yeah , you're secret's safe with us."

A/N: And there you have it my first ch of my first ever Turtle ff! So what did you think? Oh and I hoped you liked this Shadow! And I hope it makes your weekend a little better!