Donatello wasn't sure how he felt about leaving Y/n alone in that hallway. Maybe that's why he chose to linger, pressing his body tightly against the brick wall of the building just outside the window he used as an escape. He all but held his breath as he waited. Confirmation that she was safe was all he needed. It was late, so her friend might be asleep already, after all no lights were on that they could see from the windows. Silently he grabbed his phone and checked the time. It was past Midnight. He would give this Jamison person ten minutes. If he didn't answer the door by then, he would just go back in and grab Y/n, take her back to the lair, back to Leo, where he knew she would be safe.

The turtle's stomach tightened as he listened to her continuously bang on the door. Leo will kill me if I go back without her being inside. He told himself, though the banging was overbearing. A moment before he was certain that he was going to go insane, Donatello heard his salvation in the form of a very groggy and irritated young man.

"What!" he barked out before his tone suddenly changed. "Y/n?"

Okay, she's good now, Donatello nodded to himself then finally took the lead to the bottom of the alley. Tugging up the man whole, he made his escape to the swears before rushing home to his waiting brothers.

In a dose of false hope, the purple turtle assumed when he jumped the turn stiles into the lair he would find his brothers all lounge in the living room. Instead, he was met with the sight of Raphael and Michelangelo working together to hold Leonardo back from the entrance. Donnie's first thought was admittedly outlandish, but he couldn't help it. The panicked and angry expression on his older brother made him wonder, does he have some kinda ESP? After all, that was the expression he expected after he told Leo what happened not before.

When the blue clad turtle saw his little brother enter the lair, all his fight left with a revealed sigh. The change was so fast that it shocked all three of his younger brothers. Leonardo paid them no mind, simply shrugging Mikey, and Raph off so he could walk to Donnie's side. Placing a hand on his little brother's shoulder he asked a single question.

"That took a while. No problems?"

Donnie cringed at the question, "I wouldn't say that."

In another snap, Leo's body tensed up. His grip on his little brother's shoulder tightened as panic filled his eyes. "What happened? Is she ok? Where is she?"

"She's fine now. She asked to go to her friend Jamie's apartment so I took her there." his little brother explained hoping it would calm Leo down, but it did the opposite.

"You interacted with her!" He all but screamed. "Why? What happened? What happened to Finch."

A jolt rushed through the room, climbing up the back of all four brothers as Leo's words were processed. He didn't mean to say her name, but he was panicking. Donnie was shocked that any amount of panic could cause their leader to break his silence on the matter, after all following Y/n home was a secret. The others were simply startled as they quickly learned what their brothers were talking about. For Raphael, that shock faded quickly and morphed into irritation.

"Finch?" he asked harshly. "Wait, are you two talking about the girl who kept you hostage?"

"I wasn't her hostage, I was her..." Leonardo began to counter only to hesitate. This question was still irking him. What was he to her? A pet? A friend? More than a friend? He wasn't sure. He supposed now he was nothing more than a stalker, but that certainly didn't help his case. Steading his tone, the blue turtle chose the only word that felt remotely correct. "...roommate."

"Same difference Leo." Raphael groaned. "What's going on? Why was Donnie with this chick tonight?"

"Don't worry about it."

"It's not cool to keep secrets dude." Michelangelo cut in, his voice softer than his brothers, dripping with concern. "Come on, we're your brothers, you can trust us."

Silence settled over the room. Mikey had a point, and his tone simply drove it home. Leo knew he should be willing to trust his brothers with what he was doing, what he was feeling, but he couldn't. It would be too much. Besides, they were brothers. Long heart to hearts talking about crushes seemed just so... girly. Not to mention, he saw how they treated Donnie, he remembered how he treated Donnie when he first started crushing on April. Sure, they were younger then, but still.

Looking at his brothers, he saw all three of them patiently waiting for him to say something, anything. None of them were judging. In fact, they seemed genuinely concerned about what was going on. Even Raphael had cooled off enough for his features to soften. Leo then decided they deserved an explanation.

"It's just..." Leonardo hesitated. It wasn't just anything. Even so, his brother was right, he shouldn't be keeping secrets. "Where she works is dangerous and she walks home really late at night, so I've been making sure she gets home ok. Donnie covered for me tonight so that I could stay on patrol with you guys." He explained, anxiety filling him once again as he approached the true problem at hand. "I knew when she was late that something happened."

"You are unfortunately very right." Donnie mumbled, all eyes landing on him once again. "Her co-workers really suck."

Leonardo couldn't stop his irritated groan at the mention of those men. "I already knew that you should have heard the things they say to her, they are so perverse and monstrous. I'm worried that someday they are going to try to..." The realization hit him like a truck. Donnie wouldn't have stepped in on words alone. It had to have been more than that. Which means that those bastards actually did something to Y/n.

Mikey was the one brave enough to approach his oldest brother after seeing his shocked expression. "Leo?"

"Donnie..." He cut off his younger brother, staring at the purple turtle desperately. "Please tell me they didn't."

"Almost." Donatello sighed, his chest tightening as he thought back and imagined what could have happened. "They almost did... I heard her scream and intervened. We took care of them and then she wanted to go to her friends. I only left once I knew she was with him. She should be safe now."

The silence returned but this time it was tense. The reality of the situation sunk into each of them causing a range of reactions. Donnie looked away, bug gut turning with anger and disgust as he tried not to picture what could have happened if he was a second later. Michelangelo was confused a bit longer than the others, but you could see when it all set in for his face cycled through a range of emotions in a matter of seconds. Confusion faded to disgust, then sadness, then anger, and finally concern directed toward his eldest brother.

Leonardo seemed as if he was a moment away from murder. How dare they touch Finch. His Finch, His Y/n. If it wasn't for Donatello's' hand landing on the center of his chest, the bleu turtle would have been out of the lair and halfway down the street, swords drawn, ready for revenge. While he was stopped, someone else passed. He was fuming far more than expected.

Without warning, the red clad brother suddenly stormed towards the lair's entrance causing his youngest brother to call out to him. "Raph? Where are you going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he all but growled, knuckles turning pale as he gripped his Sais. "I'm going to beat the shit out of some jackasses for touching Leo's girlfriend."

"No need actually." The sound of Donnie's voice caused his brothers to freeze. They looked at him confused, especially since he now looked a moment from laughing. "Y/n already broke one of their arms and the other ran away."

"She broke his arm?!" They all shouted.

"Yeah, the girl has some bite to her." Donnie couldn't stop his chuckle as he thought back. Y/n looked deadly in that moment. No remorse, no hesitation, she simply acted. The purple turtle knew he DID NOT want to be on her bad side.

"Yeah, she does." Leonardo responded proudly. "But I still wanna check on her."

"Want us to come man?" Raphael asked, still more than ready to bust some heads if given the green light by their leader.

The bleu turtle shook his head. "No, you guys stay here and get to bed. I'll be home soon."

"I'm coming with you." Donnie called out before Leo could get too far. He knew that letting his older brother go alone wouldn't end well. Or at the very least, it would end with Leo breaking his own moral code. "I don't want you to do anything rash."

"Thanks Don." He forced a quick smile, but it disappeared in an instant, replaced with determination as he once again started towards the exit. "Let's go."

***

In a hushed voice Donatello pointed towards Jamison's window where you could vaguely see Y/n silhouette curled up on the bed held tightly against a man's chest, with a second pair of hands resting on her hips, clearly reaching over someone in the middle. "There she is."

"God she looks so peaceful." The older turtle said, "I'm shocked she can sleep after what happened."

Donatello squinted, attempting to get a better look into the room. The dim lights did little to help, but at least they could see in, unlike every other nearby apartment that was shrouded in darkness. "It looks like there are two guys with her now."

"David must have come too." Leo sighed; it was probably for the best that they were both with her. It helped ease his nerves. "He's the one who she's been staying with."

He was more than that, Leo thought to himself. Nearly every story about her personal life that Y/n shared with him involved David. They were like brother and sister, peas in a pod, some other metaphor meaning close (The turtle's brain was filled with far too much emotion to be creative). If there was anyone in the world who he would have chosen to take care of Y/n, it would have been David. Jamison must agree with him on that front since the actor no doubt called him not long after Y/n arrived.

Leo squinted as he scanned the room. They hadn't turned the lights on, leaving them slightly dimmed instead. From where he was, he could see that the person in the back was less holding Y/n and more holding onto the boy in the middle. In any other situation Leonardo probably would have smiled. It was about time those two stepped over the hurtle. Perhaps their progression towards each other would help cheer Y/n up.

Would that really be enough thought. What happened was no doubt awful and could have been so much worse if Donatello wasn't there. Thinking of it again made the older turtle's blood boil.

"If I ever see those creeps I'm going to kill them." Leonardo suddenly said, his tone leaving little room for doubt.

"Leo?"

"They got off easy." His older brother mumbled, his tone dripping with anger. "Getting to run and a broken arm. It's probably good that you were there instead of me."

Donatello watched silently as his brother all but shook with anger. He could only imagine how he was feeling. After all, Donnie didn't even know this girl, just that she was important to Leo, and he was beyond pissed at what he witnessed. For Leo, this was personal. He knew this girl, he cared about her. The purple turtle wondered what was making him angriest.

Was it the fact that Y/n wasn't with him right now? Did he feel like he could have done more to protect her? Was it that Donatello was the one to save her? Did Leo wish that he was the one following her tonight? Or was it solely the audacity of the men to even attack her in the first place. Realistically, Donnie knew it didn't matter. Its event was over, and they couldn't change the past even if they wanted to. All there was to do was attempt to calm down his brother. So, with a sigh, that's what he tried to do.

"I asked her if she wanted to come back with me." Donatello admitted, "I was going to take her straight to you, but she said no."

"Oh..."

"For the stupidest reason really." the younger turtle continued, rolling his eyes as he thought back. "She was worried about how she looked. I mean sure, she looked like a mess, but that was to be expected. No one would expect a glamor goddess after what happened, but she was so worried about looking nice for you that she had me take her here instead."

Leonardo raised his head at his, looking at his brother with a wrinkled snout. "She has to know that I wouldn't have cared."

"I don't think that's what she's worried about." the purple turtle shrugged. A sparkle then came out his eyes as he looked at his big brother with a smile. "That girl really likes you Leo, no doubt she wants to be her best for you."

Leo wanted to smile, but the pain in his chest prevented it. He wanted to see her, he wanted to hold her, he wanted to be the one to save her, but he wasn't, and it was killing him. "The important thing now is that she's somewhere safe." his head landed back on his crossed arms as he studied her sleeping form. "Still wish I could hug her right now."

"You and I are both, Leonardo." A new eerily familiar voice suddenly added.

Instantly the boys were on their feet with their weapons drawn. They knew that voice all too well, so they weren't surprised when they turned to see their enemy leaning against the roof access door looking bored at her sword. The pair could only wonder how long she had been there, how long she had been listening.

"Karai." Leonardo all but growled. "What do you want?"

"Same as you apparently." She responded. It was clear that she was trying to keep her usually sarcastic tone, but fear and irritation was bubbling through just enough to peak the turtle's curiosity. "Fa called me from the hospital whining about how y/n broke his arm. I figured if she did that it was warranted, she's not one for senseless violence. I came to make sure she was safe."

Karai pushed off the door and started to approach the turtles only for them to adjust their stances. She froze in place raising her hand in surrender, being sure to keep her eyes on the turtles. She wasn't fond of the idea of yielding to her enemies, but in this case she needed to. Besides, Y/n was more than worth it.

When Karai received the call tonight she instantly left her meeting with her father's associates and started towards Y/n's apartment building. For five minutes she banged on David's door only to be met with no response. Frantic searching began at that point. Karai rushed to the club and followed the streets to places she knew her friend frequented until she finally made it to Jamison's apartment. Originally, she planned to climb down and hurry through the building until she could demand access to the actor's apartment, but instead she saw the turtles.

Her mind then jumped to the critical information she managed to weasel out of Baxter Stockman earlier in the evening. Previously she had no plan regarding how to move forward with it, but now that they were here, she knew what she needed to do, as much as it irked her.

"Clearly, you don't trust me." Karai stated, breaking the silence once again. She then tossed her sword to the ground and took a few steps back. "Temporary truce. We need to talk about something important. It's about Y/n."

That got their attention. With a slow turn of his head, Leonardo glanced back towards the girl in question. His heart panged at the idea of her being in danger yet again. This time, however, he was certain that he would be the one to fix it. When his gaze turned back to Karai, who was exhibiting her expert patience despite the intense worry in her eyes, his brother took the dare to look away. Donatello's eyes landed on his brother, soaking him in, noticing the anger in his brow, and the tinkle of fear in his eyes. It wasn't dissimilar to his expression when Leonardo first caught on that Y/n have run into trouble.

"Your call, Leo." Donnie said.

Leo's gaze hardened but he still sheathed his swords. "What's going on with Y/n."

Karai took a breath then began to explain hoping to not give away too much in her tone. "The investigation on her apartment ended today. They know you helped her. The plan is to corner her after her Saturday performance next week."

At the information Donnie's grip on his bo tightened. "Why are you telling us this? Aren't you the one planning this?"

"You're kidding right?" She scoffed, no longer bothering to hide her irritation. "I've been banned from everything pertaining to your escape. Father is all too aware that I do anything to protect Y/n. This decision wasn't mine. Stockman is just a pansy, so it took about three seconds for him to tell me everything."

"Why would you do that? You're not exactly one to choose friends over your family." Leonardo prompted.

"You're not the only one who's in love with that little songbird, Leonardo."

The blue turtle's eyes widened, "Wait... you and Y/n?"

"I wish, but no." Karai laughs bitterly. "She let me down easily. I'll give her that, but I'm not sure she even knew what I was talking about." The sad smile on her face made it clear to the boys that Karai was thinking back on that moment with a forlorn fondness. "I digress. You need to find some way to get her away before my guys get to her next week. I would help but I'm on consent watch regarding this particular topic."

The brothers exchanged an uneasy glance. They weren't sure what piqued their nerves more. The fact that Karai of all people too rejection so well (if previously asked to picture what that would look like they would both assumed that the poor person who turned her down would end up at the bottom of the Hudson), or the fact that the plan to get revenge on Y/n for helping Leonardo escape was being executed by people high enough up in the foot food change for Karai to be in the dark about it. Regardless, the fact remained.

Y/n needed to get out, and she needed to get out fast.

"I gave her the phone number of one of our friends to use if she needed to get away." Donnie mentioned.

This peaked the brothers' attention, but Karai was quick to counter. "She'll probably need to be prompted to use it."

"Nearly getting raped isn't prompting enough?"

"No." Both Leonardo and Karai sighed, they knew Y/n was too stubborn.

The blue clad turtle continued, "Even if we do prompt her, I don't see how we'll get her to leave David."

"I've already taken care of that." Karai replied. "He's getting initiated into the clan, father wants him to leave for training after next week's performance. The whole club is going to be shut down at least temporarily. Really that's just our cover so no one wonders where the performers went."

"That's not exactly good news Karai." Leo glared.

"It's solving one of our obstacles, beggars can't be choosers." The girl argued, though she did agree with him. David wasn't exactly who she would choose as a foot recruit, but he was loyal, and her father simply liked him as a person which was an extremely rare occurrence. So, as negative as it may be in the long run, at the moment it helps with the matter at hand. "Y/n and I are supposed to get lunch on Monday, I'll tell her what I know about her apartment and encourage her to try and leave. Hopefully, it'll be enough for her to call your friend."

"And we'll handle the rest." Leo said surely.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but thank you Karai." Donnie said with a sigh earning his Karai's attention.

The woman gave him a curt nod before picking up her sword and heading towards the edge of the roof. "Anything for our girl."