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Leap of Faith, Part Two: Into the Light	By : laloga13 Category: Comics > Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Views: 1233 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all other recognizable characters are property of Mirage Studios and not me, sadly. I'm just playing with them for a while, and am not making any money off of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
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Chapter Seven

“I don't believe you,” Miranda said, glaring at Bishop seated calmly in the armchair across from her. “My dad never had anything to do with this stupid Order. He was a biology teacher at P.S. 118, a bad one, by all accounts. He hated the city, that's why he moved us down south so he could teach a bunch of pre-meds. You're telling me that he founded this little boys' club with you to get money for research?”

“Your father was a very opportunistic man, Miranda. He did what he thought he needed to do to succeed. Even when he fled the city, he did so because he felt that it was best.”

“Stop talking like you knew him,” Miranda whispered, feeling tears prick at her eyes. “He was a good man, not some mobster like you.”

Bishop laughed then, a hollow sound. “Silly girl. I'm no mobster, and neither was your father. As I told you, we founded an organization that would help us pay for the research that we needed to accomplish. The other members of the Order that we recruited paid generous tithes to belong to such an exclusive club-including a certain young man that I believe you remember.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a cell phone. Miranda strained to hear what he spoke, but his words were too quiet. However, she didn't have long to wait.

The door opened, and a familiar figure stepped into the room.

“Hello, gorgeous.”

“Jesse?” Miranda couldn't help but gape as her ex-boyfriend came to stand beside Bishop. He looked slightly different than she remembered: he had lost the scruffiness he'd once had, his face was clean shaved, and his coppery hair was cropped close to his head. He wore a nice suit, similar to Bishop's, along with the familiar black trench coat of the White Knights. The boy she'd known, Jesse “Hunter” Sullivan, had been on the tall side, but wiry and lean. This man before her had obviously been training, he moved with a grace and confidence she'd never seen, except in one other....

“Don't look so surprised, Mira,” Jesse replied, smiling at her. “I told you I'd make something of myself. Mr. Bishop here has been good to me. Gave me a decent job, some special training, new threads. He gave me a second chance, and look at me now!”

“Don't be stupid, Jesse,” Miranda said, glowering at Bishop. “He's a liar, and a thief.” She held up the picture to Bishop. “I don't know how you got this, but I do know that my dad and mom were not criminals. She was a music teacher, he dissected frogs with college kids. End of story.”

The room was silent for a moment. Miranda dropped her gaze to the picture clutched in her hand, and so did not see the look that passed between the two men. Jesse nodded slightly, and sat next to Miranda on the bed. “You haven't eaten anything, Mira. What if I ask John to leave us in peace? It would really make me feel better to see you eat.” He read the mistrust in her expression, and reached for a sandwich. “It's fine, see?” He took a bite, and began to chew.

This has to be a trick, she thought, trying to ignore the desperate clenching of her stomach. Jesse was never what he seemed....

“I'll leave you kids alone,” Bishop said, rising from his chair. “I have other matters to attend to. Miranda, it was good to see you again. I hope we can one day reach an accord.” He nodded at Jesse, and stepped out of the room. The moment that the door closed, Miranda grabbed a sandwich and began tearing into it voraciously. Jesse laughed, and handed her an unopened water bottle.

“Some things don't change, do they? You're just as stubborn as ever.”

She polished off the sandwich, and reached for another, ignoring the bottle in his hand. She said nothing until she'd consumed the second, then a third, and finished off with an apple. Sated, she glared at him. “What the hell are you doing here, Jesse?”

“What do you...”

“Come on,” she rolled her eyes. “What is he, your Jedi master or something? You told me that you wanted to move to Canada to get away from the Order, now you've become the head honcho's apprentice? I had my suspicions when I heard about 'J. Sullivan,' but I wasn't sure. The last I heard from you, you were on your way north.”

“You're so pretty when you're angry at me,” Jesse smiled at her, and a tiny part of her wanted to smile back.

“Shut up. I need to think.” She looked away from him, just as a small grin came to her face.

“You know, it's really great to see you again, Mira. I think we need to celebrate. ” He moved closer to her on the bed, reaching for her hand, and his words had taken on a familiar, husky tone, and a traitorous part of her body was still responsive to his voice. She abruptly stood up from the bed and moved to the armchair, tucking her legs up beneath her and crossing her arms across her torso. What is wrong with me? He crushed me, he abandoned me. Why do I still go all weak-kneed around him? Especially right now!

“Stop that. You know I hate that nickname, Hunter.” She met his eyes, and was satisfied to see that she had hit the mark. “Or is it Hunted, now? Is that really why you're working with this Bishop guy? How much trouble did you get into, exactly?”

He sighed, and his shoulders sunk. “Fine, Miranda. You win. I'm in....I was in a lot of trouble. Big, they're-coming-to-break-my-legs-and-dump-my-body-in-the-river kind of trouble. Mr. Bishop saw something in me that was worth a second chance, I wish you could do the same.” She rolled her eyes, but he moved to sit at the edge of the bed, facing her. “He's not a bad guy, Miranda. I know he gives off kind of a creepy vibe, but he's just kind of....militaristic, you know? Businesslike, formal. He runs a big-time government program, totally legit. This Order stuff is all, like a hobby. You know your band's big show coming up? Totally his idea to bring you guys in.”

She shook her head. “He still seems like an asshole, Jesse. And I think you're an even bigger one for going along with this.” She held out her wrists, which were still pink and swollen from her bonds. “He kidnapped me, Jesse. Took me against my will. How is that okay with you?”

“Mr. Bishop's just concerned for your safety, Miranda.” Jesse leaned forward, his eyes fixed earnestly on hers. “He realized that you were running with the wrong crowd, and felt that he had to step in. And I have to say, after seeing for myself, he's right. You think I was in trouble? That green guy you've been hanging with is more dangerous to you than I ever was.”

Her eyes turned to stone, they became flat and hard at the mention of Leonardo. “I have no idea what you're talking about, Hunter.”

“Really? Because, honestly, from the surveillance tape that I saw, it didn't look like it was going all that great between you. Actually, it looked like you were being dumped.”

“I wouldn't know, you're the expert on that,” she replied, clenching her fists.

At her words, his expression softened, as did his voice. “I'm sorry, Miranda. That was below the belt.” He stood up, and rapped on the door. It opened, and he took something from a person outside the door. He returned with an open bottle of red wine and two glasses. He poured one and offered it to her.

She stared at him, and did not take the glass. Sighing, Jesse set it down on the floor at her feet and poured himself a portion. He held it up and made a toast. “To a fresh start.” He took a big swallow and winced. “I'd rather have a nice pint of bitter, but I guess this stuff will grow on me one day.” He grinned at her then and she was suddenly reminded of the boy she'd loved years ago. He took another swig and waved to her. “Come on, Mira! It's fine! Honestly, I'm smarter than I look; I'm not about to go drinking poisoned wine! To old friends?”

She sighed deeply, and bent to pick up the glass. “To old friends.”

Later....

Miranda was not sure exactly how much time had passed. Jesse had asked about Nautilus, and their conversation had deviated into reminiscences of people they'd used to know. She was also not sure how she wound up laying beside him on the bed, once the wine had been finished, nor did she fully know why his hands were caressing her arms and shoulders, making her shudder and sigh all at once. “Jesse,” she said quietly. She felt muzzy and disoriented, but could not summon up the appropriate angry reaction to the drugged wine. Perhaps I wanted it too badly, she mused, then said his name again.

“He said he was falling in love with me,” she heard herself say, her throat thick with regret. “He said he couldn't allow that to happen. I'm not good enough....”

“Shhhh, Mira.” Jesse's voice echoed through her body, and she felt him cup her head in his hands. A large part of her wanted to resist, but that small, traitorous piece of her heart longed for his touch. Jesse kissed her gently. “You don't have to worry any more, I'll keep you safe.”

His words reminded her of someone that she was having a hard time remembering; her mind felt like a ship in a thick fog, casting its lights out over the endless expanse of water, searching for solid ground. The traitorous part of her began to swell and expand.

Jesse's gaze grew in intensity. “I'm right here, Mira, my love. I won't leave you again.”

She felt his arms wrap cloyingly around her, felt his lips seek out her own, and felt her own body press closer to him; she was lost in the haze of emotions and thoughts that would not sharpen to clarity in her mind. He was here, he was real. All of the reasons she'd wanted to hate him fell away from this moment, and Jesse's kiss felt exactly as she remembered....but even so, the last thing that she could recall saying was not his name.

Leonardo.
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Leap of Faith, Part Two: Into the Light