Happy New Year
Note: Okay, this is certainly not going to be as long as 'Here Without You' but it'll at least four chapters at the most. I'm hoping to just re explain what happened between Donatello and Rowan in this story. I don't own the turtles, April, Casey nor Splinter. I own Rowan and Charlie that's it.
~*~
New Year has it really only been a few days? Wow, it just seems so surreal! Rowan opened her eyes and stretched. Her double bed a tangle of sheets, with a sigh she reached over and gently picked up the plastic leg, attaching the end with the straps. Hmm it still feels weird, but at least I won't have a bruised armpit again. Getting dressed she came out to the living room and saw that Charlie was already comfortable on the floor with the sofa's throw blanket wrapped around him. A cartoon of sorts on television.
"Hey, didja sleep alright?"
He only nodded, the colorful characters having him completely enraptured. Moving over a bit stiffly she put a pot of coffee on. She heard the door open and watched as Casey shook the snow off of his jacket.
"Where've you been? Out building a snowman?"
Casey gave her a boyish grin as he pulled off his boots.
"Nah, I promised the landlady I'd help her shovel the walkway."
"Always the gentleman, are we?"
He moved behind her and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter.
"I don't know about you, but I'm a gentleman."
"What's a gentleman?"
Both looked down at Charlie, he had the large blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and had drug the rest behind him. Casey glanced at Rowan before bending down to eye level with the boy.
"Uh, well squirt, a gentleman is a man, who, uh does nice things for people and he never, ever hurts a lady."
Rowan couldn't help but snigger, it sounded odd hearing Casey talk about gentlemanly behaviors. Beside her the coffee pot bubbled, turning she moved aside the mug to let the coffee pour into the silver heart designed mug and placed the pot back again.
Hey, that's what Donnie does, you're copying him!" April laughed, joining them in the kitchen.
Rowan watched absently as Casey bent down to give April a good morning kiss before leaving to plop in front of the television. Don. None of them have been here since Boxing Day. But that was only three days ago. I can't imagine that they would want to venture up here everyday just to see me. Sighing, she blew the steam off the coffee and sipped it slowly. But, why hasn't he been here? II'm so confused
"Penny for your thoughts."
"Hmm?" She looked toward April, who was putting some toast in the small toaster oven. "Oh, it's nothing, just wondering how me and Charlie can spend the day."
"You know Ro', me and Casey don't have to go out tonight if you're not ready to be alone yet." She fretted.
"NO! I mean, you guys should go out, I'll be fine I don't want you to miss the New Year festivities on my account!"
"Are you sure, I know he won't mind."
Setting down the mug, Rowan went over to April; she placed both hands on her friends' shoulders, "April, you are going out tonight, and you are going to enjoy it!"
Both smiled as the matter was settled. Turning, Rowan hobbled over to the table and sat down, absently swirling the sugary sweet coffee around inside the mug. He said he loved me but maybe it's just lust I mean, how often do they have female guests around that don't think their freaksor in their age brackethe can't like me for my looks butDr.Phyll! Help! I think I've fallen for a mutant turtle!
~*~
"So, what's on the agenda for tonight?"
"Well Raph, I thought we could go visit Ro'. I mean, she must miss us right?"
"I think she might only like ya for your gross casserole."
"My casserole is not gross! It's not fault you don't like good cooking."
"Whatever. Hey Leo, you gonna join us or what?"
"Yea, just give me a second. I'm trying to find something."
"Hurry up Leo, it's getting late." Don yelled back.
Running out, Leo saw that Raphael and Mike had already left, leaving him and Don behind.
"What were you looking for anyway?"
"Remember that creep we gave to the P.D.? The day before Christmas?"
Don rubbed the small wound absently, as if to prove that yes, he did remember. Leo caught this and rolled his eyes.
"Okay, so you do. Well he left his wallet, which means that we can get a few party favorsthat is, if April will go into the store for us."
"What kind of party favors are we talking about here?"
"I thought maybe a few hats, some noise makersyou know, something to liven the night up."
Donatello smiled, "I'm sure Rowan will just love it if you gave Charlie some noise makers."
"Well, I'm sure she won't mind. Come on, we don't want to be left behind do we?"
"Nope, and I bet I could beat ya to the surface just like when we were younger too!" He grinned and took off, grabbing a large head start. Leonardo took only a second to comprehend before racing after his brother. I don't know what happened, but he's like his old self again, even more open than before. Maybe it's the fact that Rowan's not here.
~*~
Rowan looked up from the oven at the sound of the doorbell. Shutting the small door she took off her oven mitts and limped over to the door, smiling as she opened it to reveal the snow covered turtles.
"Jeez it's freezin' out there!" Raphael said as he plopped down beside Charlie on the couch.
"Don't you guys have winter wear?"
Leonardo held up his coat, "This is our winter wear Ro'."
"Mmm.whatcha cooking.smells delicious!"
She watched Mike gravitate to the oven, but she slapped his hand away good-naturedly.
"Nuh uh, not until it's done! Which will be in about five minutes, so be patient."
"Hah! Mikey, patient? That's a laugh, you'd have better luck tellin' Donnie not to invent something."
Rowan shook her head, smiling. But the mention of the turtle caused her heart to skip a beat and she glanced nonchalantly over her shoulder, trying to locate the purple clad turtle. She spotted him shuffling some cards for Charlie; he seemed to feel her eyes on him for he looked up. But she looked away at the last moment, unsure if he had mentioned anything to the others.
"Uh, Ro'? Is it done yet?"
Laughing, she turned around, "You beg worse than a puppy does, you know that Mike?"
Her answer was a slight tremor around his mouth as Mike incorporated the puppy face. She turned a hard eye on it, but couldn't resist.
"Oh alright! It's done, it's done. Will you just stop looking at me like that already!?" She said exasperated, throwing up her hands in defeat.
"I win! No one can resist 'the face'."
"Heh, you'd think as a mother I'd be use to it by now, but nooo."
"I win!"
Rowan looked over to see her son bouncing up and down on his knees happily, pointing to the cards. Finally he calmed down enough to ask Donatello for another game. Upon which he agreed, as long as he could teach him a new game.
"What kinda game?"
"Hey Don, remember that kid is only five, so no Einstein stuff." Raphael called over to his brother.
Donatello ignored him and leaned in, making sure he had Charlie's full attention.
"It's called Seven Up, and it's really fun."
Rowan watched as he described the rules, knowing she would be forced to play the new game later. Don laid out seven cards in a straight line, and set the left over pile to the side, each time one of them picked up a card from the pile that was 1-7 they had to switch the face up card and place the reject on the bottom of the pile, and continued on until all seven cards were up.
"Raph, will you play Seven Up wit me?"
"Sure kiddo."
She looked over to see that Mike had taken the dish from the over for her before it burned, and she mentally smacked herself. Great, you coulda burned the place downand now you're over reacting again. Oh well, he seems to be pleased with it anyway.
"Awwyou ruined the surprise!" She pouted, coming up behind him.
"Sorry, but can I say that it's a great surprise!"
Michelangelo leaned in to smell the large pizza she had made, and she laughed at the sheer reverence that he seemed to have for it.
Oy, men.
"Well, are you just going to sit there and smell it all night, or are you going to share?"Digging out the pizza slicer for him, she left Mike alone in the kitchen trusting that the green connoisseur knew what he was doing.
"You guys sure you don't mind spending the new year with a single mom all alone?"
"Course not, we wouldn't want you here by yourself anyway. I mean, you're suppose to spend it with your friends to begin with right?" Leo said, looking up from the game between Raphael and Charlie.
Rowan nodded, and caught herself glancing Donatellos' way and forced herself to look away. Maybe he realized that doesn't like me after all. I mean, the next morning, he acted like nothing happened. Maybe maybe he thinks you're just too much of a burden, or not right for him
"Ro'? Rowan? Earth to Rowan, ya there?"
With a start she turned to Mike, who was holding out a plate of pepperoni pizza for her, she took the plate gratefully. Relieved that she had something to concentrate on. Donatello watched her out of the corner of his eye as she bite into the food hungrily. And he wondered if his brothers would pick up on something amiss, he prayed that they wouldn't he still needed some time to talk to Rowan about what had happened.
Maybe she realized just how different I am, we never had a chance to be alone long enough to talk that night. Maybe what happened was destiny trying to prove that we shouldn't be together.
~~~~ Christmas Night/ Boxing Day ~~~~~~~~
"I meant what I said Rowan. I love you."
She stared up at him in wonderment, unbelieving even still that someone could love her. He watched as her fingers gentle touched her lips, still feeling his on hers.
"Donatello, I don't know what to say. I mean how? Why me?"
He laughed slightly moving his hand to cup her face, watching the blush forming along the bridge of her nose, making the splay of freckles stand out over more on her cream colored face.
"Rowan, please tell me if I am out of line, I'm so sorry if I was. But, I can't help how I feel about you."
"No, but I -"
A shout down the hall caused Rowan to jump, fear leaping into her heart as she began to hop haphazardly down the hall toward Charlie's room. Donatello grabbed her other arm and helped her the rest of the way and Rowan couldn't help but feel sorry for herself at her lack of mobility.
"Charlie, sweetie did you have a bad dream?"
She sat down on the edge of his bed, wiping the matted hair off of his forehead. Charlie looked over to her, then up at Don standing behind his mother, a hand on her shoulder.
"Mom?" His voice was thinned with fear and he clung to her, sobbing.
"Shhh..Mommies here, don't worryI'm here."
"The monsters were after me, they wanted to hurt me."
From where he was standing he could tell that the boy was still trembling, he was about to say they would talk in the morning, but something stopped him. Turning, he paused at the door to say good night to Rowan and left. Settling back down in the chair, he heard a stirring on the couch beside him.
"Wa's wrong?" a sleepy voice whispered.
"Nothing Raph, Charlie had a bad dream is all. Rowan's in with him now."
""
Turning the other way, Raphael seemed to fall asleep instantly, Don watched him wishing that he could fall that easily. He waited up as long as he could, but Rowan didn't come out.
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TBC