Even with all of my re-posting, I haven't forgotten about those of you who have been in this from the beginning. My M/E Chronicles began with 'How To Meet a Girl', charged on with 'How To Treat a Girl', then took a breath during 'How To Hate a Girl'. Things recharged for the turtles and co. in 'Optimum Illusion', sizzled during 'The Black Tie Affair', and a few things still lingered throughout my last story, 'Tempered Out'. This story picks up where that one left off... with as much suspense, humor, and ninja-knuckled fights as ever!

If you're just joining the excitement, you should be able to get through this one within having read the others... I'll leave that discretion to you. Otherwise, I wish my readers a happy read as always. And as always, comment, comment, comment!

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March, 2016, North Carolina, USA

Emma shouldn't have set her hope on finishing her day at five. There'd been no skirt involved, only her paint-splattered jeans and a peach-and-teal striped shirt. Yet, it was a proven fact that mere observation made iron clad realities change. Whatever the case, she was trudging up the steps to the door of her apartment. Once inside, she slung her bag against the wall in the opening hallway, and planted her exhausted butt on the couch… to the sudden vibrate of her cell in her back pocket.

Aaagggh! Emma rolled her head to the ceiling, digging it out. If there's another leak in the octopus tank… oh, it's Mikey!

Emma glanced around the sitting room before she answered. Due to the Carolina's property values, she was harboring three roommates; whom had forced her to take the pull-out bed in the screened-in porch. A lesser woman might complain about the kinks it put in one's back… Emma flipped her phone open. "Heeeyyyy, Mik-"

"Emma." A voice far too worried to be Mikey cut her off. "Listen, um… Leo's hurt. Like, real bad. We… Shredder's got these new…"

Emma blinked, checking this info into her brain. "Whoa… how bad? What happened?"

Mikey didn't answer. Rather April did. "Emma. The guys fought with the Foot and Leo was injured. Bad and… none of us are sure how to… is there any way you can just, get here?"

Talk about being blindsided! Between Emma's hours with the research program, new social ties, and helping out in the church nursery, they had barely talked in months. Things had refused to repair themselves because neither of the girls- or guys- were willing to make the first repair. Emma had realized this around Christmas time, but hadn't been able to communicate as much. The turtles, April, Casey… they were all plenty strong together and had no doubt moved on. Yet, April was requesting her presence- and her medical bag. Emma brushed her stray hairs back, like it might help with her mental process. "April, I'm in North Carolina, remember."

"Donnie…" April pleaded and the phone changed voices again. "Emma, hi. Listen, I realize that this' out of the blue, but, if you can, I've bumped you into a 6:10 flight out of Charlotte. If you make it, you'll get here in an hour. We're holding off the bleeding, but we need you to stitch him up. Please."

Emma already felt the need to explode. Bleeding… they were going to hold it off for an hour? "I- I'll be there. Who's meeting me at JFK?"

"Casey'll meet you," Don relaxed by a few octaves. "We managed to get Leo into the back of his van; we're driving there now."

"Just keep the pressure on." Emma reminded him, stepping back to her bag. "I know what to bring."

Emma was already filtering through the pockets to ensure her supply of thread, needle, and antiseptic. She always kept an extra kit at home for the purpose of traveling onsite, but this one would be better equipped. And she had her medical card that would slip it right through security. She told Donnie to set up an IV if possible and hung up. Emma performed her first duty of leaving a note for any roommate that might happen through. Then she was in her car and halfway to the airport before remembering she'd forgotten a toothbrush and extra underwear. Well, wouldn't be the first time I borrowed from April.

Would she be okay with that? It had been seven months since she had seen or talked with April, Casey, with anyone outside of Mikey. And being the sweetheart that he was, he didn't ask about… and Emma didn't offer up anything about it either. The holes from the needles had closed up by now, their circular scars a faded pink in their new skin on her throat and forehead. But there were other side effects. Her continuing fear of bathtubs, her trouble swallowing, and monthly nightmares…

Why did all that dark stuff have to happen? Emma would find herself still asking. I'm too happy for it to go happening to me. And then there's…

Not to mention that it kept blotting out the laughter with Mikey, the girl nights with April, and the sweet exhilarating of knowing her own personal ring of superheroes. In the end, that's what they were. And in truth, Emma knew that if she had just hung around Mikey and April and everyone, it would've been alright. They would understand. But contact had been minimal… and that had been her purpose in moving, right? So as not to put further stress on the family.

Oh well. Emma shrugged as she braced for the descent of the plane. Here is goes.

She didn't have long to wonder. Once the steel giant screeched to a stop, she grabbed her bag and headed out. Her phone showed a text and she checked it, keeping her bag close through the darting hordes of travelers.

Casey's van is parked at the bottom level of the parking garage. Hurry.

The plea in those singular words set a vibe that Emma wasn't accustomed to with the turtles. Sure, they faced evil and defied death on a daily basis, but they never took themselves seriously- but then, they were still eighteen. Aw man, does that make me twenty-one!

Her lofty train of thought was really meant to distract her from the agonizing pace of the airport elevator. As it finally binged to ground level, she bolted off and into the echoing underground of the parking garage. BMW, beemer- how did that fit in here?- Chevrolet,- ah, the mammoth Volkswagon from 1986! Good to see that Casey never lost his taste. And speaking of Casey… there he was, edgy and watching at the back doors of the van. It gave Emma a brief pause. "C-Casey."

His head erected, hair as long and black as ever, eyes piercing in a rare panic. He stepped in and hugged her! "This has been the longest three hours of my life!"

A gazillion feelings were waiting to burst from Emma at his hug, but she realized that wasn't why she was here. They needed her professional side, her medical side. She breathed in and pulled back. "Then let's get to Leo as fast as…"

Casey swung one of the back doors open. Emma cried out at the sight of Leo filling up the floor. "You brought him HERE!"

"He needs treatment ASAP." Donnie looked up from beside his brother's head. Emma climbed in after Casey, not failing to spot April sitting upfront with watered, worried eyes. "Treatment for?"

Donnie answered her with a lean back from Leo's side.

So? Thrilled to have Emma back?