FYI: I usually write April as a grad student, so she's in her mid to late 20s here and the guys are about 17.
Enjoy!
April heaves a sigh of relief when she hears the news. Snow day for the kids, a whole day to devote to tomorrow's exam for me.
She hears a flurry of excited tapping at her window and she jumps- it's barely six am. Sure enough Michelangelo is grinning widely with childish excitement oozing from every pore as April lets him in. He is talking a mile a minute as he shrugs out of his coat and scarf, even though she could have sworn turtles were supposed to be sluggish in the cold.
"So when are you going outside?" The teen flits from one window to another, gushing at how wonderful it looks from her apartment.
"Mikey it's six in the morning."
"So?" he barely spares her a glance as he tries to see between the next two buildings.
"The sun's not even out yet and I have an exam tomorrow to study for."
"But you never get the day off!"
"Mike I really need this."
"But-"
"Look Michelangelo I have things to do all right? I have a life, I can't just drop everything and go outside." she regrets her tone at once, as the turtle's shoulders slump slightly and he tries to laugh it off.
"Well we don't really have a life so we'll be home if you finish early." He's out the window before she can remind him he's left his jacket and scarf. He'll be back for them. She reassures herself, trying to assuage the guilt by telling herself she'll apologize when he returns. Ugh- I can't believe I had to pull out his whole name. I sounded like Splinter…
Ten minutes go by, and the Hot Chocolate Peace Offering is now cold. Worried, she calls him.
He doesn't pick up after three tries and she's about to call his brothers when her phone rings. "Mikey don't do that! I was about to call Leo-"
"C-c-can I g-get my jacket?" his words are impossibly slow now and her heart leaps in alarm.
"Don't be ridiculous Mikey get down here."
"Don s-says never s-sleep when its c-cold."
"So don't sleep," she really is concerned now, "Where are you?" April has already grabbed her coat and is ready to search for him when she hears a slow hesitant tapping at the window.
She lets him in at once, he stumbles towards the couch but has to stop because he's shivering so hard. She doesn't know how she gets him in the bathtub but she pulls off his soaked sweatshirt and he manages to wriggle out of his jeans. Soon the violent shaking has stopped and his skin is no longer ice cold, but his freckles still stand out in stark contrast to his pallor. She sits him on the couch under all the blankets she has and gives him tea with enough honey to choke a bear.
His teeth stop chattering and his color finally returns to normal, but her hopes are dashed when he sneezes three times in a row.
He was out there for less than twenty minutes! But already he's mumbling about a headache and his voice is hoarse despite the honey. Perfect... She gets a panicked call from Leo and reassures him the youngest Hamato is safe, but seems to have come down with something.
"I'll bring him over later," she says, watching the dozing turtle, "I don't want him so cold again right now, it'll mess with his system this soon."
"Call Don if anything happens, all right?"
"Will do, see you later."
She hangs up just as Mikey sneezes himself awake. "Was that Leo?" he sounds horribly congested but it doesn't faze him as he looks around blearily for his clothes, "I gotta get back."
"Nu-uh," she pushes him down again, "You're staying right on the couch until your body figures out what's going on. And your clothes are in the dryer right now so don't try anything. Leo already knows what's up."
He sighs- frustrated, and hugs his knees to his chest, "I really screwed up your day didn't I?" he finally adds gloomily.
"Well you sure tempted fate by wandering around outside without your coat-" she catches his expression and softens the remark with a rueful smile, rubbing his head affectionately, "But it's not like you meant to get sick."
He leans into her touch and they share a companionable silence for a few moments before April gets up. "I really do have a lot to do today Mikey- but there's no saying I can't spend time with you too. Just sit tight for a few minutes okay?"
She brings her notes and a couple of movies and settles down by the coffee table. "Are you feeling movies or music right now? You said your head was hurting- but I can't give you any of my human meds."
"Music," Michelangelo yawns, his head is throbbing terribly and he's hoping music will let him sleep it off.
"Great," April tosses him her iPod, remembering belatedly his reflexes must be more than a little shaky. He surprises her and catches it deftly, scrolling through artist after artist until making his selection.
"Beethoven?" April nods in appreciation as the familiar sonata starts to play. She plugs in the speakers and soon Michelangelo has drifted off to the rising and falling notes of the violin steadied by gentle piano accompaniment, his mouth open slightly.
She turns to her written notes and begins- looking up every now and then at the snow that continues to fall and checking that her charge is comfortable.
It's midday when April decides she cannot force anymore information into her brain without a break and she stands to stretch her legs, walking over to the window. Nostalgia sweeps over her as she remembers years of building snowmen with her father. Struck by sudden inspiration, she turns to make sure Michelangelo is still sleeping. Scribbling a note informing him she's only stepped out, she pulls on several layers of clothing and sneaks out the window- making sure to leave it unlocked.
Michelangelo stirs at hearing the window lock click into place an hour later. "Whas goin' on?" he quickly regrets sitting up so quickly and winces as the blood rushes from his head.
"Relax Mikey, it's only me." April is unwinding her scarf, cheeks bright pink from the cold but her eyes shining just the same, "I'll tell you later I promise. How are you feeling?"
"My head doesn't hurt anymore but I'm starving. Can I make something?"
"Only if you're feeling up to it- I'll give you a hand anyway, I didn't realize I skipped lunch."
In the end Mikey starts feeling lightheaded and so she has the turtle sit and chop up vegetables while she makes a simple chicken and rice soup. Another hour later Michelangelo has finished his first helping and is working on a second. "You're feeling better," she laughs.
"This is great. Seriously April, how come you like never volunteer to cook at our place?"
"Are you kidding? You're resident chef Mike, I just picked some stuff up here and there from friends, family, and the internet."
"So what were you doing outside?" He catches her off guard and she swallows a mouthful of burning liquid, hastily gulping water to quell the fire.
"Grab my phone from the kitchen," she gasps out, her eyes watering. Eyes alight with curiosity he scurries from the room, taking the opportunity to serve himself another helping of soup- and returns bearing the device. April fiddles with the phone and pulls up the photos she'd taken only hours ago.
"Dude…." She has the honor of rendering her youngest surrogate brother almost speechless as he swipes through photo after photo of her posing with a massive snowman with an orange scarf, three other familiar snowmen in the background. "You're so awesome."
"I needed a study break and figured since your brothers won't let you out again for awhile-" she shrugs.
"I'm helping you study." he declares, slurping up the last of his soup.
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," April warns, clearing the table.
He scoffs, "I'm offended. I help Donny all the time with his stuff."
Hours later Michelangelo's voice starts to give out and she forbids him from speaking, handing him several books to keep him busy.
It's late when she hears a familiar tapping at the window. All three of them are there, looking anxiously over her shoulders for their brother. "He's fine, he dozed off a little bit ago-"
"Hey it's a party!" Mikey is sitting up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes hurriedly as he takes in the presence of his brothers.
"Mikey ya bonehead," Raphael is the first to give him a noogie and tries not to hover as Donatello makes his initial assessment of Michelangelo.
"Ya know sensei added a third training session today?" he glares at his younger brother as though it were his doing.
"Really?" Michelangelo's heart leaps, Splinter never holds three training sessions more than once every two weeks at least.
"Yeah, to 'keep us warm'," Donatello snorts and exchanges an exasperated look with Raphael.
"Don't get too excited Mikey," Leo interrupts Michelangelo's cheer, "Master Splinter promised you'd do your own individual session with him as soon as you're better."
"Aw!" Michelangelo breaks off and coughs painfully several times, his throat not appreciating the strain.
"Serves ya right fer goin' off in tha snow ya maniac," Raphael acts as though he were going to hit him but instead rubs his shell.
"Yeah- and about that," Donatello launches into a lecture about the dangers of hypothermia.
"How was he?" Leo asks quietly, watching his brothers on the couch.
"He was a little listless in the morning but once he warmed up he slept for about five hours and woke up ready to eat me out of house and home as usual." she grins easily, holding no grudges. "There's soup for you guys too if you want to take any home. We had fun. He even helped me study before I made him stop and take a rest."
"Did you take a rest?" Leo raises both eye ridges, "We haven't seen you in forever."
April almost giggles, "Yeah- I made a few snowmen."
"Those were yours?" Leo can't hide his grin.
"What can I say? His excitement this morning was definitely catching." she watches him fondly as he cuddles into Raphael, his family's presence soothing him. "All right, you guys had better get a move on before it starts to snow again!"
Minutes later Michelangelo is newly bundled up in his now fully dry clothes and is being ushered quickly to the window. "Hang on a sec Donny," he turns back to April, who was not expecting the warm embrace Mikey wraps her in.
"Thanks for everything onesan!"
Big sister. Huh. April manages to hug the freckled ninja back and sends them all off with leftover soup and promises to come down later that weekend.
Closing her window and shivering reflexively before the warmth of her apartment envelopes her once again she sits down one last time to her notes. It's past midnight when she goes up to bed. She glances outside and sure enough it has started snowing again.
Maybe tomorrow will be another snow day. She can't reign in her excitement, and falls asleep smiling.
END.
A/N: We had a snow day today and the moment I found out- this idea attacked me. Now its time to get back to studying- last lecture exam tomorrow and finals are next week! I hope you liked this oneshot, please let me know what you thought! :]
-G