Full Summery: A recent string of robberies and kidnappings in New York ruins the new-found balance within the Hamato home. As the brothers delve into the mystery, a secret of Donatello puts Leonardo in danger. Soon, the clan is thrown into the down-trodden world of the desperate and must search for Leo with the help of new and old friends. Will those missing be found on time? Or is it too late for these hollow hearts? For one cyborg, Don doesn't think so. No matter what, he'll save Melody Gray too. [BOOK 2]
Genre: Sci-Fi, Suspense, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Tragedy, Romance
Universe: The world is a mixture. It's set in the 2k3 universe (in which seasons 1-3 and some of 4 took place) with minor elements from the 2007 movie and comics. Some features from the 2k12 series are also taken.
Rating: Mature for occasional fowl language, disturbing thematic elements, and violence. I'll place warnings on anything faint of heart would find 'intense'.
Author's Notes: Cowabunga, dudes and dudettes! Welcome to Hollow Hearts, the second installment in the Cause and Effect Saga. To read an overview of said series, check out character art, or follow the series' Facebook fan-page, please visit my profile. Now, prepare for this ride through hell. Er, I mean, enjoy this roller coaster!
Also, I would like to give a HUGE shout-out to Duckiepray for being AMAZING and helping me through this story. She's WONDERFUL, people. You should read her stuff! :D
Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nick/Eastman/Laird. Nia Anders, Hugh Reese, Melody Gray, and any other Original Characters you notice belong to me. I'm in no way making any money. Thanks.
Chapter 01 - Thanksgiving Day
April O'Neil brushed the full length of her tapered bangs aside for a better view of the dark-skinned man sitting across from her in a diner's booth. "Thanks for the offer, Hugh, but I think I'll pass," she said kindly.
"You sure?" asked Hugh, shoulders square beneath his trench coat. His honey brown eyes fell to the half-eaten order of fries by the redhead for a second then returned to her pale face. "You sure Casey—"
"He won't be there, trust me," April suddenly snapped. A tight line formed on Hugh's African lips in an instant, so the woman took a deep breath to ease the narrowed eyes she just realized she had formed. "Sorry, Hugh. Guess I'm still a bit sore."
"It's alright," replied the man as he sipped from a ceramic mug calmly. "You have every right to be."
"Jones left the city on Monday. If I know anything about him, it's that he won't be back for a while."
"I see…Are you still thinking about leaving yourself?"
"Yeah. I'll spend Thanksgiving Day with the guys then head out."
"Where do you plan to go?"
"Well," April started, "I was thinking about meeting a representative of mine in South America. I like to show my face once in a while to folks I import from continuously. After that, I plan to visit my sister Robyn in California."
"That's quite the trip," Hugh remarked, taking another sip.
"Yeah, well"—the woman's gaze fell on her unappetizing fries—"I need a break..."
Silence.
"April?" Slowly, April picked her head up to face the detective. "Can I offer a word of advice?" he asked.
"I guess," the redhead muttered.
"I can see what you're going through. Really, I can. You have the same expression Mia had whenever we would fight about having children…I know what I would have done if given more time with her, so as one boneheaded man speaking in the place of another, he'll regain his senses and come back home."
"You don't know Jones as well as you think you do, Hugh." The woman huffed. "He's an oblivious ass."
"Who I've first-handedly seen so distraught with rage that he was willing to move Earth and Heaven to keep you safe." Hugh's warm eyes prompted April to reply, but she remained silent. "Like it or not," continued the man, somewhat solemn, "he loves you. I can tell you still do as well, regardless of the dumb things he does and his inability to effectively say what he means. My wife's stuck with me all this time and I've had those same issues. She just gave me enough chances, which I'm thankful for."
"I've given Jones lots of chances. He's dashed almost every one."
The dark-skin detective hummed when April glared at him. "By all means, if you feel you've given him enough chances, give him no more. But only do it if you wholeheartedly believe it, without doubt. Trust me, the last thing you want is to wake up one morning and realize you've made a terrible mistake. That kind of thing haunts you."
Though April didn't particularly feel like smiling, she did, even if it was half-hearted. "I understand. Thanks, Hugh."
"What are friends for?" Hugh's smile was far more genuine. "Speaking of boneheads, though, how are Nia and…Raphael?"
"You're doing that dad thing again," April half-sung with an amused smirk.
"What dad thing?" Hugh countered.
"The thing where a father asks his daughter's friends how she and her boyfriend are doing rather than asking her directly."
"Yeah, well…it's just that you would know better than me. I don't see them near as often."
"How are you going to keep tabs on her when I'm gone?"
"Ask Michelangelo?"
The redhead sniggered. "I take it the time you and Mikey have been spending with Mia has been for the better?"
"He's an easy fellow to get along with. So, will you answer?" Hugh received a rather pointed look, but after a small shake of her head, his companion spoke.
"They're doing fine, I guess. They go out every night and spend more time together in the Lair, Mikey says. Raph doesn't really show his affection for her around his brothers, but that's expected. He's like Casey. It takes a while for him to show any kind of feelings when it isn't just the two of them…All I can say is I hope Nia's patience can withstand the stupidity that is to come from a boyfriend like Raph. She's in for a rude wakening when their first real fight comes along."
"Such the optimist." April glared and Hugh gave a nervous chuckle. "Anyways, what will happen if that fight takes place while you're gone? Will Nia be able to talk to you?"
"No, she won't," the redhead replied, grimacing. "I'll only have my business phone with me, so any personal contact here will be ignored. If she must talk, she has Mikey, who knows Raph better than I do. So, yes, Hugh, if you want to remain in the loop, you'll have to talk to him, gossip boy."
"Hey," Hugh whined.
"You set yourself up for jabs like that." The woman shrugged a little and raised an eyebrow before searching for her purse on the booth's bench. "But speaking of them, I better get going. It's almost three and I have to stop by the organic store for Splinter."
"More herbs?" The slight exasperation of Hugh's tone matched that of one who's asked the same question multiple times and the edges of his mouth downturned with a sigh.
"Yeah." April offered a weak smile that soon died. "The other oils aren't working anymore. His joints are beginning to lock for minutes at a time now, and though he doesn't say it, we can tell he's in great pain. This time Don and I are going to use Eucalyptus and Violet to make our own oils, see if those make any difference."
"Hope it does," spoke Hugh kindly to his now-standing friend.
"Me too," the redhead replied. "Have a great Thanksgiving with your girls, Hugh."
"You have a good one too. Oh, and April?"
Two steps from the booth, April turned, facing the African-American's light smirk. "Yes?"
"Nice haircut," he said smoothly. "It suits you."
The woman almost laughed. "Thanks, Hugh."
Hamato Raphael couldn't repress the strange look he sent towards Nia. Yeah, he'd known for a while that his girlfriend was a long-standing fan of the Silver Sentry. But he never expected she would act like this. The tall ex-hero had just arrived and joined Splinter, Nia, Leonardo, and Michelangelo in the Lair's living room while Donatello momentarily overtook kitchen duty and Raphael set up the long table they used for special occasions.
After the initial gaping like a banked fish and fit of silent screams, Nia managed this down-right geeky laugh that reminded Raph of a hyena on crack. Her hands shook with such excitement he almost swore they were capable of propelling her off her feet. This was followed by several squeaking noises where the phrase 'You're the Silver Sentry' could sometimes be heard. When the table finally sat upright in the area between the kitchen and couch, a realization raced through the hothead's mind that had his eyes frozen on Nia's silly grin: he's dating a geek like Mikey.
"Hey, Raph, you okay?"
Raphael blinked as a green hand waved in front of him. "What, Don?"
"I asked if you're okay," Donatello repeated. "You were staring into space…at Nia." The purple-banded mutant gave his brother a teasing smirk, though the older brother wouldn't face it.
"I was just thinkin' what a dork she is. Ya would think she met the coolest guy on the planet." Here, Raph paused to roll his eyes and cross his toned arms, vision set pointedly on his excited girlfriend. "Look at that star-struck stare. Come on, we've saved the world more times than he has!"
"But we don't have our own comic or television series, do we?"
"Maybe in anoddah world," Raph grumbled.
"Someone sounds jealous."
"I ain't that childish."
"Uh-huh…Well, it was good for you to convince him to come this year. I know this made her day."
"Huh?" Raph, eye ridges furrowed, turned towards his genius brother, who smiled. "I didn't convince him ta come. Mikey did."
"Oh." Pausing, Don nodded then returned his attention to Nia. "So Mikey did this for her then."
"What's that tone supposed ta mean?"
"Nothing, I'm just clarifying."
"Clarifyin' what?" With a huff, Raph jerked Don's shoulder quickly so the two made eye contact again.
"You know."
"What? That it should'a been me? What difference does it make?"
The younger mutant soured. "It could have something to do with you being her boyfriend," he said, just shy of sarcastic. "Doesn't it sound like a good idea to do, say, nice things for her?"
"I do things," Raph responded, glaring.
"Really? Like what?"
"Not for ya ta know."
"That's Raph code for 'I've done nothing memorable'. Seriously. Taking her out of the Lair no longer counts."
"I've done more than that."
"Kisses also don't count."
"Since when?"
"You have no sense of romanticism, do you?" Donatello sighed. "You've been together for half a month now. Don't you think it's time you did something more than just hang out on rooftops?"
"Nia hasn't complained about it," muttered the hothead.
"Because she's not that type of person."
"What are ya? My datin' coach?"
"Look, I'm just trying to help." With a sigh, the genius faced the kitchen yet kept his gaze on his older brother. "I'm not saying you need to act like a prince from some kid's movie. Just think about doing nice things for her once and a while. Then reactions like that"—Don jabbed a thick thumb over his shoulder towards the living room, where Nia's babbling could be heard—"will be reserved for you."
"How would ya know so much about this stuff anyway?" Raph asked carefully. Something about Don's somber look told the hothead his brother harbored fragments of jealously and experience. "This has something ta do wit' that—do ya smell somethin' burnin'?"
"Donny, you're letting my macaroons burn!" Michelangelo's high voice confirmed the waft of smoke that stung the air passage from Raph's nose to his lungs. The orange-banded Chūnin quickly stood from his seat beside Silver Sentry and dashed between his brothers, pushing them aside before he retreated to the kitchen, groaning. "Aw, man, that's the only batch I could make too!"
"Sorry, Mikey!" Don called back. With a cringe, his brown eyes fell on Raph then the kitchen's archway, which he soon passed through.
'Something's up wit him,' thought Raph as the genius disappeared.
"Raphael, my son, is the table ready to be set?"
In one fluid motion Raphael spun towards his father seated in an armchair then nodded. "Hai, Sensei."
"Then perhaps it is time you retrieved the tableware and cloth." The old rat gave a kind smile—one which could not mask his stiff pain from his own son. Even his weary voice echoed with it. Immediately, hidden concern drew Raph's eyes from his father's face to the paws the elder mutant kept atop his gnarled, wooden cane before him. They were clenched, locked in place beneath the long shawl that had recently become common place on Splinter's hunched figure. The master never liked attention being brought to his increasing stiffness, so the red-banded mutant did not let his eyes linger any longer than a second.
"I can do that, Master Splinter," a new voice added.
"April!" Nia yelled as she jumped from her seat. She said something to Silver Sentry (who Raph was quite sure hadn't gotten a full sentence from her yet) then dashed towards the redhead. The two females shared a tight hug as April set a plastic bag on the table. "You won't believe who's here!" Nia all but squealed. Quickly, she glanced towards Silver Sentry then back at April, pausing. "Your hair's shorter."
"Yeah, I felt it was getting old, so I wanted a new style," April replied with strained smile.
"I like it," replied Nia, nodding. Raphael would guess she was giving one of her trademark sweet smiles. "Layered hair is trendy and I love how it frames your face down to your shoulder tops. I wasn't sure how good you would look with bangs, but these are nice."
"Uh, thanks, Nia."
"Wh—what? Did I say something unkind?"
"It's okay." Grinning, April placed a hand on the bare shoulder Nia's over-sized sweater exposed. "So, are the table cloths in the same spot? Or has Mikey reorganized things again?"
"Ha-ha!" came Mikey's sarcastic voice from the kitchen.
Splinter chuckled, coughing slightly. "They are in the same spot as last year, O'Neil-san," he said.
"Arigatou," replied the redhead. Her green eyes fell on Nia then, who nodded instantly.
A faint smile worked its way across Raph's wide mouth as the duo left the living room in search for something clean to decorate the table with. It pleased him Nia was making more of an effort to be involved and helpful, instead of sitting in a room all day.
'If that's true, then maybe ya should do somethin' nice for her,' one part of his mind interjected. Raph had to shake the thought away, though; he could think about that later.
"April, is this the Eucalyptus and Violets Don was mentioning?" Leonardo questioned over the low chatter of radio music. The Jonin neared the long table and inspected the plastic bag in his hands as he awaited a reply.
"Yeah!" replied April from a distance.
After a brief moment the women returned from a narrow hallway, a pair of sheets in their hands. Raph's eyes immediately glanced from the cream sheet April held to the dark beige sheet Nia carried. He quirked an eye ridge when his attention fell on April, who gave the group a knowing smile.
"Nia insisted," she said. "Said one sheet wouldn't be as aesthetically appealing."
"No need ta make it fancy on our part, Nia," added Raph with a light smirk. "We ain't exactly the 'Country Club' 'round here."
"No, I want to!" Nia spoke quickly, teal eyes wide as they stared back at the red-banded mutant. Raphael could identify the slight tremor in her voice as her tell she may cry and without delay found himself cursing a certain redheaded man that he had actually grown to find more annoying than Mikey's silly pranks. "This is my first Thanksgiving with my new family," continued the black-haired human softly. "I can't cook, but I can decorate. So please let me…It means a lot."
"It's alright, Nia," Leo interjected after a moment's pause. When the young woman drew her attention his way, he smiled warmly. "I think what Raph meant is that you don't have to go over-the-top to prove anything. You've already proven yourself to this clan."
"Thanks, Leo," Nia replied in a barely audible whisper. She mirrored his smile, though sorrow could still be detected in her clenched jaw.
"Well then, Nia and I will get to setting up the table," April remarked boldly as she wrapped an arm around the younger female's shoulder. Smiling, she guided Nia past Donatello into the kitchen.
"What's wit' ya, Brainiac?" asked Raph.
"I got kicked out," Don replied as if stumped on a mathematical equation. "Apparently, I'm a liability in the kitchen." A short round of laughter erupted from the group as the purple-banded ninja made his way to Leonardo, his mouth pursed. "Thanks, guys."
"That's alright," Leo said. He held up the plastic bag still in his hands. "I wanted us to work on this anyway."
Instantly, the taller mutant's expression softened into a concerned frown. "Oh, yeah. Follow me." Leo did so without another word.
"I think I'll go help Michelangelo in the kitchen." Raphael did a double take when Silver Sentry spoke, rising from the couch; he had almost forgotten the superhuman was there. With a small wave of his hand, the ex-hero exited the room. This left Raphael and Splinter alone.
"My son, come sit by me," called Splinter after a short pause. Raphael barely had time to plop on the couch's end cushion before the elder mutant continued. "You are troubled."
'He reads us like a book, don't he?' Raph thought with a sigh. Guess there was no use in fighting it.
"That bastard shouldn't 'a said any 'a those things ta her!" snarled the mutant turtle. He felt his crossed hands clench his biceps tightly, and kept his narrowed eyes on his father's somber face.
"Language, Raphael," countered Splinter sternly.
"Gomen…"
"I agree that Anders-san was unjust with his words."
"Unjust?" A low snarl bubbled in Raph's throat that he was unable to hold back. "Why not try 'a narcissistic asshole'? Or 'a close-minded—'"
"Raphael, that is quite enough!" The harsh clap of Splinter's wooden cane against the Lair's concrete floor silenced the hothead. "Even I empathize with your frustrations towards the man, my son. However, you must let his words flow over you like water over stone."
"If it was just me that'd be no problem, Sensei," Raphael replied with his head ducked. "But ya didn't have ta see Nia's face when Gavin told her 'I guess it's about time ya outgrew yer parents'. Sensei, he was guilt trippin' her the whole time Mikey an' I were leavin' wit' her. Sayin' things like 'I know yer mother would never leave ya like this'. That kinda shit sticks wit' Nia, ya know?" Lifting his head, the student faced his master with a frown as deep as his voice. He moved a hand to the armrest, which he gripped tightly with his three fingers.
For a long moment Splinter stared back. Then, finally, he sighed. "Anders-san has grown more hostile in the past two weeks," the rat started, soft. "It is understandable, given the condition of his wife. We are the closest things he can lash out against, save from the medical staff."
"It's more than that," Raphael added bitterly. "He ain't used ta sharin' his daughter…an' our kind ain't exactly the company he wants her ta keep."
"Even so, harboring resentment will gain us little leeway with him."
In an instant Raphael locked eyes with his father—his expression solemn and his heart heavy. "We've saved his daughter's life on a few accounts. That earned us no leeway. I don't think we're ever gunna gain his favor or pardon, Sensei…"
"Alright, who's ready for food?" Michelangelo's loud cry broke the small staring contest of Raphael and Splinter, drawing their attention to the culinary spread on the dining table. April, Nia, Silver Sentry, and Mikey grinned expectantly at the duo. "Phil, Ernie, and the Professor just arrived too," continued the orange-banded ninja. "That completes the list."
"I'll go get Leo and Donny," added Nia softly.
Raphael watched her head for Don's lab then stood from his seat. He faced his master only after a few deep breaths, but even then he could still feel the embers of his rage lingering in his chest. Shaking his head pushed their intensity out of mind long enough for the hothead to offer his father a hand and a small smile.
"Let's just have a good Thanksgivin' Day," he said.
"Yes," Splinter replied while reaching for his son's hand, "I do believe we all need a good day."
Author's Notes: And so it begins. Don't forget to review! :D