Day 26 of Write Every Day in November: So I hope you guys are having a good turkey day. I do want to say that I understand that what April tells the turtles is a very watered down and historically inaccurate version of what happened at the first Thanksgiving. However, I figured that April wouldn't want to muddy the water with all the things that are wrong about what we were taught. She just wants to give the boys a basic history of what happened. Again for those of you who celebrate it Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you have a great day.

A Turtles Thanksgiving

Summary: April is sad that with her father captured she won't get to celebrate Thanksgiving with him. The brothers find out and after April explains what Thanksgiving is they decided to have April celebrate Thanksgiving with them.

Mikey noticed that April had been sad lately… well sadder. She always tried to smile, but it was rarely a real one. Mikey understood why April was sad. Her father was gone and while he and his brothers were doing everything they could to get him back she still missed him. Still ever since after Halloween she became harder to cheer up. "April what's wrong?" He asked. April looked like she was going to say she was fine, but his question had gotten his brothers attention and April might be able to lie to one of them, but not all four.

The red headed human sighed. "I'm upset that this year I won't be able to have Thanksgiving with my dad. It's always been just the two of us, but I'd make a small meal and we'd eat it together and watch a movie."

Mikey and his brothers frowned, but more in confusion than sympathy. "What's Thanksgiving?" Mikey asked.

April looked surprised and she was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "It's a day when we give thanks for the good things we have. A long time ago a bunch a people crossed the sea and came here to America. They were unprepared for how harsh it was though and they wouldn't have made it had it not been for the native Americans. They knew the land well and helped the people survive the harsh winter. They celebrated by having a big feast and to celebrate how thankful we are for the things we have we also have a big meal."

The brothers listened intently and when April finished Mikey spoke up. "You can celebrate Thanksgiving with us," he said happily.

April looked shocked, but Mikey kept going. "Yeah you can help us get the food and we can cook a big meal and eat together."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Donnie said.

The brothers agreed and began asking April all kind of question of what people ate on Thanksgiving. Splinter hearing the tidal waves of question came into the living room where everyone was. "What are you boys talking about?"

"Were celebrating Thanksgiving this year," Mikey cheered.

Splinter looked confused so April explained how she missed her family and what Thanksgiving was.

Splinter smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

April was still a little unsure, but the more they talked about it the more it felt right. He turtles and Splinter had become family to her so it was only right to celebrate a day of coming together with them.

The big day came and April helped Mikey with the cooking. Raph, Donnie and Leo helped as well, but only doing things like chopping and mixing. For some reason Mikey was really the only one who picked up the skill of cooking. Donnie was okay since cooking was really just chemistry, but Raph and Leo were awful cooks. It was kind of funny as Leo had a tendency to master anything he put his mind to, but he and cooking just didn't click. Raph just found it boring so he never really bothered to learn.

When everything was done they put all the food at the table and sat down, but before they could dig in April stopped them.

"Wait," she said as the group reached for the food. "We have to go around and say what were thankful for. I'm thankful for you guys. You not only saved me, but your risking yourselves to help me find my dad and more importantly you've become like a second family to me."

The small family was touched that April felt that way of them and there was a minute of silence before Mikey spoke. "I'm glad that we made a friend in April and that we today we get to eat good food with her."

"I'm also grateful for April and I'm happy that she'd become a part of our family," Splinter said.

"I'm glad we're getting closer to finding the krangg, but that today we just get to relax and enjoy being together as a family," Raph said.

"I'm glad that our family is safe and that we have a new member of our family," commented Leo.

"I'm glad April is in our lives and that we get to have our first Thanksgiving with her," said Donnie.

The group smiled at each other before digging in. The talked and laughed and ate way too much. When they finished with dessert they sat in the living room to watch TV and one by one fell asleep. Just before April drifted off she thought that despite her missing father this was one of the best Thanksgiving she ever had.