One Last Breath
A/N: Hey, here's a one shot in my Truth and Lies series that I've been meaning to get out. I know I've been slacking on updates to that series, but I've seriously hit a wall with the sequel. I just don't know where to go with it, and it's driving me crazy. So I figured that maybe posting the one shots I keep procrastinating on will help me get some inspiration as to what to do next. I really hope you enjoy this story even though it's going to be a sad one.
Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot of the story and nothing else.
Summary: It was supposed to be a fun party before April, her dad, and her sister left for Florida on vacation, but April had no idea that she would never see her friends again or that it would be the day she died. Truth and Lies one shot.
April O'Neil was so excited. Tonight she was going to have a small party with the Turtles before she went on vacation with her dad and her sister. She really wasn't happy that Robyn was coming, but her dad insisted that it would be good for Robyn to get out of the city now that she was home on a trial basis. Still, April couldn't help but be afraid that her sister was going to try something with her and ruin everything.
"Okay, I think I have everything," she said as looked at what she was going to bring. "I have food to snack on, a movie to watch, and even some games we can play."
"I don't think you should take all of that, April," Kirby said. "You're only staying there for a short time. It's not like it's a slumber party where you're staying over."
"I know, Dad, but I want it to be special," April insisted. "The Turtles are my best friends, and I want to have fun with them before I leave. I know they'll be sad I'm going, especially Mikey." She could just imagine the freckled Turtle's reaction when she told him that she was leaving for Florida and how sad he was going to be. Mikey was the most social of all of the Turtles and really loved making friends with people.
Kirby laughed. "Yeah, I can see that, too," he said. "But it's only going to be for two weeks and then you'll be back here in no time. It'll just fly by."
Robyn came out of her room and smirked at April. "You going to see those freak friends of yours?" she asked.
April glared at her. "They're not freaks!" she snapped. "Stop calling them that!"
"Well, they have to be freaks to be spending time with you," her sister retorted. "And if they aren't such freaks, why don't I get to meet them?"
"Because Dad told you to stay here," April replied.
"That's right, honey," Kirby said gently. "Let April spend time with her friends tonight. She can always introduce you when we get back. In fact, maybe you should tell them about Robyn tonight at the sleepover."
"I don't know if that's a good idea, Dad," April replied.
"Why not?"
"Because she's ashamed of me," Robyn interjected. "Who wants to have a sister who's in the loony bin? But then again, maybe they need to know that you put me there."
"I did it because you tried to kill me, Robyn," April reminded her.
"I did not!" Robyn protested. "You just did it out of spite."
"Girls, that's enough," Kirby said. "We don't need this animosity before our big trip. If April wants to wait until after the vacation to tell her friends about you then that's her decision. Now get to your room so you can pack because I'm pretty sure you haven't done it yet."
Robyn scowled but did as she was told. April breathed a sigh of relief. At least she'd be gone and wouldn't have to deal with her sister for a little while.
"April, I really wish you'd be nicer to Robyn," Kirby chastised. "She's really doing her best to adjust to life here now."
"I'm sorry, Dad, it's just that I can't forget what she did to me," April answered. "I just keep remembering how she held that knife to my throat and the look in her eyes when she did. It was awful."
"Well, I know she's sorry about it now, so you have to let it go," Kirby said gently. "Just try your best to forget about it and focus on the present. Isn't that what Splinter would say?"
April smiled, knowing that her dad was right. Master Splinter would definitely tell her to focus on the present instead of the past. "Yeah, he would say that," she conceded. "I guess I can do my best to let it go."
Kirby smiled and gave her a hug. "That's my girl," he said. "Now you have fun and tell the Turtles and Splinter I said hi."
"I will," she promised. She kissed his cheek, grabbed her things and headed out calling a goodbye to Robyn as she left. She heard no answer and felt sad about that but shook it off. Robyn was just jealous that she didn't get to go out and have fun tonight. April walked along, picturing the reactions of the Turtles when they saw her. They were always so happy to see her and always had a warm greeting for her whenever she showed up. She felt a sensation and turned around, thinking that someone was watching her. Had her sister snuck out and followed her here? She looked around and saw no one except a few people out having fun at one of the nightclubs. No, she was being paranoid and that was that. Shaking the feeling off, she made her way to the manhole cover she usually used to get to the Lair in a deserted alleyway.
When she arrived at the Lair, the Turtles and Splinter greeted her warmly. Mikey ran up and gave her a big hug then peered into her bag to see what she'd brought.
"Take it easy, Mikey," she laughed. "You'll get some food."
"I'm just so happy you're here," Mikey said. "This is gonna be the best slumber party ever."
"But it's not a slumber party, Mikey," April corrected him. "My dad and I are leaving for Florida tomorrow for two weeks. But we'll be back before you know it."
"Well as long as you get me a seashell so I can listen to the ocean and Mickey Mouse's autograph, it's all good," Mikey declared.
"I'll do my best," April promised.
They had some food and watched the movie April had brought. Raph wasn't too keen on it at first, but he soon was engrossed in the plot as he watched the four girls and their individual stories. After it was over, they talked about their favorite parts and which Turtle reminded them of which girl. April was having a blast and all thoughts of Robyn left her mind. She really felt it would be a good time to tell them, but she decided waiting was the best option since she wasn't sure what their reaction would be. Soon enough, it was time for her to go home.
"Man, it sucks that you have to leave so soon," Mikey said sadly. "Couldn't you stay a little longer?"
"Sorry, Mikey, but Dad said I have to be home early so we can get up and go to the airport," April explained.
"We're gonna miss you, April," Donnie said sadly.
"I'll miss you guys, too," April said giving Don a kiss on the cheek. "But I promise I won't slack off in my training and will do my best to keep it up."
"Make sure that you do," Leo said sternly. "If you don't, Sensei will know."
"See you in two weeks, kid," Raph said, ruffling her hair.
They walked with her as far as the manhole cover that would take her to the surface. Leo wanted to take her home, but she insisted that she would be fine. After all, she was training to be a kunoichi and didn't need any help getting home. With one last wave to her friends, April exited the manhole cover and began walking toward home. Once again, that feeling that something wasn't right washed over her and wouldn't go away. Just as she was walking toward the site of a future office building, her sister stepped out of the shadows, a devious smile on her face.
"Did you have fun with those freaks?" Robyn taunted.
"Stop calling them that!" April chastised. "What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be in your room packing."
"I'm all done and thought it would be good to get a walk in," Robyn answered. "The night's young and all."
"Wait until Dad finds out you snuck out," April chastised. "You're going to be in so much trouble when he finds out."
"Oh, he won't know a thing because I put a little something in his drink," Robyn replied. "He'll just think he fell asleep, and by the time he wakes up, I'll be in my room safe and sound."
"Fine, let's go," April ordered.
"Oh, you won't be coming with me," Robyn said.
"What do you mean?" April demanded. "We're supposed to go to Florida with Dad tomorrow. It's our vacation together as a family."
Robyn smiled nastily. "Oh, no, April it won't be three of us going," she said. "I'll be the only one going with him."
"You can't do that!" April protested. "I'm part of this family too!"
"No you're not," Robyn said. "You'll never be part of this family again. You always had everything I ever wanted, April: A nice home, a father who loves you, and even friends who care so much for you even if they are freaks. And what do I get? A stay in a loony bin where I have no freedom to do what I want! And it's your fault that I was put there!"
"You held a knife to my throat, Robyn!" April reminded her. "Did you want me to reward you with a trophy or something? You needed help."
"No, I was going to do what I had to do, April," Robyn retorted. "You never should have been born that day. I've hated you since the day we were born, but now I'm going to make things right as they should be."
Fear filled April at her sister's words. "You can't send me there!" she protested. "They'll know I'm not you in an instant."
"Oh, I'm not sending you to the loony bin, although that would be a fitting punishment," Robyn replied. Then she lunged at her sister and grabbed her. April struggled in her grip, her fingers reaching for the T-Phone to call the Turtles. Robyn saw this and pulled her finger back, reaching for the T-Phone and throwing it on the ground before crushing it beneath her foot. With a cry of rage, April slapped her sister hard, hoping it would knock some sense into her. Robyn retaliated with a kick to her stomach and a punch to her face, causing her to fall back. Then Robyn grabbed her ankle and dragged her toward the hole that was being dug for the site of an office building. April struggled, but her sister wouldn't let go no matter how hard April tried to pry her sister off of her. When they got to the hole, Robyn pinned her sister down, a malicious look coming into her eyes as her hands wound their way around April's throat.
"Robyn, please!" April whimpered. "You don't want to do this!"
Robyn looked into her sister's pleading eyes and relinquished her grip. "You're right," she said. "I can't kill you." She got off of her sister and helped her up.
"Of course you can't kill me," April replied. "We're sisters. Look, maybe we can start anew. After we come back from Florida, I'll tell the Turtles about you, and you can even meet them. I know they'll like you just as much as they like me. They're really sweet, and I know you'll find them to be great friends just as I do. Maybe Master Splinter can even teach you how to be a kunoichi like me." Hope filled her eyes as she pictured how they would spend time with the Turtles and even learn ninjitsu together.
Robyn mulled over April's words, but then the look faded. "Sorry, I don't want to be friends with a bunch of freaks," she said. "And I don't want to start a new life with you." And with that, she shoved April into the hole.
April felt herself falling and tried desperately to land on something, but she found nothing to hold onto and landed on her back. She felt something break and cried out. Instinct told her to call for her friends, but Robyn had smashed her T-Phone. There was no way she could contact them and have them help her. Images swam in her mind as she struggled to breathe. She saw her father smiling as he greeted her every morning. She saw Leo's look of concentration as he tried to master a kata and the look of bliss he wore on his face when he watched an episode of "Space Heroes." She saw Raph lifting weights and teasing Mikey. She saw Donnie's look of concentration as he worked in his lab and the joy in his eyes when he saw her. She'd never see that on his face again. She saw the pride in Splinter's eyes as she mastered a move he'd taught her. She tried to fight and be brave just as Splinter had taught her, but she couldn't do it anymore. The last thing she saw before she took her last breath was her sister leaning over the hole and gazing at her.
"Goodbye, dear sister," she said.
April wanted to call out a retort, but her dying body wouldn't let her, and she took in her final breath and let go.
The End
A/N: So that's the end of that little story. I know there was more to it than what I had in chapter nineteen of Truth and Lies, but that was my intention all along. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it gave you guys insight into how crazy Robyn really is. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day. And if you want to read the rest of my Truth and Lies series, the stories are: Truth and Lies, Liar Liar Pants on Fire, Hole, Holding Out for a Hero, Missing Links, The Ties That Bind, April Showers, and Secrets and Lies: A Truth and Lies Collection. Coming soon will be Surrounding Darkness which is Mikey's one shot and Web of Lies: Robyn's Tale. If I missed any, I apologize. It's so hard to keep track of all of the stories I've written for this series.