There were some things that I missed about home. Having my mother as company was one of those things. Along with that came with free food, laundry, I even had a roof over my head. Then there were the bad parts, despite how amusing they were.

I'm twenty-six and my mother, out of habit I suppose, decides to wake me up at five. Now as aggravating as that was, I ended up laughing when my mother tripped over the skateboard I left laying in the middle of the floor. She wasn't too happy, but ended laughing it off as she exited the room.

After that small incident, the rest of the morning went by in a blur. Mom gave me another cup of coffee before kicking me out the door to head on over to the University. Of course, she handed me the keys to her car, not dad's old truck. Even then the interview went by and I got home just before lunch.

I knew my mother was gone before I walked through the door. I had grown accustomed to being greeted by silence. Living in separate hotel rooms from my coworkers. It was different from living with four teenage boys. Turtles they were, but male nonetheless.

I shut the door behind me, kicking the uncomfortable heels off then dropping my purse on the kitchen table. I took a look around the empty house, understanding why my mother had been so upset when I chose to leave. She was alone.

My fingers worked to refill my empty coffee cup, all the while I put my sense into overdrive. My ears working to catch the slightest sound that would be out of place, while my nose worked to find any unwelcome stranger. I was pretty much the best security system, not to brag of course.

I was about to sit on the couch, listening to the sound of fresh coffee brewing when their scent hit me. I froze, staring like a deer caught in the headlights in the direction of the front door. I listened to the lock on the door clicked open, then the hinges of the door opening.

"Mrs. Blackthorne? It's and Raph and I!" Donnie's voice made me bolt from my spot on the couch. Obviously my mother didn't inform the turtles I was here, something I was thankful for. Yet that meant every time they came over to check on the bike, that meant I had to hide, or curiosity would rise if my bike wasn't here.

I managed to somehow shove myself into the hallway closet, pushing aside the winter jackets so I could press my back up against the far wall. Cringing when I heard Donnie's voice in the kitchen while I followed Raph's scent head towards the garage. Oh God, the car. Raph would easily notice that it was just used.

I listened to the door open again, waiting for that warning shout from Raphael. I shrank to the floor, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

"Hey, Don! The car is still warm."

"That's odd, seeing she's not here."

I followed Donnie's scent to linger with Raphael's. I froze again when I felt the tension in the air rise up a few notches.

"The truck is gone." Raphael pointed out before I started turning them out. Not that it mattered, the sound of my hear pounding drowned out their voiced. I heard my mother's warning when she informed me about Raphael's ruthlessness.

"I'm gonna take a look around." Raph's gruff voice startled me, letting me know that he stood just on the other side of the door.

I took that moment to crawl to the door, sitting on my knees as I placed a hand on the wooden barrier. I breathed him in, taking in that familiar muskiness that was Raph's and Raph's alone. I caught the whiff of cigarette smoke and whiskey; so my mother wasn't lying.

I let the fear overcome me when I realized Raphael was heading up the stairs. They probably wouldn't recognize me. I grabbed the shot gun and intentionally, but also unintentionally, made a sobbing noise. That caused and interesting chain reaction.

I fell on my butt when the door was jerked open, thus subconsciously pulled the trigger. I knew I missed, mostly because no one was in the door way. "I have a gun!" I let my voice crack, yet I didn't inform them that I knew how to use it.

"Obviously." Raphael's voice came from the left.

"Take it easy, Raph." Donnie's voice came from the right.

"Take it easy? Obviously you forgot that she just shot at us." Raphael snapped, the minor shock subsiding.

I took their bickering as the time to stand. My shoulder throbbing, I forgot the kick this thing had.

"Sorry to interrupt this bickering, but when a terrified citizen mentions about having a gun, the best bet is to shut up and leave. So get the fuck out of my house." I snapped, glad that I still sounded terrified. Watching my hands shake, I wasn't fooling myself.

"Does it help that we're friends with Amanda?" Donnie asked and I jerked at the quiet sound of shuffling.

"And who said this was your house? The only people who lived here is Amanda and her daughter." Raphael growled, making me shudder. I heard the sound of his sai's being pulled from his belt.

"Cadence is my cousin, Amanda is my aunt. Thus, that would make it my house. Plus, anyone can say their friends with Amanda. She quite the favored Agent." I closed my eyes, lies dripping from my lips like venom.

"Look, Amanda gave us the keys to the house to check on the bike-"

"I don't care! Amanda never mentioned it to me. If she did give you the keys, toss them in here then get out." I opened my eyes, going back and forth from where each turtle stood.

I automatically tensed but the caught Donnie tossed to me. "I want the spare."

"And what makes you think we have a spare?" Raphael's voice cut through me, causing me a quick choking sob.

"Because thieves always make spares incase they loose one." I stated after my throat, had cleared. Iw as rewarded with an aggravated sigh and the other key Donnie tossed to me.

"Before we leave, can we ask you something?" Donnie's voice floated out to me, calming my senses even if just a little.

"I guess." I stuffed the keys into my pocket, adjusting my grip on the shot gun.

"Have you heard from Cadence?"

I froze, staring at the ground before looking at the empty space in front of me. Apparently, due to my lack of quick response, Raph muttered an oath and I heard a quiet thump from Donnie's side.

"Looks like Amanda told you not to tell anyone, too." Donnie sounded tired, not to mention wounded.

I held back the scream, to rush at them with open with arms. Tears threatened to burst, but I somehow managed to hold that all back. "Last I heard, she was in Italy." It wasn't a total lie, I did come from Italy.

"When?" It was Raphael's turn to speak and I caught the longing in his voice.

"A couple days ago." I breathed out the words, shifting the gun in my arms. "Now get out."

"Thank you." Donnie's voice came at me again before seeing a green blur flash in front of me.

I listened to the front door opening and shutting as I fell to my knees. The sound of a motorcycle broke the silence before floating away. Silence was all that was left, and I succumbed to it, yet breaking it as I started sobbing.

I couldn't tell you how long I sat there, or how pathetic I felt sitting on the closet floor. The hurt and longing in their voiced proved me wrong if they hated me for leaving eight years ago. It was that, that I would go to the park. No matter how terrified I was.

I mentally kicked myself into gear, pushing myself up from the floor. I f I was to go to Central Park, there were some things that had to do. Change out of this suit was one o f them.

. . . .

When I got to Central Park, I kept myself sitting on my bike. I was frozen in place. I had to move, but I couldn't. I was too distracted by staring straight ahead where Leo would come greet me. Leo wasn't there; however, his scent was lingering.

I finally forced myself to move, taking my helmet with me. As I walked towards that certain spot, I shoved my right hand into my leather bomber jacket; the right hand wrapped around the hand held device device. The device Donnie gave me eight years ago. I was surprised when I found it where I had left it.

When I reached the manhole, I blinked several times. I was trying to get used to not wearing the blue contact. Yet, the same time I was looking at the grass; one too many times being trampled and disturbed. I came to the conclusion that Leo had come up to the surface, but had eventually went back underground.

Taking hold of that string of courage, I lifted the lid of the manhole and dropped down onto the ladder. My eye quickly adjusting to the darkness after pulling the lid back over. As I let my eyes continue to adjust, I listened to any familiar sounds. So far, none.

I began walking, my body and brain remembering the route and so I walked automatically towards the turtle's lair. With each footstep, I listened for any sound or signal to know if I tripped a perimeter alarm. I doubt it since I was too busy staying hidden in the shadows. Well, I know I wouldn't get caught on any of Donnie's cameras.

I let my fingers graze over the mobile tracker and communicator before pulling it out. I remembered Donnie's instructions and hit the button that would show me each of the turtle's location. I found them all in the home, well, the device told me. With an idea in mind, I hit another button.

The button I pressed caused me to hear a faint alarm system go off. I dropped both my helmet and the device on the ground before bolting into the shadows, hind in a hole in the wall.

I sat in the hole for about ten minutes, thinking no one would show. As that thought crossed my brain, I heard the splash of footsteps. I guess they were in shock from the alarm, not going off for eight years only to go off near their home. I was surprised it would still work. Technology improved over the years, thus I though so would Donnie's.

"I don't see anyone, Donnie." Leo's voice cut through the silence and I melted. I couldn't deny myself, I missed them.

"That's weird. The signal is coming from right where you're standing." Donnie spoke up and I heard the eagerness in his voice.

"There's no one here, Don." Mikey's voice came up. "She's not here."

I nearly shattered at the sound of Mikey's voice. He was also closer to where I stayed hidden at. I peaked around the edge of my hole and I saw him. A quarter profile of him, actually.

Eight years ago, Mikey always stood with a slouch in his shoulders. Now he stood straight, a no more did he stand at five foot nothing. I had only hoped that his posture was the only thing that had changed and not his overly good nature.

"Well someone has been here." Raphael spoke up and I knew he found my helmet along with the tracking device. I leaned back, closing my eyes for moment and just waited.

"Take a look around." Leo's voice made my eyes open and I watched as several green forms walked by my hiding spot. However, Mikey stayed in his spot before turning around.

I held still, staring at my beloved savior. Why I felt so terrified of him, I didn't know. Until I remembered that I only feared of his hatred for my absence. Though instead of seeing anger or a sign of hatred, longing and sadness crossed his features.

When I knew his brothers were out of hearing range, I positioned myself in a more comfortable state. I watched as the orange banded turtle once again turned his back to me. That was my cue. I was quick, years of Ninjutsu and kickboxing made me silent. I reached out for Mikey and grabbed him, pulling him back. Yet despite my quickness, I wasn't quick enough to cover Mikey's mouth to stop the scream.

I felt him squirm in my grasp until I finally let go, letting him turn around to face me. "You always did scream like a girl Michelangelo."

"Cadie?" Mikey stuttered, his hand reaching up to touch my cheek and I closed my eyes. His hand was warm beside being a cold blooded creature.

"The one and only." I opened my eyes and I saw him smile. That big goofy smile I had come to love years ago. I had prepared myself for the oncoming assault, though I knew I would never be.

"You came back! You really came back!" Mikey shouted, his arms encircling me in a tight embrace that stopped the air from entering my lungs. What happened next made me think of the night when I passed the skateboarding test. Picking me up and spinning in a , the moment ended shortly when Raphael's voice cut through the air.

"Yo, Mikey! You alright? We heard you shout!"

I saw the world stop spinning around me as Mikey placed me back onto solid ground. In his blue eyes, I saw his surprise. He noticed I hadn't been growling when he lifted me up into the air. Yet he turned his focus onto his brothers. I hadn't been able to see his brothers until he side stepped and at that moment I froze.

"Mikey? Who is she?" Donnie spoke up, his eyes never leaving me and he reached back, placing his bo staff back behind him.

I looked over each of the brothers. They all appeared the same as eight years ago, only a slight change in facial features and height had change. When I looked to Raphael, my heard dropped. Deep scars littered his form and like Leo, a fraction of his shell was cracked. Granted, all the brothers had menacing looking scars.

"Look closer, guys. Does she look familiar?" Mikey placed a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him. I looked back to his older brothers and I grinned.

"I see you all haven't changed, you're making me feel old." I stated and Raphael frowned.

"You're the girl with the shot gun." Raphael pointed out and I watched as Leo gave him a curious look.

"That's her?" Leo questioned, looking from his younger siblings to me. I looked to him and I knew they would not know me. It was too dark to see my different colored eyes. Too dark to see any scars if I had decided to show them. I was at a loss at how to show them who I was until blabbering would just be it.

"Donnie, I must thank you for coming over to mom's. She informed that you two have been looking over the bike." I said and I saw something click in Donnie. I looked to Leo and held up my hand and made quick hand signal. One that only he and I knew because that was to inform him I was home when he would wait for me by the man hole.

I looked to Raphael and gave him a challenging smile. "You know, I sure hope Donnie worked on your shell cycle because I want to test it out. Unless you plan on purposely loosing again to a race." The mocking tone in my voice because those last words came out as a squeak. Raphael held me in an embrace that made Mikey's bear hug seem featherlight.

His brothers quickly came over as well, and I felt the last of my air rush out of my lungs. Mikey must have noticed that I was out of air, but my hands reached out to both Leo and Don, my nose nestled into the crease of Raphael's neck. Tears, I felt tears and for once they were not my own. To even speak, I needed air.

"I can't breathe." I gasped and his grip barely loosened, but I managed to grab a mouthful of air. I looked up, turning my head to the side to see Leo to my right, grasping hold onto my hand as his other arm encircled around me. I couldn't see Donnie, but I knew he was doing the same. It was Raph's tears I felt against my cheek, and I knew better than to say anything.

"So, is pizza okay for lunch?" I questioned and that sewer tunnel bursted into a sound of laughter and I ended up being surrounded by not three turtles, but the fourth as well. I had a feeling that the questioning would come later when we would go back to the lair