Personality Adjustment
Ch. 2
"Unbearable Changes"
Days passed and Stacy sat in her room thinking about the confrontation when they entered the mansion when they chased after Oroku Saki. Leonardo's words played in her head as she remembered when Leonardo, his brothers and master Splinter jumped onto the ship.
'Stacy go back with Casey and April now. I'll see you when we get back; now go this is too dangerous for you!'
She looked down at her cell and dialed Angel's number.
~Back in New York~
Angel was doing her housework when she saw Stacy's name come up on her caller id. She answered.
'Hey Stace; how you doing? Where are you? Oh you decided to go out in the country to get away from the chaos here in the city. Its' alright I guess; no foot since Karai and Chapman were put away but the Purple Dragons are still at it. No I swear I never got my dragon. The guys told me that it was stupid and I decided not to. I am telling you the truth I swear Stace. Is something troubling you girl?'
She sighed as she responded.
'No Ang; I am fine. I'll see you when I get back to the city Stacy out.'
She put her cell on the charger and sighed as she watched through her window Leonardo training. She shook her head and closed the shades as she went and checked on the others. Raphael looked up.
"Hey Stace; what's up are you okay? You seem like something is on your mind? Want to talk about it?"
She shook her head as she entered and changed Raphael's bandages.
"I am fine Raph; just thinking that's all. Also glad you all came back alive."
She exited the room where Raphael was and went into Michelangelo's room and caught him scratching again.
"Do I need to change your bandages Mikey? What were you told about scratching; put it down now!"
He whined.
"But dudette it is so itchy with this cast on. I am not enjoying this one bit. Did you tell Angel we are alive?"
Stacy sighed.
"No Mikey; I didn't say anything. I just needed a friend to talk to that's all. She is my best friend you know that besides you 4 too."
He looked.
"Okay Stacy if you need someone to talk to I am here you know. The only one that is healed is Donatello and of course Leo I think."
She smiled as she exited the room and descended into the kitchen where April was cooking. April looked at her.
"Why don't you go outside and see Leo."
Stacy looked.
"April he is training; you know how he hates to be disturbed when he is in training. Besides if I go out there he might just yell at me some more! I honestly don't want to put up with it anymore! Whatever happened on that ship has taken my best friend away from me and I will never get him to tell me."
Master Splinter overheard and called to her.
"Stacy come my child; you are too young to be worried like this. You have not only lost your best friend, but I have lost my son and his brothers have lost their brother. We are all in this together. "
She nodded.
"Yes Sensei; I understand. But I still think I should just head back home and let you all heal out here. I really don't belong here."
Leonardo entered at the exact time when Master Splinter was about to speak.
"You hear that my son; she wants to leave because of the way you are treating her."
Leonardo turned toward Stacy and Casey grabbed April. She looked and spoke.
"But Casey our rooms are upstairs; maybe we should go get some food to eat I am starving. What do you say Casey?"
They both disappeared out the door. Splinter looked.
"I think I'll go in my room for some much needed meditation."
They watched as Splinter's door shut. Donatello thought for a minute.
"Umm I'll be in the shed working on the truck."
He too disappeared into the shed.
Leonardo turned to her and asked.
"Stacy what is my father talking about; why do you want to leave?"
She looked at him and sighed.
"It just feels like you don't want me around anymore. You usually talk to me and since we got here all I have gotten from you is silence Leo."
He shook his head and looked at her.
"Listen to me Stacy; it's not that. I am just going through something right now. Don't ever think I don't want you around. You know when it comes to my family; I never tell anyone but them. Come on then let's go outside and continue your training."
She smiled and looked.
"Okay Leo that sounds like a good idea; though I am still in my basic training."
They exited the house and went out to the field where he was training earlier. He went over the basics again with her starting with the many blocks. Then a few extra strategy moves that she used to disarm Leonardo causing him to fall on the ground on his shell. She laughed and he looked up.
"You think that is funny don't you?"
She laughed again.
"Yes I do; here let me help you up Leo. I am so sorry; I must've gotten carried away."
He gave her his hand and looked at her.
"Listen to me; if you don't bring up the ship again we will be fine understood. That is the reason I was yelling at you and I am sorry for making you feel that way. Let's get inside I think I am going to take a nap. I have been training all day; also go check on Mikey I think he is faking. I saw him earlier sneaking downstairs to get some potato chips. Please wake me up when dinner is ready Stace. You did really good today in training."
She smiled as she watched him head upstairs and closed his door. Then she entered the room where Michelangelo was and saw him standing up without the cast. She stood by the door and looked with her arms crossed.
"That is not funny Mikey; how long have you been healed exactly? I am telling Master Splinter when he is done meditating. "
Michelangelo looked and asked.
"Umm is everything okay Stacy; you are smiling again that's a good thing."
She looked and nodded.
"Yes Mikey I am fine; Leo started to train me again and just went to lay down until dinner is ready. Come on then Casey and April are back let them know you are okay. I am going to check on Raphael."
Michelangelo took off his cast and made his way downstairs just in time to see Master Splinter exit his room. Splinter looked at him with his arms crossed.
"It's about time you stopped pretending you are still injured Michelangelo. You are lucky my son; training doesn't continue until Raphael is fully healed. Now go help Casey and April with the groceries."
She entered Raphael's room and saw him lifting weights. Then she asked.
"You too Raph; come on really you and Mikey faking you're still injured making everyone worrying about you two."
Raphael put his weights down and looked.
"Whoa hold up; I just healed today. I had broken ribs Stacy; I was not faking. Where is Mr. Personality anyway?"
She looked as she responded.
"He is in his room lying down; no Raph he hasn't yelled at me either. He told me to drop the ship and I am. The worse feeling is being yelled at Leonardo I'll tell you."
Raphael looked.
"Well then let's go downstairs; glad you caught Mikey faking. He isn't going to be happy. You know that now that we are healed Splinter is going to start training us again at 5 in the morning. What about you? Did Leo continue your training?"
She nodded.
"Yes Raph today he did; we just got done no more than 20 minutes ago when he went to lay down in his room. Come on then let's go downstairs and let Leo sleep."
They descended from the stairs and Splinter looked at them both.
"Nice to see all of you are healed tomorrow morning at 5am we continue training my sons. Come now dinner is almost ready. Stacy where is Leonardo?"
She looked.
"Asleep in his room; I guess he is exhausted from training all morning. I'll wake him when dinner is ready."
April set the table and looked at her cousin.
"Is everything okay between you two now; has he talked to you at all? Come on Stacy something is on your mind and I want to know what it is."
She looked around to make sure no one else was around.
"I am in love with Leo; April and just can't tell him. He is still not himself; and I am in no mood to be yelled at again. They think he is fine; but I am telling you he's really not. When we get back to New York it is only going to get worse I just know it."
At that thought Leonardo descended from the stairs and looked at Stacy.
"What is going to get worse when we get back home Stacy? It better not be about the ship again; I don't want to hear about it. Stacy I told you I am fine; will you stop thinking I am not because you are making me angry and you don't want to see me angry."
Raphael glared at him.
"You better stop yelling at her or I will knock you into next week big brother! I have had enough of you acting like a jerk! Remember that Stacy isn't the one that stabbed you it was Karai now enough of your attitude!"
He was about to lunge for Raphael when April looked.
"Come on everyone; dinner is ready. I said now Leo!"
They all made their way to the dinner table and there was silence as Raphael glared at Leonardo as he ate his food. When they finished eating Stacy took the dishes into the kitchen and washed them to hide her tears. After the dishes were washed Stacy ran outside by the lake and Donatello ran after her. He heard her crying and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Stacy calm down; Leo is just going through something right now. He doesn't mean to yell at you; he just really isn't himself right now we all know it. You have to wipe those tears; April made some of her famous brownies. Come on inside and have some with a cup of coffee you will feel better I promise."
She wiped her tears and hugged him.
"It's not that Don; I am in love with him. He's not himself for me to tell him I am either. His behavior is scaring me. Whatever happened on that ship has taken him from me; a friendship that lasted 16 years is over. When we go back home; I will leave you all alone."
Donatello looked.
"Stacy you don't have to do that; you are still our best friend Stacy you don't have to cut your ties with any of us. Leo will be back to himself; I hope."
Stacy shook her head.
"I am sorry Don, but it's too much for me to bear I'm done."
As they entered the house again; Leonardo was sitting on the couch watching TV. Raphael saw Donatello's face and approached him.
"Yo Don; is Stacy okay? Why do you look so upset?"
Donatello sighed.
"When we go back to New York Stacy is no longer going to be around us. She said it's too much for her to bear because she has fallen in love with him."
Leonardo overheard his brothers and sighed. Then April took the brownies out of the oven and put them on the plate. Then Stacy took another chance and tapped him.
"Leo do you want a cup of coffee to have with the brownies? I am making some it's almost ready brewing."
He looked up and nodded.
"Yes Stacy I would like a cup of coffee with my brownies."
She entered the kitchen and poured the coffee for everyone; then she sat down and drank her coffee as she ate her brownie. After they finished their coffee and brownies; his brothers, father, Casey and April entered the living room. Leonardo watched as Stacy entered the kitchen and took the rest of the dishes off the table. Then he took them into the kitchen and put them in the sink while she washed the dishes.
He put his hand on her shoulder.
"I overheard Don and Raph talking Stace; why are you going to cut your ties with us? Why don't we talk while we finish these dishes so we can all watch a movie with everyone?"
She sighed as she washed the dishes and handed them to him to dry.
"Leo I said that; because I realized after you, your brothers, and Master Splinter jumped on the ship after Saki that I have fallen in love with you. I wanted to tell you the day we came up here; but just couldn't because of the way you were when we came back and stayed up here so you can all heal."
He put the dried dishes in the cupboard and looked.
"Okay; continue then. Why didn't you say anything to me the afternoon I trained you; when I was in a better mood?"
She sighed and was about to explain; before she knew it their lips met and he embraced her. They heard someone coming and he let her go. Raphael looked puzzled.
"Umm Leo; we're waiting for you two to come in the living room so we can start the movie. What is going on in here?"
Leonardo turned toward the sink and wiped his mouth as he responded.
"I am helping Stacy with the dishes. We'll be right in go on Raph I mean it."
Raphael exited the kitchen and Stacy looked at Leo asking.
"Did you just kiss me? Leo…. are you going to answer me? Was it my imagination or did you just actually kiss me?"
He looked as he responded after he put the dishes away in the cupboard that he just dried.
"Maybe I did. Come on let's go watch the movie. Come on Stacy it's one of my favorites let's go."
They entered the living room and he and Stacy sat on the couch across from April and Casey. They all watched the movie in silence.
To be continued…what do you think will happen next read on and you'll see
