Sky's Pov...
It felt like it was only a second before I woke up again, but I didn't open my eyes. I felt like I was surrounded what felt like giant soft fluffy arms surrounding me, not only just around my arms, but around my legs too. I tried to move, but it was just too comfy to move a muscle. I could sense my mind was going back to sleep just right before I felt myself sinking in and slipping down sliding on my left side till I rolled up on to my back. "Hey wakey wakey eggs and bakey", a funny voice said

I giggled a little and I rubbed my eyes open with my hand. I blinked my eyes open a few times as I shifted my arms out till they were in front of me. I stretched out before collapsing in bed. I looked over to see Mikey with the usual bright smile on his face that I see. "Morning sunshine", he said

"Wait what time is it?", I asked

"Its nine in the morning Sky, you sure slept in quite awhile", he said

I then gasped feeling like I just hit a brick wall when I looked around to see I wasn't in my room in my apartment. My heart began to race and my stomach turn into knots.

"Oh nuts! My pets! They need to be fed! I totally spaced out!", I said, quickly kicking off the covers trying to get up

"Easy Sky, easy, wait", Mikey said, stopping me by putting his hands on my shoulders

"I have to go!", I said, eagerly

"Everything is fine, you don't need to worry about it", he said, with a smile

"What?", I asked, confused

"I went to your apartment this morning and I took care of everything, you don't have to worry about nothing", he said "All of them got fed, got some play time and cleaned up their enclosures"

"Wait how did you even get in?", I asked

"A ninja never reveals his secrets", he said, in a mimicking tone

"That is what a magician says you knucklehead", I said, smirk "But you seriously took care of everything? Pellets for Iggy and Lola? Kale for Usagi? Flakes for my fish? Raspberries and nuts for Skittles? And a can of Beveno cat food for Kisa?"

"Check, check, check, check, check and check", he said, with a nod each time

I let out a heavy sigh of relief as I crashed back down in bed. "Awwww Mikey, you didn't have to do that, you could of just dumped cold water on me and made me go do it", I said, with a smile

"Nah don't worry about it, you looked too precious to wake up when you were asleep", he said, with a smile

I blushed slightly pink in my cheeks as I giggled. "I am sorry I fell asleep here, I was just so tired from work and the fight and everything", I said "I hope I didn't cause no one a restless night of sleep"

"Nah its all good", he said "I just slept on my bean bag, I do it on occasions when playing video games"

"By the way, super comfy body pillow, slept like a baby", I said, snuggling against it

"I know right! Soon as I snuggle with it, I am out like a light", he said

"Dude I need to get myself one of these, I can get used to sleeping like this", I said, with a smile

He chuckled. "Rise and shine, we got breakfast being made in a little bit", he said

"Mmmmmm yum I could use a little something", I said, giving my stomach a smack

"Definitely me too, I'll be right back", he said, getting up and giving my head a rub before leaving

I smiled and giggled a little. I then slid out of bed and I looked to see my bag that carried my tank the night before right beside the bed. I unzipped it to see I had a pair of sweats that I had decided to put in my bag in case I wanted to go on a run.

"Thank goodness I had an extra pair of clothes in here", I said, taking out my outfit

I got out of my old clothes and I slipped on a black shirt with the Susan B pink ribbon for breast cancer and a message in pink letters saying "Fight Like a Girl" and I got into slim black yoga pants that pooled at the ankles. I slid off my blue bandanna and replaced it with a black, white, and dark pink zig zag one, letting the tails hang behind my back. I walked out of the bedroom and I could hear already hip hop music playing from stereo speakers all around the lair and I heard the sound of whipping going through the air. "What the?", I said, looking up

To my absolute surprise it was Mikey riding on top of a skateboard in the air with rockets attached at the end! "Woah! Mikey! That is freaking awesome!", I called out

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!", he said, doing a flip in the air

He then came doing a sharp turn down towards my left kicking his board and making it spin a few 360 turns before landing back on top, coming straight towards me. "Your coffee little lady", he said, handing me a hot steaming mug

"Awww you big green sweetie", I said, smiling and taking a sip "Mmmmmm you even got my favorite flavor"

"Saw it at your place this morning, figured you would want to some", he said, doing a loop

"You read my mind my friend", I said, giggling

Mikey flew off doing more tricks on his board as I enjoyed my morning cup. As I walked around getting to know the place better, it seemed like I was more in a hang out area then an actual home. But hey I am not complaining, its different and its really cool, makes you want to stay. As I passed a desk with a bunch of computer screens I came to a fast stream water slide. "Wow that would be fun to go down", I said, to myself

"Ahh its good to see you up in about", someone said

"Who said that?", I asked, looking around

"Over here young one", a wise voice said

I looked over and I saw Splinter in an odd position balancing only on one claw on his paw and the tip of his tail. "Oh Splinter I didn't see you there", I said, walking over "I thought I was looking at something else"

He chuckled slightly. "No, I am just doing my meditation", he said, pushing up on his claw and balancing himself up till he was on a tail

"Very interesting", I said, with a nod "Good morning Splinter"

"How are you this morning my dear?", Splinter asked

"Oh not too bad thank you, I don't quite remembering falling asleep", I said

He chuckled. "Yes, you had passed out when you and the others were watching the movie marathon last night", he said

"Oh right! It was a rather long marathon", I said, remembering last night "Watching all the those Jason Voorhees movies can really tire you out"

"You had fallen asleep on the couch and with the incident that occurred last night, we considered letting you stay the night to make sure that you were not going to be harms way", he said

"Thank you, I really appreciate this", I said, smiling

"You are our guest and our friend Miss Richards, you are welcomed here anytime you desire", Splinter said, bowing his head slightly

I smiled softly towards him. "Guys breakfast is almost ready!", Mikey called out, making my head turn towards the direction of his voice

"I better see how he is holding up", I said, looking back at Splinter

"Alright my dear, I will join you in a moment", Splinter said, with a nod

I walked off finishing up my last bit of coffee as I walked into the kitchen to see Mikey moving around by the stove doing random things such as stirring, flipping and moving a pan on the stove top. "Wow you seem to be very busy", I said, leaning against the counter

"Yeah everyone likes something different in the morning", he said

I giggled. "Well I can see that from the amount of things you got going", I said

"Speaking of that, what do you want?", he asked

"What?", I asked, confused

"What can I make you? You name it", he said

"Mmmmmmm I don't know really, never had anyone make me something in a very long time", I said, shrugging "Honestly, I am not so sure"

"Say no more!", he said, with a smile

He then went around the island in the kitchen and skid to a halt in front of the pantry grabbing something off a shelf. I watched him curiously as I sat down at the dinning table, he took the box in his hand ripping the top off of it and pouring it into a little bowl and he poured some hot water into it and began to stir it up quickly. He then took an apple out of the fruit basket on the counter beside the stove and he tossed it up in the air and threw up two ninja stars slicing the apple into slices as they landed perfectly in the bowl. He then slid it up on his hand till it slid all the way around his shoulders and down his other arm and the bowl landed in front of me. "Oatmeal a la que", he said, in a funny French voice

"Mmmmmm looks good", I said, taking my spoon and taking a bite

I smiled happily as I swallowed it whole. "Yum apple cinnamon one of favorites", I said, looking up at him

"Eat up madame", he said, still doing the accent as he poured me a glass of orange juice

"Morning Sky", a voice said

I looked up and I saw Leo, Donnie and Raph had all entered in the kitchen. As soon as I saw them Leo and Donnie gave me a warm smile, but Raph just kept that gruff looking face like he did on the night before. When he tried to look at me I slightly looked away not wanting to get into a dispute this early in the morning. "Morning guys", I said, with a smile turning back to Leo and Donnie

"Hey you doing okay?", Leo asked "Feeling alright?"

"Yeah, still kind of shaken up by the whole ordeal, but I will get over it", I said, nodding

"Good to hear you are doing alright, you seemed pretty tense last night", Donnie said

"I know, I am sorry for my harsh behavior last night, I was just pissed off at the guy who nearly tried to kill you all and its been a long time I have actually talked about family", I said

"It's okay, we have had worse, and yeah its not easy to talk about a troubled past, especially having to go through it at a young age", Leo said

"You know that was a pretty powerful air tank you had Skylar", Donnie said

"Yeah it was highly concentrated oxygen that's why it exploded so much", I said "It was even more violent than the last time I did it"

"What do you mean the last time?", Leo asked

"Well when I first encountered Mikey, I saw him getting beaten up by thugs and I didn't know how to help and I have seen air tanks explode before on the internet and I thought maybe I could give it a shot", I said "Turned out to be a hero that night"

"It sure was", Mikey said, sitting beside me "I ended up repaying the debt when I found her again"

"Found me? He did more than that, he saved my life", I said

"He did?", Leo asked, curiously

"From nearly drowning out in the ocean", I said

"You nearly drowned out in the ocean?!", Leo asked, looking shocked

"I was out on the boardwalk and some guy was drunk came near me and he tried to rape me", I said "I used some pepper spray that I had on me to try to escape, but it wasn't enough and he pushed me over the edge. I got caught in the kelp and I hit my head hard trying to swim up to the surface and nearly drowned"

"That's when I found Skylar again, and that's basically when we started hanging out together", Mikey said "I knew she could be trusted"

"Wow, you surely do have quite the interesting life", Donnie said "Could become quite the amazing biography story in my eyes"

"Hey who am I to complain?", I said, shrugging "When life gives you lemons you just got learn how to deal with them"

"So you left home at an early age, had to make it out on your own, you meet our brother, get into life and death situations, a cancer battler and a vegan?", Leo said

I looked at him surprised. "Wait how did you know that?", I asked

"Well it says so on your tattoo on your wrist", he said, motioning to my left wrist

I looked to see my first tattoo I had gotten when I got my job at the parlor, in black ink written in cursive saying "vegan" along my wrist almost like as if I was wearing a bracelet. "Oh yeah, I am one, been one for pretty much all my life", I said "I know it must sound silly"

"Not really", he said, shrugging and shaking his head

"I don't think it is either", Donnie said "A lot of people are vegan, even some famous people are vegan and I don't see what's wrong with it"

I smiled slightly and I felt Mikey nudge me in the shoulder with his arm. "See they don't think its weird, they are not going to laugh at you", he said, with a smile "Its not weird"

"Weird if you ask me", Raph said, with a dark look while eating eggs

I looked slightly over at him as the others looked back at him with unpleasant looks. "Well no one asked for your opinion", Leo said

"It's just weird to me", he said, again sounding not phased by the comment

"It's not weird Raph, its just a different life style", Donnie said "She doesn't believe in exploiting someone else's life"

"Still not typical to me, how can she even stop?", Raph asked

"Well she found a way and that's something for her to be proud of", Leo said "You shouldn't judge her just because what she thinks, how would you feel if she made fun of your lifestyle?"

"How would she know? Barely known her for a day", he said "They say vegans are just skinny weaklings"

"Will you knock it off?!", Mikey said, suddenly standing up from his chair

I was a bit taken back from the sudden outburst from Mikey, causing Leo and Donnie to gasp in surprise, and with that, that made Raph shut up immediately and looked at him confused. I could see Mikey was glaring at him from out of the corner of my eye and I was shaking terribly inside. "That is her choice, if that is what she believes in, then that is what it is, leave her alone!", he said

I gulped silently to myself, making myself smaller in the chair. Raph and Mikey just glared at each other for what seemed like a long time, but eventually Raph stood up abruptly from his seat and I instinctively scooted more beside Mikey's leg hiding myself a bit. He then turned around and walked out and smashed one of the cabinets breaking it off its hinges, causing me to gasp softly in fright, before he disappeared.

"Yikes", I said, softly

"And I just fixed that!", Donnie said, sounding irritated

"Jeez is he really like this much?", I asked

"That was about a six there on his anger scale, you don't want to see him go to ten", Leo said, shaking his head

"Why? What's the worst he can do?", I asked

"Break bones, smash concrete with a single punch, and throw heavy things around that causes a lot of destruction", Donnie said, adjusting his glasses "Last time he got pissed he smashed my laptop"

"Woah! Jeez and I thought Charlie Sheen had anger management problems", I said, shocked

"Just keep your distance from him until he cools down, you don't want to see him at his worst", Mikey said, sitting back down

"I will keep that in mind definitely", I said, nodding in agreement

After trying to have a decent breakfast after the whole dispute that unfolded, I left the kitchen being sure to avoid Raph as much as possible not wanting to get in his path. I walked in some random direction and right when I thought I was in the clear, I felt someone touch my shoulder. I shrieked and quickly whipped around thinking it was Raph, but to my relief it was Donnie gently holding me by the arms thinking I was going to fall. "It's okay, it's just me", he said, trying to sound as calm as he could

"Jeez you scared me for a second there", I said, regaining my breath

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay", he said "You looked really scared"

"Well despite having my vegan lifestyle choice being ridiculed once more, yeah I am peachy", I said, with a nod

"I never expected him to do that, that's something I have never seen before", he said "I hope it didn't hurt you too much"

"Hardly, it's not the first time I have been criticized on what I believe in", I said

"I am sorry, I didn't think it would happen", he said, sitting down in his swivel chair

"It's okay, its not your fault", I said, sitting on a metal file cabinet

"Well while you are here with me", he said "Mind if maybe I ask you a few questions about your cancer?"

"Sure, fire away amigo", I said, nodding

"What exactly kind of therapy do you get when you go to the hospital?", he asked

"I get my therapy by injections", I said "I get them every week, its a intra muscular injection where they put the needle in the muscle in my arm"

"Now do they say what chemicals they put in?", he asked

"Not that I remember when I first started, I guess maybe just ones that fight off cancer cells, they never really disclose what they put in me", I said, shrugging

"Now how long have been getting these injections?", he asked

"For close to eleven years now, so basically since I was diagnosed", I said

"Have they considered doing any other therapy? Seeing how you don't think its helping or have they not noticed?", he asked

"No, I don't think they have noticed its not working, I have not been given any other kind of therapy", I said "I have taken no drugs, no prescription pills, nothing like that, they didn't recommend a change and kept me going on the injections"

"Interesting", he said, nodding as he wrote down on the clipboard "Are you allergic to any chemicals?"

"No I am not, not allergic really to anything", I said, shaking my head

"How often do you have to use the air tanks?", he asked

"Usually if I have a bit of trouble breathing on certain days and when its really smoggy out", I said "They said if I get a lot of smog into me it could cause damage to my lungs"

"Okay, and last one what is your blood type?", he asked

"Its A negative", I said

He wrote down on the clipboard before setting it down on the desk. "Okay great, now do you mind if I can possibly get a blood sample?", he asked

"What for?", I asked, a bit confused

"To study what maybe could be going wrong with the therapy you are receiving and why its not being effective", I said "I think with the answers that you provided me, I can trace the source of the cancer cells and see what reaction it gets from getting the therapy you are getting now and see what can possibly be the right treatment"

"You can do that?", I asked, surprised

"Well it would be my first time trying, but I did read about cancer treatments last year", he said "I might be able to find the right adequate treatment you need in order to be cured"

"Yeah I mean I do want to be cured more than anything", I said "Get back the life I always wanted, that would be a dream come true, yeah totally you can have a sample, do you need a lot?"

"Oh no, not a lot, just need a little sample of it", he said, taking out a few things from a metal draw "Don't want to drain too much of that, I know that feeling all too well"

"What do you mean?", I asked, curiously

"I was captured by an enemy of ours last year and he was going to use our blood to make an antidote", he said, taking the cap off a butterfly needle with his teeth "He was going to spread a chemical in the air and make New York a quarantine zone"

"Why in the world would someone do that?", I asked

"Make money off of it", he said, rubbing his fingers together

"Oh well that's obvious", I said, rolling my eyes "How much did they drain out of you?"

"Enough where I almost went into cardiac arrest", he said, screwing on a blood valve on the needle

"Holy shit!", I said, stunned

"Yeah it was not a good experience at all", he said, shaking his head "I really thought we were going to die"

"I can't believe someone would do that, I'm so sorry that happened", I said, feeling sympathetic

"Hey its not your fault, things just happen when you don't expect it, what matters is we did get out of there alive", he said

"Yeah that's true", I said, nodding "Though I would like to find out that asshole who did that to you"

"He vanished last year, we have no idea where he is at", Donnie said, shaking his head

"People who do things like that should have the same treatment done to them and see how they like it", I said

"If only they could", Donnie said

He was about to inject the needle into my arm until I blocked his hand with my own and he looked at me confused. "Sorry just not this arm", I said, rubbing my right arm "Its the one where they injected so many times, it becomes really numb when a needle gets pushed in"

"Oh of course, no worries", he said, getting on the other side of me

He put some alcohol on a gauze pad on my wrist and he gently injected the needle into my vein. The blood slowly came out until it filled the valve up to the top. "I will get straight to work on the sample and see what I can do", he said, taking the needle out and pushing a band aid on the cut

"Well hopefully you will find something, I am not sure if you will", I said

"Hey they don't call me the residential genius for nothing, I am sure I will find something", he said, with a smile

"Okay then genius, good luck", I said, with a slight giggle

I left Donnie to do his work and I began to explore more around the lair that I didn't quite yet get the chance to see. I came across a more darkened part of it and I could see lit candles on the ground inside a room that glowed dimly from the fog that was coming from an vent on the wall. I walked more inside to take a look and just when I did I saw Splinter walk out in front of me, carrying a tray in his paws with a kettle and small cups passing me. He set down the tree and he picked up a small water can and started to fill up a small pot holding a bonsai tree. Once he finished he began to rearrange the leaves in an orderly manner as I walked a bit closer. "You have a nice bonsai", I said

"Yes, I do tend to it daily, making sure it grows properly", Splinter said, with his back still to me arranging the leaves

"Reminds me of the one I have at home", I said, walking inside "I keep it on my windowsill where I see it every morning"

"You have grown much Skylar, you have blossomed from a young sprout to a beautiful rose", he said, turning around and facing me

"I can't believe I am really seeing you again Splinter, after so many years", I said, sitting down on my legs

"Time has greatly gone by, I always thought about you every day and how you were coping with your family and cancer", he said, sitting down on a cushion in front of me

"Oh and by the way", I said

I pulled out from my shirt and gripped the necklace that was hiding and I pulled it out letting it dangle in front of me. "You still have it", he said, surprised

"Best present anyone has ever given me", I said, with a smile "I wear it all the time"

"It was my gift to you for your heroic act", he said

"Its really beautiful, thank you", I said "Though I haven't been able to figure out what to put into it quite yet"

"Many ideas do cloud the mind, but one will stand out in front, like a lighthouse glowing in the bay", Splinter said

"Nice philosophy", I said, smiling "I will keep that one in mind"

"May I ask you something Skylar?", Splinter asked

"Okay, what is it?", I asked

"I need you tell me about your mother", he said

I inhaled sharply, my heart was racing fast. I bit down on my lip and I hunched myself over, trying to hide myself away. "What about her?", I asked

"I need to know what she did to you while we were apart", Splinter said "Did she ever hurt you?"

I glanced up at him, and I kept my head down as I did. I had no indication of wanting to speak. Splinter placed his paw on top of my knee. "The night we met, when you said she was yelling at you, did she hurt you?"

I slowly shook my head and I could hear him take a deep breath. "The bruises were hiding under my shirt, she pushed me hard", I said

"Can you remember the first time she ever hurt you?", he asked

"When dad left home", I said "Mom came home, she looked really mad, I asked her what's wrong, and she slapped me across the face and she pushed me on the ground...hard and she threw a photo frame at me"

I moved my shirt down slightly and on my shoulder three scars, different lengths and all just half a inch apart. Splinter looked at me speechless, as if he had just seen a ghost and he was loss of words and emotion. I hung my head as I pulled my shirt back up and my body began to shake violently. I could see Splinter's paw slowly and gently reach over and he grasped both of my hands in his, shielding them from the outside world. "Skylar, listen to me", he said, gently "You don't ever have to be scared anymore, you will never have to worry about seeing her again, for she does come back, me and my sons will be protect you"

"I know its been a long time since I have seen her and I still have been scared, but I believe you", I said, nodding

"Come here", he said, holding his arms out

I scooted over to him as his arms wrapped around me and I hugged him sniffling into his robe. "I know we have only meet a few times over the years, but I always thought of you as a daughter", he said

"And you know, even though we met only twice you always acted like a dad towards me", I said "Better than what my dad ever did for me"

"And I will keep caring and protect you as if you were my own", he said

I squeezed him tighter, moving my head deeper into his hug. "Thanks", I said, with a smile

We both kept in our hug for a bit longer before we released, looking at each other. "Would you do me a favor Skylar?", he asked

"Of course anything", I said, nodding

"Could you bring this tray to Leonardo? He is in the dojo and he should be finishing up his katas and he always needs his tea after training", he asked

"Yeah totally of course", I said, picking up the tray and get up to my feet

"It's on the same path from here to your right", he said

"I'll find it, thank you", I said, as I turned to slowly walk away

"And Skylar?", Splinter said

I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "I couldn't be more proud of how far you overcome", he said, with a smile and nod

I gave him a warm smile before I walked forward again, heading to the dojo where Leo was at. I saw Leo was doing different moves in the middle of the dojo, pretending it looked like he was fighting an invisible figure in front of him. He did numerous slices in front of him in a quick attack, then did a back flip and when he threw one of his swords up in the air, he did a complete back flip and when the sword came back down it stabbed down in front of him as it toggled. He grunted in frustration as he kicked some dust with his foot.

"Leo, that was amazing!", I said, in awe

Leo immediately jumped up in the air spinning around and was about to strike down with one of his swords, before I saw his eyes widen stopping his arm immediately seeing me. Even though he was a few feet away it did make my heart skip a few beats. "Oh Skylar, its you, yikes you scared me there for a second, I could sliced you in half", he said, regaining his breath

"Sorry, I thought you might of heard me coming in", I said

"It's okay, don't worry about it, just wait till I finish before you come in okay?", he said, spinning his swords around his wrists before stabbing in the ground

"Woah! You are sure are skilled with those swords Leo", I said, amazed

"Oh its nothing really, trying to get this one move down but can't seem to get it right", he said, wiping some sweat off his forehead

"Well I thought it looked pretty good, you have good swordsmanship", I said

He smiled some. "Thanks Sky, what do you have there?", he asked, eyeing the tray in my hands

"Oh! Splinter asked me if I could bring you your green tea, he told me you like to have some after your training sessions", I said

"I do, it helps relax my mind", he said, with a nod "You care to join me for some?"

"Oh sure, that sounds nice, its been actually a long time since I have had tea", I said, walking over to a cushioned area next to the arena "I don't think I ever had green tea before"

"Well I think you are certainly going to love it", Leo said, sheathing his swords and walking down from the arena

"Well let's see", I said, sitting down on a cushion and putting the tray in the middle of the floor

Leo joined me in front of me as I poured in some tea into the small cups. He took his own taking a sip and I gently blew on mine before taking a sip. "Mmmmmm this is really good", I said, as the warm flavor went down my throat

"One of my personal favorites", he said, with a smile

"I will have to get myself some of this", I said "It's really tasty"

"And best part of it for you, its vegan", he said

"Even better", I said, smiling

"You seem to be really open towards us", Leo said "Considering no one really gives us the chance"

"Yeah, well, I had a little help from Mikey coming out of my own shell myself", I said "I didn't really talk too much"

"Really? It seems a bit hard to believe that you could of ever been an introvert", he said, taking a sip of his tea

"Well with childhood neglect, it left me with physical, mental and emotional injuries", I said "Including difficulty relating to people, but I always could relate to animals"

"Like relating what you were going through what they had gone through?", he asked

"Exactly, the more we got to know each other and having rough childhoods growing up, and just not being understood by people", I said "It relates to me so I can understand what it means, but the only difference is you guys had someone there that loved you"

"Do you have a hard talking with others?", he asked

"Well I had what I call limitations, I had a very difficult time comprehending language", I said "I knew something was really wrong with me because I wasn't getting along with the other children around me, but I couldn't tell what it was. I thought it might of been my cancer because I was still attending school after I was diagnosed, but I think it was something more. It was a source of great distress and fear for me and I was very reclusive growing up and I spent a whole lot of my time by myself outside. As I got older I sought help for my condition, but it was very difficult for me to open up to anyone and I couldn't overcome the obstacle"

"Wow, you certainly had rough it growing up", Leo said, looking at me with wonder

"You know how they put the racing horses behind the gates, there is an incredible of energy before they let them out, but you see I felt like I was stuck in the gate there for all these years", I said

"I just can't believe your own mother treated you like that", he said "That doesn't make any sense, I mean you couldn't control what happened and yet she still blames you for something you didn't do intentionally"

"Trust me I have been trying to find that answer for a long time", I said, nodding "But I don't think I will be finding out any time soon, even if I don't, its not worth it, I consider our relationship has already gone out the window"

"When you said you ran away from home, and that you were living out on the streets for few nights, did it occur to you that you might of gone back?", he asked

I took a sip of my tea before setting it down. "I did think about it for a little bit, to be quite honest, but I also thought if I did go back I would be back to square one of trying to get my life in order and make it better", I said "I knew couldn't stay, I didn't want to go but I had to"

"I wouldn't say I blame you, it's just too much to handle", he said

"It was, but even though I did spend a few nights out there, I don't regret it", I said "It felt like a sense of freedom, like I finally broke loose from my chains of misery and sadness and I was on a road to recovery from my troubled past"

"I just can't believe you really made it out there on your own", he said "And you never had to go back when you thought things were going to get rough and you built your own staircase that led you where you wanted to go in life"

I smiled softly. "It wasn't easy, but I am glad I did what I did", I said "And I wouldn't change one thing about it"

"You are really brave Skylar as well as a fighter too, you really are inspiring to me", he said, with a smile

"Awwww thanks Leo", I said, with a smile

I gave him a hug around his shoulder and he chuckled hugging me back with one arm, giving my back a few pats, before I released him.

"And look don't let this new move put you down", I said "Certain things are just difficult at first until you can figure out a plan of action in order to accomplish what it is you want to accomplish, but you will get there, it takes time. But I know you can do it, as long as you keep believing in yourself, you will always succeed"

Leo gave me a hopeful look before I gave him a smile, and eventually he did smile up to me. I gave his shoulder a squeeze and rub before I got up and walked off. I stopped when I reached the kitchen and looked around the corner and I saw Leo looked to be in deep thought and he got back up on the arena and he did the first move I saw him do once, then he did a few more times before he did the second move getting used to it. Finally when he did the first move and second moves a few times, he managed to do the flip kicking his sword up in the air with his foot and he did a complete flip before letting the sword spin around his neck and fly up in the air again before it landed back down in his hand catching it.

A big grin then came to his face. "Yes!", he said, doing a fist pump

"Way to go big guy", I said, softly with a smile

Later on I was doing yoga in the living room right in front of the water slide. It made it more relaxing since it was like I was outside in nature. When I moved forward on my arms resting on my forearms and letting my legs go into a perfect split, I took a soft breathe letting my body relax and let my mind flow. After a few minutes in this position, my eyes shot open as I got a vision in my head of something amazing. I reached over for my backpack beside me and unzipped it trying to stay in the same position while I wriggled my sketchpad out and I grabbed my pencil bag out from the front pocket. I opened up my pad and grabbed a pencil from my bag and I began to quickly sketch out what I had seen during my yoga, before the vision escape my mind. "Skylar?", a voice said

I stopped drawing and I looked under my arms to see Mikey upside down looking at me. "Oh hey Mikey, what's up?", I asked, wobbling a bit before I steadied myself

"What are you doing?", he asked, looking at me funny

"I am doing a new sketch, possibly that could be a new design for work", I said, tracing a few lines on the paper

"Yeah but why are you doing it upside down?", he asked, cocking his head to where it was right side with mine

"I always get inspirations when I do it at a different angle for some reason", I said "I don't know why, but every time I do my yoga I always get an idea and I just have to get it on paper before it disappears"

"Huh how different", he said, seeming like he understood

"Or weird", I said, giggling as I shaded in some parts

"Mind if I see?", he asked

"Sure, just finishing up", I said, feeling my legs starting to sink back down

I shaded and outlined the last remaining details before I felt my arm give out. "Ouch! Shoulder cramp!", I said, falling on my side with a thump

Mikey started laughing at me as I sat up pushing up my bandanna that was covering my eyes, giving him a smirk. "Haha very funny", I said, sarcastically

He then picked up my sketch pad as he began to look over my design as I took a chug of my strawberry lemonade vitamin water. "Wow this is really cool!", he said, looking at it amazed

"It's just a rough draft at the moment, still need to add in more detail", I said

He then started going through the other pages that were in the sketch pad, through my other sketches. "Wow, Sky these are awesome!", he said, impressed

"Awww its nothing, those were actually my first ever drawings I did before I took art classes in school", I said

"I'm serious! These are way better than what I can do", he said

"Well I don't know about that, I think they kind of suck", I said, shrugging

"Don't be so self judgmental about yourself Sky, I always give out an honest opinion, and I am really serious on these look", he said "You should be proud of yourself for what you made"

"Thanks Mikey, that really, really does mean something to mean" I said, with a soft smile

I'm not sure what it was, but Mikey's eyes were a beautiful light crystal blue as he smiled at me. It's like you could look at them all day and you could lose your heart and soul into them. He was more free lanced and easy going than his other brothers and he was full of kindness. We just looked at each other for the longest time, his face was a bit firm but yet so kid like and his eyes were still facing mine deeply. Almost like we were both lost in a deep spell and neither one of us was breaking from it. "Guys! Guys! Guys!", a voice called out

We both shook out of the trance as we saw Donnie come running into the living room. "Donnie, what's goin on?", I asked

"Skylar I found something when I was testing out your blood sample and found a possible therapy", he said, excitedly

"Well paint me green and call me a cucumber, you actually did find something! You are a genius!", I said, amazed

I saw Mikey struggling not to laugh by holding his hands over his mouth, trying to keep it together from the funny expression. "Sorry, heard that one from work", I said, giggling

Donnie looked like he was holding his breath trying not to look like to laugh too. I giggled a little before they both took a breath calming down. "So what did you find Donnie?", I asked

"Okay so I made a solution of the sample of the blood and with the answers that you gave me, I made a new kind of chemotherapy with a little bit of a twist to it", he said

"Does it involve getting giant needles poked into you?", I asked

"Not even close, its so painlessly its easy as if you were breathing the air right now", he said

"So its like chemotherapy, but not necessarily the kind you would see if you were in a hospital?", I asked

"Exactly", he said, with a smile

I shrugged. "Okay, I am willing try anything if it means to improve this life destroyer", I said

"Great I will go get the tank", he said, walking quickly off "You are going to love this!"

I then sat down beside Mikey on the couch. "Do you think this will work?", he asked

"I don't know if it will or not, but it beats to having to get a giant needle stuck in your arm every week and have it do nothing beneficial", I said, shrugging

Donnie came back with the tank and a mask with a hose, with Leo coming from the dojo with Splinter. But Raph decided to keep his distance away from the rest of us by leaning against the wall and chewing on a toothpick. Well I didn't care at the moment, after all he did make fun of my lifestyle choice and caused damage in the kitchen. I decided to just keep a low profile and not acknowledge his presence. "What is happening?", Splinter asked

"Donnie thinks he might of found something to help with my leukemia Splinter", I said

"Maybe it could the be the cure to this!", Mikey said, excitedly

"Well I don't think its an overnight miracle Mikey, but I am sure it could be a positive start", Leo said, sounding hopeful

"I studied her blood sample while I was running some tests on typical different kinds of chemicals that is used in intra muscular injection", Donnie said "I found out what chemicals that the hospital has been giving her and it turns out to be the wrong kind of chemicals that are being used"

"What do you mean wrong kind Donnie?", I asked

"When I tested the chemicals on a cancer cell in your blood, many were actually fighting over the cell on how to kill the cell", he said "So it was mixed messages being sent out on what the cell was suppose to do and it thought it was being attacked and white blood cells came and destroyed the chemicals, that's why your therapy hasn't been working properly because of mixed messages"

"And now its starting to make sense!", I said, flopping my arms in my lap "I can't believe it!"

"So basically she was given that therapy for nothing?", Leo asked

"Unfortunately, yes", Donnie said, with a nod

"So what now?", Mikey asked

"Well with this new tank", Donnie said "I created a new therapy by testing out different chemicals that have been known to treat properly cancer cells and they neutralize it to where it starts to build up an immunity where it can began the healing process, and its easy as simply breathing in this air in this tank"

"That sounds promising", I said

"So you are going to make her breathe in that?", Leo asked

"I already tested it out, it should be safe for her", Donnie said

"Like I said, I am willing to try anything", I said "Let's give it a shot"

"Alright", he said, handing me the mask and setting the tank beside me "Just breathe it in for a few seconds and let me know what you think"

I looked at the mask for a few moments before I looked over at Mikey giving me a bit of a encouraging look to make me try it and I nodded slowly.

I took a shaky breath and I placed the mask over my mouth as I inhaled in the air deeply. It had a funny taste to it, kind of like a minty grape taste. I inhaled in for a few more seconds before I exhaled taking the mask off my mouth and I felt...amazing. It felt like my body just got a shot of immunity and could go out and do a marathon if I wanted to. I never felt better than any other chemotherapy session I had since my first treatment. "It feels...great", I said, looking up at Donnie smiling

He smiled in excitement and I placed the mask back over my mouth and began to take in another inhale, feeling my breathing was already starting to improve and feeling weight being lifted off of my shoulders. Donnie then took the stethoscope around his neck as I was inhaling in the air again and he placed it over my heart, hearing for a few seconds, before looking up at me. "Your heartbeat is already getting stronger", he said

"It's working", Leo said, with a hopeful smile

I smiled and I placed the mask over my mouth again and inhaled in more of the air. I don't know what it was, but I think these turtles and rat are like angels that were sent from heaven above to do wonders on the ground. They are such friendly creatures. I don't see how anyone could be scared of someone who acted even more human than anyone I have ever seen before. I wish that people were so such judgmental on things that don't make sense in their eyes and just allow it to explain and perform its true potential. I'm starting to begin to realize that maybe that it was a sign for me to meet Mikey and his family, since they are welcoming a complete stranger and helping me cure a deadly disease in my body. Maybe Splinter's words were right when I was a little girl that I did have a bright future and things would change for the better. Well I feel that, that dream was becoming a reality.