Hi again. Here is yet another chapter for this story. I really love how this is turning out. R&R hope you enjoy. O and a big thanks goes out to 54 viruses for his constant reviews, D.J Striker for the first one ever, Draxis for his helpful criticism, and Tauni for awesomeness. A Big thanks to 54Viruses for pointing out my mistakes! :)
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Disclaimer: I don't own the tmnt or Maximum ride.
Fly Away chapter 8: 11 months.
Month 1
POV: Raphael
Leo felt so bad for losing control like that. For the rest of the day he referred to himself as a self centered jerk. After Leo had stopped crying he locked himself in one of the bathrooms and refused to come out. Mikey knowing that this was a battle that we would lose saw Sam heading out towards the barn and jumped out the window after her exclaiming that he was bored and needed something to do.
Donny couldn't talk without it hurting for three full days and I couldn't talk for a week. We got Leo to stop sulking so there's a victory. We had to pick the lock on the bathroom door to get him out though and then we literally had to shove a few bites of food down his throat before he would eat on his own.
While this was happening Mikey was out with Samantha and it turns out he had a little breakdown of his own and told her everything. The first thing she wanted to know was if we could fly yet. The answer was kinda yes and kinda no because we're still trying to get Don to fly and I haven't flown since my little rendezvous with Splinter and Casey. So she devoted her time to flinging us individually off her roof and shouting out instructions as we fall. She is a lot stronger than she looks. She had padding down there of course so we didn't get hurt any. It was during this time that I noticed her tattoo. It was unique. Like none I had ever seen before and I think it was all one because I could just barely see a ship's burning sail peeking over her collar. But I admit that that's not what I was looking at. Then she threw me off the roof.
We were all warming up to her but I for one still didn't trust her. I get this strange feeling around her but it's not really a "danger" feeling but I'm not too sure that I like it. I just wanna turn and run whenever she enters the room. I can talk now but I don't not even to my bro's. I just feel so terrible for everything. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm really lost and this girl seems a little too helpful. Something just isn't kosher here. I can feel it.
Our first month here is almost over and at least everyone has gotten off the ground. I have taken a few complicated fights and am working on taking off from the ground. Mikey and Leo haven't flown, just glided so are still exercising their wings. We all have jobs around the ranch and Leo seems to love the horses about as much as I do. Couple of days ago I saw a beautiful mustang out in the forest. Female from the looks of it. I go out a lot to see if I can catch glimpses of her.
Leo seems to have fallen in love with a pregnant mare by the name of comet. He keeps such a close eye one her it's scary.
It's dinner and we're all seated around the table eating loads of hamburgers when the phone rings.
"I'll get it." Sam says. "It's probably for me anyway." She states with a wink and skips over to the phone.
She answers it and the entire cheery atmosphere of the night changes when she hangs up and returns to table in a slight state of shock.
"You okay Sam?" Don asks noticing her condition.
Her lip starts trembling as she responds.
"My uncle is dead." She stated in a voice that could barely be heard. "He's dead."
"Who was your uncle?" Leo asks.
"Well I guess he wasn't really my uncle. He was more of my father." I had expected her to cry but she hadn't shed a single tear.
"What do you mean?" Mikey asked I remained silent as always.
"I used to live in Chicago before I came here with my uncle. My mother had passed away giving birth to my twin sister but she didn't make it either. My father made sure that I would make it and I wasn't even aware of what he was getting himself into. He got into trouble with a gang that he owed money to and one night my uncle came and took me away to this town at my father's request. Later that same night the gang came and killed my father because of the debt he owed and to tie up loose ends. If I had been there they would have killed me too. He raised me and now he's gone."
The rest of that night was spent mourning her uncle. Leo made a shrine for her as a monument to her deceased uncle, I remained silent, and still she never shed a tear.
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Month 2
POV: Michelangelo
Her uncle's death weighed pretty heavy on her and for days she neither slept nor ate. I was beginning to get worried and had just about had it when she came out and joined me for lunch. I got right to work cheering her up and for weeks we did all the work around the ranch and we just let her have fun. One of the things she seemed to enjoy doing was going down to the stream and looking into the glassy water.
One of my greatest concerns though is Raph. The way he looks at her. He doesn't trust her. He hasn't spoken to anyone since that night we met Sam. I fear he's going to try something.
We finally got those lions that have been lurking about. Turns out one of them was a mom and we sent the cubs off with animal control.
Not much going on this month just Raph being silent and Leo with comet. It's been pretty good and you know what? I don't ever wanna leave.
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Month 3
POV: Donnatello
I feel so terribly sorry for Sam. It had to happen sometime. I'm just glad we were here to support her when it did happen.
Mikey has been doing an excellent job of cheering her up and already she's back to her normal self. Or close to it.
I've tried to talk to Raph but he just looks at me and walks away. I get the feeling that he's really struggling. Has a lot of weight on his shoulders and is lost. I just wish he'd let one of us help him find his way. Sheba and klunk have been having a blast out here. They have so much room to run around. Though Sheba never strays far from Raph. She's gotten huge! Like Great Dane huge. And she still hasn't stopped growing. I've been getting the feeling that she isn't just a dog, that she'd mixed with something else but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Klunk seems to have gotten a heck of a lot smarter off late. Also he hasn't really made much noise, which is strange for Klunk. I'll have to look him over it's probably something they did to him in the lab.
The weeks have gone by and April is beginning to come to a close. It's still pretty cold out so were all huddled around the fire. Except for Raph and Leo. Raph just doesn't wanna get anywhere near Sam and Leo took the pregnant mare, comet, out for a short walk.
I look outside and notice that it's started snowing. In fact it's a blizzard and Leo still isn't back yet.
"Guy's where was Leo going?" I ask.
"He never said why?" Came Sam's reply.
"Y'know that blizzard we've been expecting. It's here." Everyone turned around and for the longest time we all just stared out the window trying to see through the falling snow.
Finally Raph got up, gave me a gun, pointed toward the clock, held up five fingers, and walked into the storm.
I understood perfectly what he had told me. He had said that if he wasn't back in five minuets then I was to go out onto the porch and fire the gun off so he could find his way back.
We stared out the window and five minuets passed so I opened the door, cleared the porch roof, and began firing. Six clear shots rang out when I ran out of bullets and not knowing what to do I ran into the kitchen, got a pot, and began banging on it with Sam and Mikey by my side firing off guns.
For what seemed like an eternity there was nothing. Then two forms emerged from the storm and walked into the house.
The first in was Raph and right behind him was a very sick looking Leo. He was in bad shape but it's what he had on his shoulders that caught our attention. Draped across his shoulders was a small foal. Completely white except for small speckles of black all over him. Leo put him on the couch and collapsed to the floor. Raph ran and I soon heard water running in the bathroom.
I pick Leo up and help him up the stairs. He feels like ice. I set him down on the bathroom floor, place a thermometer in his mouth and began removing his clothing. A deed that he expressed how much he didn't like by pulling away or pushing me away. He kept trying to squiggle away from me so Raph came over and held him in place.
We picked him up and placed him in the full bathtub. The water was actually very cold but to him it was boiling. When we placed him in he cried out and tried to crawl back out but I was able to hold him there until he got the message that he wasn't going to come out for a while.
I shooed Raph out and closed the door. I looked at Leo and could see that he was covered in mud and dried, crusted blood. Where was comet? Where was his horse? Comet was actually a gift for Leo's birthday. We had all made up birthdays a long time ago. Sam had seen how much he loved Comet and gave her to him. He was so thrilled. But where was she? Leo had opened his eyes and was staring at the ceiling when I realized that I was going to have to wash him off. So I pulled the plug in the tub and climbed in with him. Once the water was down enough I adjusted the curtains and the showerhead and turned the water on. I turned the heat up a little this time and would keep doing that until I decided that he was warmed up enough.
When the water hit him he whimpered and curled himself up in a corner. I reached out grabbed his shoulder, stretched out his legs, placed myself behind him and pushed him into the falling water.
He whimpered again and again tried to worm away from the hot water.
"Ssshhhhhhh. Leo calm down. You need to warm up okay. Stop fighting me your not gonna win. I know it's hot but just relax." He did and I soon set to work on washing him up.
"Where's Comet?" I asked as I scrubbed his needle-scarred forearm.
"She's gone." He whispered weakly. "She died."
"Oh Leo I'm so sorry."
"I was out walking her when the storm hit so I turned around but she wouldn't move. She suddenly lay down and wouldn't get back up. I realized what was happening and stayed with her. It got so cold. I got really scared. I helped her give birth but when she didn't get up…."
Leo started crying. Softly but he was still crying.
"I've never seen a foal stand up so fast." He rasped through his tears.
I finished scrubbing him down, let him sit for a while, dried him off and put him to bed. Turns out everyone else had taken care of the foal. Bathed him and fed him. He was wobbling around the living room calling out for a mom that no longer there. Then I remembered Leo. Leo was the first person the foal had seen. He was calling out for Leo.
I led the newborn foal up the stairs and into where I had put Leo. The baby immediately hopped up onto the bed and fell asleep next to my ill brother.
I told everyone what Leo had said and the next day we found Comet's body frozen on the ground. We buried her and spent a long time caring for Leo who had come down with a severe case of pneumonia. His sickness lasted the rest of the month and when he was better had decided to name the foal Blizzard.
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Month 4
POV: Samantha
Leo and Blizzard are like two peas in a pod. He'll only let Leo feed him. Kind of reminds me of my uncle. A lot of time has passed not much going on that needs my attention. Raph has kept up his silent vigil for three months now. I get so nervous when I'm around him. I'm not sure what is that I'm feeling but I don't really like it.
What kind of a niece am I anyway? My adopted father dies and I don't even shed one tear over him. I think I'll head out to the stream. He used to take me there all the time when I was little. I was only 17 but he seemed to think I could handle the ranch on my own so when I returned from the marines two years later he left and turned the ranch over to me and I've been here for a full year.
I walk through the forest, which is now turning green, toward my little stream. I sit down next to the clear water and stare into it. Then suddenly I just start crying. Crying for my uncle. My father.
"You okay?" The voice is deep and heavily accented. I turned around and there was Raph kneeling beside me. A concerned look on his face.
"You wait three months to talk?" I ask through tears.
He looks at me with gentle eyes and pulls me into a hug.
"You wait three months to cry?"
I sat there holding onto him. Loving it for some reason. Loving his strength and knowing that I finally have what I have always wanted. A knight in shining armor. Someone to save me when I need it. I won't have to save myself anymore.
I pull away and look up at him finally recognizing what it is that I have felt over the past few months. Love.
"Fell better?" He asks in that same gentle tone.
I look into his eyes and without my knowing, without any of us knowing, our faces slowly inched closer together until our lips had touched and we had been pulled into a passionate kiss that each of us embraced.
We finally pulled away for our lungs were burning for air that the heavenly kiss denied. But I didn't want it to end. I would have suffocated just to hold onto that kiss.
"I do now." I said smiling.
We stood and headed back towards the ranch. He reached over and gingerly touched my hand and I grasped his. Together we walked away from the stream, out of the woods, and into the barn where the rest of the guys were.
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Month 5
POV: Leonardo
I have to admit I was very surprised when I saw Raph and Sam walk in that day. They were holding hands and Raph was finally talking. I never ever thought any of us would find love but Raph did and he is very happy. I love watching them. I have never seen Raph so happy in my entire life. He's different around her. He really does love her.
Blizzard has really grown. I'm working on training him now. He is so stubborn. Raph has been going off on his own with oats and apples. I wonder what he's doing out there.
It's been really fun here. In fact it's been heaven. I agree with Mike I don't ever wanna leave, but I fear that we'll have to.
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Month 6
POV: Raphael
I finally figured out what I have been feeling around Sam. It's not suspicion it's something I thought I'd never ever feel. It's love. I love her and she loves me. I never thought I'd say something like that.
I'm finally gonna show her Kushala. Kushala is a mustang that I found a while back. I've slowly earned up her trust and have been training her and I think that she's ready to meet someone else.
Kushala is a beautiful horse. I have not seen any like her ever. Most of her body is a yellow color except for some black coloring on her mane, tail, socks by her hooves, the rims of her ears, and a small stripe going from the end of her mane to tip of her tail. She has one white sock and her muzzle is a dark brown.
I gather apples and oats from the barn then go and get everyone else.
"Hey guy come here I got something to show you." I led them through the forest to the spot where I always meet Kushala.
"Okay you need to be very quiet now and don't come out until I say so." I said as I crept out of the brush and took out Kushala's reins.
I put them on grasped them tight and motioned for everyone else to come out. They did so slowly and when Kushala began backing away I patted her neck to assure her that she was safe.
I gave everyone some apples and oats to feed her with and she soon warmed up to them. We took her back to ranch where we found a nice stall for her. I spent most of the day showing her around the farmhouse.
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Month 7
POV: Michelangelo
Samantha tells me that the fair is coming up soon and she'll be selling horses. She even asked us if we wanted to go when we were out swimming. We were sitting on the dock when she asked.
"But we can't." I answered.
"I think you can. It's a small town and I know everyone. The policy is if your friends of mine your friends of theirs."
We stare at her in silence.
"Oh Cmon it'll be fun it'll be fun it'll be fun." She said bouncing up and down on Raph's lap.
"Do ya think they'd let us compete?" Raph asked.
"Raph!" Leo shouted.
"What?"
"Yep." Sam answered.
"Oh that's it I'm in."
"I'm going too." I stated.
Leo sent Don a look.
"Well it would be fun and we could still wear disguises." He said shyly
"Great it's a revolution. Someone drown me please." He said with a grin while leaning back with his hands and face turned towards the sky.
I looked at Raph and he shrugged. Together we grabbed Leo's ankles and dumped him into the lake. He came up sputtering and Raph pushed his head back under causing us all to go into a fit of laughter.
That's one example of how Raph has changed. We have so much fun with him now. One thing that happened that was really funny was we were all out in the yard and, I don't know the how or why, Raph was cutting Sam's hair. He's actually pretty good. He was basically done when we started paying attention to their conversation.
I still didn't pick up that much I caught the very end. They had been taking about something her friend had done that had surprised her and Raph was giving advice. All I caught was Raph saying 'Well sometimes you don't know people as well as you think you do.' He said as he cleaned off the scissors in a bucket of water. 'Sometimes people just surprise you.' He then took the entire bucket of water and dumped it on her head throwing up his arms afterwards and yelling 'Surprise!' He then dashed off with her on his tail laughing like hyenas.
I like Raph's change. I hope it never goes away.
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Month 8
POV: Donnatello
The fair has come and gone. We never actually went. We still weren't used to seeing so many people. We wigged out and wouldn't get out of the car. Well everyone except Raph. We still don't exactly feel comfortable around humans.
Raph's horse Kushala is amazing. She's so strong and she can run faster and jump higher that any of the stallions. Well scratch that Blizzard could probably give her a run for her money when it comes to jumping and when he gets older. He has such strong legs, marked by how fast he stood up. Kushala seems to understand what Raph tells her and she obeys though she won't let anyone else ride her.
Everything around here has been great. We even got Leo to be a little more lighthearted. He has been so grumpy and gloomy lately. I'm pretty glad that she found us that night.
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Month 9
POV: April
It's been nine months since we found the guys in Miami. I don't know what was going on with them but it appears that Raph has grown wings.
Splinter and Casey said that they had trapped him on the edge of the city when he just jumped off the edge of the roof. They ran over to try and catch him but he was already too far down. Then just out of nowhere these big black wings popped out and he flew away. Casey said it looked like the first time he had done that.
We've tried tracking the guys but the only lead we've found was in Arizona. I don't know where they would have turned from there.
"Hey I think I know which direction they went." Casey states.
"You do?" I asked surprised.
"Well the guys are used to a city right?"
I nod.
"And a city has a lot of tall buildings."
I nod again.
"Well the closest thing to buildings anywhere around here has to offer is trees and hills and where's the one place around here that has got plenty of those? Places where they can easily hide? The Rocky Mountains."
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course they would go there. It had cover and tall trees and it got really dark so they could easily hide.
We announced Casey's little revelation to everyone and we decided that there was too much ground to cover for all of us to stay together so we split up. It turned out uneven so Casey went alone. We all took beepers and the only reason we would use them was if we had found the guys or was in danger…life threatening danger.
So once again we were off. Off to find the guys.
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Month 10
POV: Splinter
I don't know how close we are but I hope I see my sons soon. It puzzles me why Raphael ran from me and what puzzles me more is his wings and willingness to fling himself off that roof even when he had so obviously not known how to use them.
I fear for them. I fear for their health. I fear for their safety. I fear for my sons. Just six months ago I sensed that Leonardo was in danger. As from what he was in danger from eludes me for he was blocking me. All I know was that he was in grave danger.
We have a lead on where they might have gone thanks to Casey. We were not able to cover enough ground together as a group so we split up. Casey wound up alone and I am with April.
I grow weary and scared. We have searched for little over a month and have found nothing.
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Month 11
POV: Casey
I think I've found something but I can't be sure. I've made my way up to Wyoming and have just now found an old rust eaten van that shouldn't have made it this far.
I take a peek inside and see that it's hotwired. The van smells awful. Like puke from a mule that's been ruminating on asparagus for two months. The flies seem to love the smell and flock to like deer after a moviegoer's popcorn. I look under the hood to see why it had made it this far. The reason being because several small adjustments were made to its engine so it would A. run on less fuel per gallon. B. Not overheat. And C. hold together.
Only one person I know could do this with such small adjustments. Donnatello. But if they ditched it then they could be miles away by now. Not but a few yards ahead is a dirt road. Curiosity gets the better of me and I follow it to see where it might lead.
It turns out this old road leads to a ranch but I don't wanna trespass in such a way that
I risk being seen so I sneak back around and enter the forest so that maybe I can figure out if the guys dropped by here by eavesdropping a bit. It's quite obvious that someone lives here. Several someones. Anything weird in a conversation would tip me off. Like if a guy had thought he had seen someone around the barn but the guy disappeared. Something like that.
I hear the sound of a conversation and make my way towards it. From the sound of it there are about three to five men and one woman. I make my way through the brush and up the hill. I am still surrounded by bushes so no one can see me unless they have really good eyes but I almost give myself away with the gasp that I let out when I saw the scene at the bottom of the hill.
Down below me were the guys. All of them. Raph, Leo, Don, and Mikey. There was also a red-haired woman that I didn't recognize. They were all riding horses and looked to be playing capture the flag. At the moment Leo had the flag tied around his saddlebag and his white horse was dodging the others swipes easily.
Donnatello was riding a white and red painted mare with a small feather in her mane. Mikey had a chestnut stallion, the girl, whom I now noticed had some rather large tattoos, was atop a pure black stallion, and Raph's horse was incredible. It was mostly blonde except for its legs, mane, tail, and a stripe down its back, which were all black. It had one white sock and its muzzle was brown. It was hard to tell the gender. Its muscular form said stallion but its thin muzzle said mare. The way it ran and jumped screamed stallion but its eyes said mare.
Off to the side were Klunk and this huge bear! But they were playing and the bear had a long tail and pointed ears. What was it?
My attention was brought back to the guys as Don tackled Leo off his stallion and Mikey soon joined them on the ground. Raph and the girl stood their horses side by side and were watching the show in hysterics.
What happened next almost made me fall down the hill. Raph suddenly leaned over and kissed the red head. KISSED HER!Raph had just kissed this girl.
The others had now stopped their little play fight and I guessed were making 'Awwww' sounds. Raph made a motion with his hand that I guessed was flipping them off. I reached down and pressed the small button on my beeper.
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And yet another cliffie! It wasn't as bad as chapter 4 though. Chapter 4 was BAD! I really REALLY hope you enjoyed. Bye bye gotta go now and continue story.
