Ch: 9 Late Night Conversations
You will never be strong enough You will never be good enough You were never conceived in love You will not rise above ~ Lies By Evanescence
The hot water beat down on her, stinging the wound on her shoulder and washing away the sweat and grime from her tousle on the roofs. April was lending her some clothes and had called her parents asking them if it was okay if she stayed the night she didn't have school tomorrow so they agreed. April hadn't wanted Alex's foster parents to find out about the wound. Alex turned off the water stepping out of the shower she quickly dried off and got dressed. Coming out of the bathroom she heard Aprils panicked voice call for her she ran down to the living room to see the brunt remains of her building being shown on TV the reporter was telling that the building had exploded a few minutes earlier and the only survivor had been a black cat that had fled the building moments before, and neighbors from the building next door had identified it as belonging to a girl who lived in the top apartment complex. All Alex could do was say that's my cat she was frozen and all she could register was that she wanted her cat. Ares didn't like other people that's how he gotten his name Ella had given him to her and would hold onto him when she went into homes where pets weren't allowed.
"He doesn't like people he's properly scared." she said still stock still.
They were at the shelter now April had called the police to tell them that Alex had lived in the building before calling the shelter and asking if they could pick her cat up they had agreed. The police had asked April if Alex could stay with her until the next mourning when social services would arrive, April had said it was fine. They were coming to Ares' cage now Alex threw open the cage ignoring the man warning her that he had been biting every one since arriving. She picked him up and he immediately started rubbing his head against her chin while purring loud enough to wake the dead.
"I guess he just wanted his mom." The man said chuckling and reached out to pet Ares only to draw his hand back as Ares swatted at it growling.
"He just doesn't like people." Alex explained.
April looked to the girl sitting next to her in the car Alex was staring blankly ahead stroking her cat Ares. Alex had told them that she had left the window in her room open so that the cat could have some air and he must have clawed though the screen. Alex hadn't cried or lashed out she had just asked if they could get her cat April had immediately agreed she was worried about the poor girl and the cat seemed to be the only thing on her mind. April sighed looking back to the road social survives wanted to pick up the girl tomorrow and she really didn't want to give her to them.
He was pissed absolutely pissed the foot had blown up Alex's building he just knew it had been them. Alex didn't deserve this despite her attitude and dry sarcasm she had a good heart she had risked her life to save Mikey after all. The only reason they'd gotten off on the wrong foot is because the were to much alike. They had been watching the news and saw the press hollering questions at Alex as she came out with her cat who growled at them Alex had walked past not saying a thing but April had yelled at them telling them the girl had just lost everything so the least they could do was leave her the hell alone. A few minutes after he had 'accidentally' broken Aprils coffee table they came in the blank look still hadn't left Alex's eyes though she looked a little more at ease with the black cat in her arms. April followed with a liter box, liter, and cat food. when asked why the cat was the only thing Alex was thinking about she said her foster parents were dead there was nothing she could do for them while Ares was still vary much alive and he needed her more.
They were staring at her again they were worried about her she knew. But she couldn't bring her self to care she couldn't just fake a smile to give them the reassurance that she'd be okay these guys could probably tell that she was faking it anyway. Besides she wasn't ok she was leaving tomorrow the first kind foster parents she had ever had the first ones to keep her despite her attitude wanted to keep her loved her had just been blown up, she would have to give Ares away because most foster homes didn't want a kid and a pet, and since he didn't like people he'd be put down at a shelter and she really liked it here she didn't want to leave and never see April and the guys again. She wanted a home a family so bad and secretly she wanted to be a part of this one. She curled Ares closer into her chest and he purred lounder and grabbed her arm with his claws trying to get closer to her as well.
It was about twelve Alex had gotten sick of trying to fall asleep on Aprils couch so she gently lifted Ares off of her stomach before standing and placing him down she gently stepped around the bodies of the turtles who had stayed incase the foot showed up they would leave at 5am when it would be dark enough for them to slip home without being noticed. She quietly went to the window where the fire escape was located she had seen the guys use it to get in so she figured it was safe. She hoisted the window open before sliding out she then pulled it down far enough that the cold air wouldn't wake anyone but open enough so she didn't lock her self out. She then made her way to the roof sitting down on the edge she sighed swinging her feet back in fourth gently, watching the city it had a strange beauty to it she would miss it when she left.
He heard her get up and cross the room she was amazingly quite but he lived with five trained ninjas so his ears were trained to pick up the lightest of foot falls. He waited a few seconds after she closed the window before following. He made his way over to her before asking her if he could sit down.
"Free country." he took that as a yes and sat next to her they let out a sigh in unison and chuckled a bit at them selves.
"So… having trouble sleeping?" he asked looking at her out of the corner of his eye he saw her lift an eyebrow.
"No I'm down stairs sleeping right now." was her sarcastic reply. He sighed she was worse then Raph, this would be difficult.
"I just want to help there's no need to get defensive." he heard her sigh.
"I'm sorry it's a reflex, keep's people from getting to close." to say he was surprised she had shared this with him would be the understatement of the year.
"Why would you want to do that?" her head turned to look at him and looking in her eyes he was caught off guard at the pure brokenness he saw in them, right now just for a moment the warrior within her had left and all her defenses were down leaving a vary hurt young woman. Licking her lips she responded.
"Because people always hurt you sooner or later they all hurt you."
"Not…"
"Every one whether they mean to or not." She said cutting him off.
"Have you ever said something to a person whether you meant it or not in an argument or did or said something that unintentionally hurt someone.? You have even if your not aware of it because every word you say could have a bad effect on someone without your knowledge something you say could remind someone of a painful memory there's no way to know what you said could hurt them but it dose even if you didn't want it to so there for everyone at some point hurts you." She said and he could see wisdom in her eyes that should not have been there at her age it was not as much as the wisdom Master Splinter possced but it was there all the same.
"I understand, I guess you're right."
"Do you want to tell me what your doing on a roof at twelve in the mourning?"
"You want to tell me why you followed me Leonardo?" she sighed.
"You can call me Leo. And I wanted to see if you were okay. Your turn."
"Couldn't sleep. I don't want to go with the social worker tomorrow I'm sick of being tossed around like a broken toy." he put a green three figured hand on her shoulder luckily he was on her left uninjured side god was it only hours ago that the foot had attacked her.
"It must be hard to have all of this being piled on you like this."
"I'm used to it."
"That doesn't mean you should have to constantly endure it though."
"Thanks Leo." she said giving him a small smile not out of happiness, not a fake smile or a grim smile but a smile that showed all she had been through. A smile that was thanking him for not judging pitying or trying to run away and he understood her better now. He found himself wishing she wasn't leaving tomorrow too so he could learn more about his new friend.
