Chapter 9: Mister Turtle

Time: -5 days

April's P.O.V.

I can't face them. Not now or ever. I couldn't fulfill Splinter's wish. Leo's dead because I failed to save him. I didn't save him…

I force myself not to break down in the middle of the street. I got called in to babysit for this rich couple with a six year old. I wanted to say no but I need the money. But now that I'm walking toward their apartment, I want to stop here and cry all over again.

I loved Leo. I don't truly understand what kind of love it was. It wasn't like I was in love with him. And it wasn't a brotherly love, either. I don't know what kind of love it is. Was. Whatever.

I walk up the stone stairs and into the luxury apartment. A boy my age and from another school walks by. He smiles and says, "You look pretty today."

I look up, "Thank yo-"The words fall out of my mouth immediately. He has blue hair dyed the color of Leo's bandana. He has pure white teeth and his eyes…his eyes look just like Leo's.

He nods and walks on. I cover my mouth and slam against the wall. Oh, gosh! Oh, gosh! Oh, gosh! His voice is in my head. The day he died…he said… he said…

"Hey, April, you look pretty."

I haven't touched those clothes or did my hair like that since that day. I refuse to. I don't think I'll ever handle being called pretty again. It was Leo's word. Leo's…word…

I have to get up there. The families waiting. I force myself to move up the stairs and to the door. A few doors down, I hear One Call Away playing and Leo singing it comes to mind. I hurriedly rap on the door and slip in as soon as it opens, the lyrics following me, trying to force me to cry.

I numbly follow the father with where the food goes and where the emergency number is. I just nod to show I understand.

Then he leads me to the strawberry blond girl, sitting in her room, at a tea table, coloring. She's frowning angrily as she scratches the table.

"What's wrong?" I ask gently.

The father rolls his eyes, "She says her imaginary friend is being mean. He hasn't come for tea in three days. That's when he was supposed to come. She says he's a liar."

"Oh…" I just stare at her some more. The parents take off for their date and I enter the child's room.

She looks up at me and grouchily says, "Who are you?"

I kneel at the little table and say, "April. Who are you?"

She goes back to her picture, "Chloe."

"What are you drawing?"

"My friend."

"Your imaginary one?"

She jerks up, her face pure red, "He's not imaginary! He's real! He sings and hugs and plays with me! He's real!"

I remember when I was little, I always said my imaginary friends were real but never with this much furiosity. She truly believes it. I decide to dig deeper.

"Well, what's his name? Can I see the picture?"

Chloe looks at me for a moment, then holds up the picture. I choke and feel extremely sick.

"He's Mr. Turtle," Chloe says, "And he's my best friend."

Leo is scribbled on the piece of paper, holding the other scribbles hand which must be Chloe. I can almost see her as a teenager in high school, drawing Leo's face with charcoal someday in the future.

Someday…like a vision…

Almost…

I grab the paper and stare. Chloe keeps going, "He promised to come over to have tea. He hasn't come. He's mean. He lied."

I force myself to speak, "You guys have tea…"

Chloe nods, "Yeah. We'll have tea and talk about his brothers. Sometimes, he'll dance with me or he'll tuck me in bed. He'll stay and sing me a lullaby."

"…Lullaby…"

Then she starts singing and the tears refuse to held back any longer:

Neverland is so far away

Somehow Pan went away

I think I could find him if I really tried

Then we'll fly away together into the Neverland sky

Soon after she's done, she whispers," Miss April, are you okay?"

I sniff and hand back the picture. I can't believe I have to tell her this.

"Um…Chloe…I know Le-…Mister Turtle."

Her eyes light up and my throat closes, "Really?!"

I nod, "Yes…he…um…he had…to leave…for a while. And he's…not…gonna be back…for a while."

Chloe's smile fades, "When will he be back?"

I look away," Not for a long time."

Slowly, Chloe starts crying, too. I don't know how long we were there balling, all I know is that Chloe, in the middle of it, held a doll and sobbed.

I recognized it. It was the Captain Ryan plushy Raph got Leo for one of their mutation days.

It's the one Raph thought Leo lost only a week ago…

Around eleven, the parents get home. I leave as soon as I get paid. I hope Chloe will be okay. I know I won't be.

Out on the street, I run into that boy again. He must live here if he's hanging around. I try to avoid him, but he catches me anyway.

"Hey," He calls. I turn around, "You again." He walks up to me, then sees my face that must look positively terrible. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head. This guy, he has the same energy as Leo. Warm. Kind. The type that says he won't hurt you. "I'm fine." Go away. Go away.

Instead, he says, "You're not." And even though he's a stranger, he hugs me and I let him. His hug is just like Leo's. You never want to leave it because it's soft and warm and you know no matter what you do to him, he'll always love you. Maybe that's why, when this stranger steps back, I want to bring him forward," Sorry, I tend to do that when people are sad."

I shrug, "It's alright. You're right. I've had a rough week. April. April O'Neil."

I hold out my hand. He takes it and shakes. "Lenard. Lenard Homdal."