A/N: Run, Ava! Run!

Disclaimer:I do not own TMNT.

Betrayed Secrets~Chapter 14

Sleep eluded Ava as she laid under her lavender comforter. Even the brightly colored butterflies that were in suspended flight on it couldn't make her feel at ease. She was on her back, staring at the ceiling.

She hated staying at the apartment all alone. She had assured her mother she was staying at April's. She had lied to April and told her she was spending the night at the hospital. She felt as though she were turning into a pathological liar. She managed to hurt and deceive everyone that was dear to her. She felt like the fuzzy unknown substance that grew on Mikey's forgotten pizza under his bed.

She felt disgusting.

Sighing, she flopped over onto her left side. Deciding that counting sheep was futile in her quest for an hour's sleep, she opted to read. Reaching into her white night table, she withdrew her worn out copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings.' She flipped to the new chapter that she had bookmarked and began reading about Frodo and his comrades. The words filled her head and she finally started to relax.

Thump! Thump!

Her head snapped up from the pages as her breath hitched in her throat. She tilted her head as she listened.

Silence.

I must be hearing things, she told herself nervously. She lowered her eyes on her page. She knew she wasn't going to get to sleep now.

Creak!

She definitely heard that noise. Her heart began to race as she slowly shut the book and sat up. She listened again.

She cursed her overactive imagination. Ava knew for her sanity's sake, she had to prove to herself there was nothing to be afraid of. She pushed aside the comforter and slowly rose out of her bed. She grabbed her navy blue hooded sweatshirt off the end of her bed and swiftly donned it. Slowly and carefully, she inched her way into the hallway where she stopped and listened once more.

Silence.

As she passed the bathroom, Ava slowly craned her neck around the door frame to peak inside. She thanked her common sense to have left the turquoise colored shower curtain pulled back. She could plainly tell that no one was hiding in her tub.

She turned and tiptoed towards the living room. When she rounded the corner, the sight made her feel faint. She gripped the wall as she froze in place.

The living room was pretty much the same way as she had left it three hours ago. The only significant difference was that the television she had deliberately left on now displayed a black screen. The power cord was unplugged and curled around the box. Only her eyes shifted as she shakily scanned the room for more clues. Two footprints marked the beige carpet at the window over the fire escape.

Someone had been in her apartment and by the way the foot prints faced, it appeared they had left. The message they had created was loud and clear.

She was being watched.

Knowing that it wasn't safe to remain in the apartment, she bolted. She only stopped momentarily to pick up her sneakers that were beside the door. Her mind raced as she ran out of her apartment.

Oh. What would the guys do? She wondered to herself as she quickly tried to devise a strategy.

She knew Raphael would charge down the fire escape after who ever the intruder was. Mikey, well, he probably would do a girly scream before bolting out of the apartment. Leo and Don. They would have a good plan. But what?

She looked to her right. The elevator was on the wall adjacent to the stairwell.

Hmm. She had seen enough action movies to know that stairwells could make her an easy target. She could take the elevator. But what if the intruder was waiting at the bottom?

Believing that time was not her friend, Ava headed for the elevator. She pressed the down button a count of seven times, although the once was sufficient. She stepped aside as the doors slowly opened. She peered inside. It was empty.

Quickly, she moved into the elevator and selected the second floor. She didn't want to risk being ambushed if she rode the elevator all the way to the main floor. Ava used the trip to put her sneakers on her feet.

Once the doors opened with a 'swoosh,' she had full view of the second floor hallway. It was empty.

Wasting no time, she stepped out of the elevator and in a crouched position, made her way to the stairwell doors. Slowly, she twisted the silver knob and pushed the door open just enough that she could look up.

The descending stairs were empty. Bravely she slunk further to the top of the stairs. When she decided that the rest of the stairs were empty, she flew as fast as her feet would allow to the main floor.

When the entrance doors were in her sight, she took a few big breaths, she leaped into a sprint. By the time she was outside on the pavement she was in a full blown run. Instinctively, she turned left on the sidewalk and didn't slow down. Tears stung in her eyes and her heart thudded in her chest. She was so focused on getting as far away as she could, she didn't notice the silver Honda pull out of its parking spot and patiently follow her.

Ava ran for her life. She ran down one street, and turned onto another. She desperately tried to decide where to go, knowing she would soon run out of steam. A hideout would be her best bet at the moment. Ava decided that going to the police would not be ideal. What would she tell them? She had turned in her best friends, four mutant turtles and now someone is trying to keep her quiet? They would either lock her away for the crime of being insane, or she would endanger the guys even further.

Fighting the urge to run to the corner of Laird and Eastman, she turned to her right. She caught sight of the lonely car that stalked her from a safe distance. She knew that if she took to the alleys, the driver would only get out and chase her on foot. He was fresh and ready to run.

With her legs screaming in agony, she ran towards the middle school yard. She dashed around the swing sets and monkey bars. When she felt her legs start to wobble and shake, she knew she had to stop. She pitched forward and darted around the back of the building where she huddled in the darkness of a corner. Desperately trying to catch her breath, she dipped her head forward and rested it against her knees.

"Please be a real bad dream. Please be a real bad dream," she repeated over and over. Suddenly, somewhere close by she heard the door of a vehicle shut. The owner didn't slam it, or take caution to be quiet. The casual clunk just emphasized the intruder's confidence.

"No." Her voice was a raspy whisper. Ava knew if she remained in position, she was just a sitting duck on a silver platter. She scrambled to her feet and rounded the back of the building. She dared to look over her shoulder. She cursed as she saw a black figure standing next to a basketball hoop. Finding her inner strength, she darted in the opposite direction. Her level of panic heightened to new degree. Tears of fear spilled down her cheeks as she heard the oncoming footfall. She stumbled on a few steps more.

"How much farther are you going to run?" the figure asked, patiently.

Ava made one last earnest attempt to push on. Her spaghetti like legs wobbled underneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the intruder walking towards her. His ordinary appearance added to his creepiness. He had the looks of an attractive football player. But his smile is what gave his intentions away. The ends of his mouth curled up like a jack o' lantern.

He cocked his head to the side and tsked.

"You women are all the same. Always sticking your noses where they don't belong," he mumbled. "Well. I am here to make sure you keep your nose to yourself."

Ava pinched her eyes tightly as he hovered over her. She didn't even have enough strength to scream. She heard soft movement, then nothing. When she dared to re open her eyes, she no longer saw her assailant. Instead a new figure stood before her.

She gasped as a new and different feeling of dread washed over her.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Splinter asked.

Ava nodded numbly as she sat up. She glanced to the right and saw the outline of the man that had stood before her only a few short moments ago. The slow, rhythmic up and down motion of his chest didn't put her mind to ease. He was unconscious, but very much alive. Ava knew she was only safe from him for the moment.

"Master Splinter,"she gaped. "How did you find me?"

"I have been looking for my sons,"he explained."I wanted to make contact and ask if you knew of their whereabouts. You had fled the apartment just as I arrived."

"Someone broke into my apartment,"Ava told him.

Splinter flicked his keen ears back and forth as he listened for would be attackers."We must leave here,"he pressed.

Ava stared briefly at his outstretched palm. She didn't feel worthy of his help. However, when the man's body twitched with a slight movement, she pulled herself to a standing position. Once she was balanced on her feet, Splinter rushed past her into the shadows. She followed and did her best to keep up. Quickly, they kept to the shadows until Splinter selected a slow street. With a grunt, he pried open the large man hole cover. Ava wasted no time, and lowered herself down into the sewers. Splinter followed her.

They traveled through the pipe line. The splash of their quick footsteps hitting the water puddles was the only sound that was exchanged between the two. Ava busied herself with thoughts on what she was going to tell the wise rat. She had not even dared to breathe a word to him about the turtle's disappearance. How do you tell a parent that you were behind a sinister plot to capture their children?

Splinter breathed a thankful sigh as they entered the lair. He turned to look up into Ava's eyes.

"We have important matters to discuss," he said. Ava swallowed the golf ball sized lump that was in her throat. "The turtles. Do you know where they are?" He paused to sigh deeply. "I have made contact with Leonardo through meditation, but it was short."

"Master Splinter, I..." Ava had the whopper of a lie all planned out. There was a fight at her apartment. The guys followed the intruders and she hadn't seen or heard from them sinse. But even as she ran the story through her mind for the hundredth time, it still didn't ring true. There were too many holes left unfilled. Deep holes that Ava wanted to bury herself in.

"I have not seen you for many days," Splinter told her. "I have been worried."

Ava sighed. She was tired of lying. If she held any respect for Splinter, she owed him the truth.

And it was going to hurt.

"Master, I ...I have to tell you something," she blurted.

Splinter stood calmly before her. "Yes?"

Ava focused her attention on a long crack that zigzagged across the floor. "I know where the guys are," she confessed. "They were kidnapped and taken to the zoo."

Splinter gasped as the pieces to the puzzle suddenly fell together. His stare got intense and he pressed Ava on. "How?"

"It was my fault, Master," she rambled. She leaped into a brief version of the events that took place. Splinter listened patiently as a mix of emotions washed over him. His sons. His family. Taken away from him. This is exactly why he didn't trust even those that posed as their allies. Their existence was at the mercy of every human they met. That is why he chose their friends wisely.

When Splinter didn't respond, Ava fell to her knees before him.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was filled with guilt. She didn't shed a tear.

Splinter struggled against the anger inside of him. He could hear the sincerity in her apology. But now was not the time to deal with her. He wanted his sons back. That was priority.

"The zoo," he finally spoke in a quiet, solemn voice. "I shall go and free them."

Ava knew he would need help. She couldn't let him go alone.

"I will help you," she promised.

Splinter's tail twitched. "Very well. But I am getting my sons back." His words were firm and determined.

Ava nodded. At least I can set this right, she thought. I will help Master Splinter. Then pay the consequences later. It is the least I can do.