Chapter 20 -New Bo-

The three men and the turtle formed a miniature parade as they walked up the path to Katie's bungalow. Damien and Benjamin Kanar led the way, then Donatello, followed by Jon. It made Donatello tense to have the big man behind him, out of his line of sight, but he didn't protest. The little procession had the feeling of a prisoner transport.

Damien knocked softly on Katie's door before entering.

"She knows we're coming," Benjamin explained to Donatello. "She'll be lying down. Nearly drowning was quite an ordeal."

"Father, Uncle Benjamin! Donatello! Thank goodness you're all right. She didn't hurt you?"

"Katie! You're supposed to be resting," scolded Benjamin.

Katie nearly knocked him over. She rushed past her uncle and father, and threw her arms around the startled turtle's neck.

"Thank goodness you're all right! When I woke up, you were gone. The guards dragged you off to Doctor Serling..." Katie finally released Donatello and stepped back. "Father, Joshua and Alan refused to follow a direct order."

"Now, Katie, let's not be hasty," Benjamin held up his hands. "I'm sure they believed they were doing what was in your best interests…"

"What happened, Katie?" asked her father.

"They took Donatello back to Doctor Serling, after I specifically ordered that she is not to see him again! I mean it, I'm not having them come near either of us again. And, for that matter, Doctor Serling is barred from this house, and I don't want her anywhere near Donatello."

"You're upset." Damien reached out, and touched Katie's cheek. She reached up and grabbed his hand.

"Father, Donatello saved my life today. Doctor Serling treats him like… like some kind of animal."

"Katie, he is a turtle."

Katie shook her head. "He's more than that, Father. He's my friend. And you know he's not just an animal. He deserves respect and dignity. Please."

"Perhaps other arrangements can be made for his medical needs."

"You're the best." Katie threw her arms around Damien Kanar, squeezing his waist. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"You know I'd do anything to make you happy, Katie." He met Donatello's eyes over Katie's shoulder. "Anything at all."

"Thanks, Father," said Katie. She let him go.

Benjamin smiled. "Well, that's all settled then. Very good. Very good indeed. Damien, shall we return to the main house? You'll recall you have that conference call meeting with the head of Genna Oil this morning…"

"Ah, yes, the affairs of business beckon," said Damien with a smile. "Katie, I'll see you later. I want you to get some rest today, all right? No slaving in your laboratory all afternoon."

"Yes, Father."

"Donatello." Damien turned to face him. Don tensed, but stood calmly returning the man's gaze. "You saved my daughter's life. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sir, but honor requires that I give aid to anyone in need. I would've done the same for any person." Damien Kanar stared into Donatello's eyes for a long moment. He shook his head, and leaned closer.

"See to it that you take good care of my little girl," he said so softly only Donatello heard. He turned away so abruptly, Don didn't have time to reply.

Donatello and Katie watched the three men leave the room.

"I'm glad he's gone," said Katie with a shiver.

"Your father? You seemed happy to see him."

"No, Jon. He gives me the creeps. He's so big, and he never says anything."

"He's ok," said Donatello, remembering Jon's relatively gentle handling after Damien Kanar shocked him.

"Are you ok?" asked Katie. "Doctor Serling didn't have time to hurt you, did she?"

Donatello shook his head. "I'm fine," he said. "I just woke up when your father and uncle arrived. She was pretty mad when he said I was being returned to you."

"She'll be even madder when Father's through with her," muttered Katie. "He doesn't show it much, but I know him. He's really angry with her."

"Well, we can't worry about that now," said Donatello. "Katie, would you mind if I had some time alone? Maybe down by the lagoon?"

"What for?"

"I haven't had time to meditate since I've been here."

"You meditate?" Katie's eyes went wide.

"Well, yeah."

"There's so much I don't know about you… about your life," she said. She shook her head. "Like, what else do you do?"

Donatello hesitated, unsure of how much he should tell her. "I'm used to pretty rigorous exercise every day," he said finally. "I don't spend all my time in a laboratory."

"What do you do?" asked Katie. "I can't believe I never thought to ask you. I mean, you don't have a job or anything, right? So what do you do for a living? How do you survive?"

"Well…" Donatello sorted his thoughts, considering. "We have human friends who help us get things we can't get on our own, but we really prefer to take care of ourselves. Most of my electronic equipment comes from the dump. I salvage the parts, and build what we need."

"What about food?"

"We manage." Donatello smiled, thinking of the pizzas Mikey'd had delivered to a sewer grate. "Sometimes we find people willing to have odd jobs done without actually seeing who did them. We do the job, and they leave the money for us in a secure place."

"What kind of jobs?" Katie's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Oh, building maintenance, mostly," said Don with a smile. "A couple weeks ago, I fixed a fan in a roof vent. The building super has arthritis in his knees, and he's blind. There are some jobs he just can't handle any more, but he can't afford to lose his employment. I help him out, and he pays me a little bit."

"Wow."

"It works."

"So, what else do you do? When you're not fixing fans and dumpster-diving, I mean?"

"Well…"

"Oh come on, Donatello. What harm can come of telling me? I promised not to tell my Father anything about you, didn't I? And I protected you from Doctor Serling twice now. You owe me at least one," teased Katie with a grin.

Donatello sighed. She was right. He couldn't lie about who he was to Katie, not when he was dependent her help and protection. Honor demanded honesty. "I train as a ninja warrior in the arts of stealth, silence, and bushido, the code of honor."

Katie laughed. "What?" She stopped laughing when she saw Donatello frown. "You're serious. So you're like… a mutant turtle ninja?"

"That's me." he smiled.

"Wow," said Katie again. She stepped back, her hands on her hips, and looked him up and down, as if seeing him for the first time. Donatello stood with his arms crossed over his plastron while she finished her inspection.

"So, that's why you wanted to cut that staff," she said. "You're used to carrying a weapon."

"That's right. A bo staff," he said. "It's not just for fighting. I use it in my training as well."

"I understand now," said Katie quietly. "I'm sorry, Donatello. I didn't know. Of course you can take that sapling. I'll get you a machete."

"Thank you, Katie." Donatello relaxed, and smiled.

Katie strode off to a closet, and rummaged through the contents, pushing aside some khaki clothing, a net and a canvas bag. "Here it is. This is my gear for collecting samples…" She pulled a large, wicked-looking black knife from the back of the closet. "Sometimes you have to clear a path."

"Thanks, Katie."

Katie walked toward him. She stopped a few steps away. "A ninja, huh?"

Donatello nodded, wondering what on earth she was up to.

"And I'm just going to give you a machete. Am I nuts?"

"Probably." Donatello didn't so much as crack a smile. Katie's eyebrows disappeared into her bangs. Suddenly she laughed.

"You saved my life. I guess I can trust you." A slight frown wrinkled her brow. "I just wish I knew why you had to save me. I remember chasing you into the water, and waking up. Nothing in between."

"It was pretty weird," said Donatello, frowning. "You just… went under. You looked sort of surprised, and the next thing I knew you were on the bottom of the lagoon."

"I wish I could remember. I've never had cramps or anything."

"Maybe you'd better take it easy today."

"No. I've got too much to do in the laboratory." Katie made a face. "Now you sound like my father."

"I'm not old enough," said Donatello automatically.

Katie laughed. "Go get your tree, ninja," she teased. She held out the machete, handle-first. Don took it, and carefully pointed the blade away.

"Thanks." he said simply.