Sorry for the semi-uneventful chapter, just trying to keep the story moving.
Mikey was jolted awake by an unfortunately familiar scream. He stumbled out of his bedroom, tripping over Klunk in the process. He hurried toward Kayla's room.
It was the beginning of February. They hadn't seen any movement from the Foot and no sign of Shredder for a while so they came home a couple days before Christmas. To say they were glad to be home was an understatement. They didn't start carrying on patrols until after New Years though, just in case. Kayla also said that Ethan hadn't been giving her anymore trouble since she dumped him, though Mikey thought Raph secretly was hoping he would just so the hothead would have an excuse to beat him to a pulp.
Mikey stumbled to a halt next to Raph outside Kayla's bedroom door. He could see her thrashing in her sleep, screaming at someone to stop, saying things like, 'Don't hurt them'. Those were the normal when it came to Kay's nightmares.
Since their fight with Shredder, Kay's nightmares picked up. Don said she had about four nightmares a week, almost every other day. It was horrible while they were staying at April and Casey's place. Kayla always felt terrible about waking everyone up, especially after everything April and Casey have done for them.
Leo rushed past his brothers and hurried to Kayla's bed. Mikey just watched with his other brothers as Leo worked his magic. It took a good fifteen, twenty minutes to calm her down. Mikey turned to Donatello.
"Hey Donny, how many is that this week?" he asked curiously.
Don thought for a moment. "That's the fourth one this week, I think."
Mikey smiled and nodded. "Dudes, that's perfect!"
Everyone turned to stare at him. Even Kayla lifted her head off Leo's chest to look at her orange-masked brother in confusion.
"Now she won't have a nightmare on her birthday." Mikey pointed out with a huge grin. Kayla rolled her eyes and dropped her head back against Leo's chest.
XXX
The next day was Friday February 3rd, Kayla's 18th birthday. Alana, Katie, Marcus, Casey, and April all came over to hang out around six in the afternoon. Kayla begged and pleaded for: 1. No pizza for dinner, and 2. No cake. She was still sick of cake from when Mikey kept bringing home leftover birthday cake from his work as Cowabunga Carl.
So they agreed on hamburgers that Casey and Raph grilled on the rooftop for dinner, and April made a dessert pizza, ironically, for dessert. It had a sugar cookie crust topped with vanilla frosting and pieces of fruit.
Dinner went interesting considering Raph snuck cayenne pepper flakes in Mikey's burger. It was hilarious to everyone except Mikey, and Kayla managed to grab her camera and videotape him running around screaming like a girl. He ended up dunking his head in the sink and running water into his mouth. Afterwards they gathered in the TV area so Kayla could open presents.
April bought Kayla some new jeans and a leather jacket. Casey bought her a hockey jersey. Katie bought Kayla a new sketchpad, which she really needed after all the drawing she did at April's. Alana bought her a Transformers 2 movie poster. Marcus got her a Linkin Park CD. Leo got her several of her favorite true stories, The Diary of Anne Frank, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, Night, and Marley and Me. Mikey bought her a video game, though Kayla knew it was one he really wanted so it was more a gift for him. Raph gave Kayla's K-Cycle a tune-up while Don upgraded her helmet, adding features like night vision to it. She couldn't wait to try those out. Finally, Splinter bought her a large book on the history of Ancient Japan.
Afterwards everyone was pretty much chilling in the TV area, Kayla sitting on the couch between Marcus and Katie.
Don stood up from where he was sitting on a chair next to the couch. He moved to stand in front of the TV.
"Ladies and gentlemen, and terrapin brothers alike, the moment you've all been waiting for." he announced as he held up a DVD with a huge, mischievous smile.
Kayla looked at him suspiciously. "Don?" she asked warningly, "What are you doing?"
Don put the DVD in the player and simply smiled a huge grin at her as he sat back down in his seat, pushing the play button on the remote.
The TV screen flashed on to show a huge stage with two teenage girls walking to the center, one standing at a keyboard while the other stood at a microphone.
"Don!" Kayla lurched forward and screamed at him in embarrassment before grabbing a pillow behind her and covering her face.
"What are you so embarrassed about? You guys placed." April pointed out just as Katie started playing the piano on the TV.
"And you performed this in front of, what, a couple hundred people?" Don added. Kayla simply groaned before peaking over the edge of the pillow as she heard herself start singing Sound the Bugle on the TV.
Marcus, who was smiling, narrowed his eyes suddenly and leaned forward a bit. "Wait a minute, when was this?"
"Well, we were sophomores. It was some big teens music contest. My music teacher recommended I sing, and I didn't want to do it alone so I asked Katie to play the piano." Kayla answered with a shrug.
"Wait…did first place go to…someone who sang, like, Die Young or something like that?" Marcus asked quietly. Kayla and Katie looked at each other thoughtfully before looking back at him and nodding. "I was there." Marcus pointed at the TV screen. "I remember this. I just didn't realize it was you two, this was before I met you."
"You were there?" Kayla repeated, "That's weird and actually kinda cool."
"Everything about us is weird and cool, in case ya haven't figured that out yet." Mikey pointed out with his big, 'Mikey' smile. Raph rolled his eyes.
"Nothin's weirder than you, Mike." he joked, making everyone but Mikey laugh. They spent the next hour watching several of Kayla's past performances.
After they watched the last one Kayla sighed. "Finally! The end of the torture."
"I think Kay should give us an encore performance." Katie suggested, earning a smack on the arm from Kayla.
"I agree with Katie." Leo spoke as he leaned on his elbows on the back of the couch, smiling down at his sister.
Kayla grimaced at them, but she knew she wasn't getting out of it.
"Here, you'll need this." Raph said, holding her guitar out to her. Kayla looked from her guitar to back at him, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"What part of 'don't go in my room EVER' did you not get?" she asked as she took the guitar from him.
Raph shrugged with a smirk. "Eh, what can I say? You're 'bout as threatenin' as Klunk."
Kayla rolled her eyes as she took a seat in front of everyone on a chair Don placed in front of the TV. "Any requests?" she asked in a 'let's get this over with' tone.
"Ooh! Ooh! I got one!" Katie jumped off the seat and ran over to whisper in Kayla's ear. Kayla looked at her, confused.
"Why that song?" she asked in confusion.
Katie had a fake innocent smile on her face. "Oh, I just think it fits your relationship with someone in this room perfectly." she whispered so only Kayla could hear her. Kayla thought over the song and couldn't understand what she was talking about, but it was a good song.
"Alright, fine." she sighed as she began strumming her guitar.
(Pretending-Glee)
"Face to face, and heart to heart
We're so close yet so far apart
I close my eyes, I look away
That's just because I'm not okay
But I hold on, I stay strong, wondering if we still belong"
When Kayla reached the chorus Alana and Katie started clapping to the beat, getting everyone to join in.
"Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath it, tear down all the walls
Will we ever have a happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
Will we a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always be
Pretending
How long do I fantasize
Make believe that it's still alive
Imagine that I am good enough,
and we can choose the ones we love
But I hold on, I stay strong, wondering if we still belong
Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath it, tear down all the walls
Will we ever have a happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
Will we a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always be
Keeping secrets safe
Every move we make
Seems like no one's letting go
And it's such a shame cause if you feel the same
How am I supposed to know?
Will we ever say the words we're feeling
Reach down underneath it, tear down all the walls
Will we ever have a happy ending
Or will we forever only be pretending?
Will we a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always be
Will we a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always be
Will we a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always
a-a-a-always be
Pretending"
Everyone applauded and Kayla felt her face burn as she blushed. When the clapping had subsided Raph spoke up from where he was standing by Leo behind the couch.
"Why'd ya pick that song?" Raph asked, looking down at Katie.
Katie, still sporting an 'innocent' smile, shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Just thought it was a good song."
"More like a sappy song." Raph rolled his eyes.
"Would you prefer something different Raphie?" Kayla asked teasingly, making Raph narrow his eyes at the old kiddie nickname.
To keep Raph semi-happy Kayla decided to play What I've Done by Linkin Park.
XXX
Sorry for the sudden ending, but I couldn't think of anything
else to add to this chapter