Mikey sat laid back against the wall, lazily flipping through channels on his bed, sighing deeply. He glanced at the clock. 3:03am, and he couldn't sleep.
Just then, he heard a soft knock on his door. He looked up to see Shelley leaned partially on the doorway. His blue eyes lit up and he sat up quickly. "Shelley."
"Hey." She said softly, doing her signature nervous twirling of hair around one finger.
Mikey stared at her expectantly, just glad she wasn't running from him for the first time in almost 4 days. "How are you?"
Shelley looked down, shaking her head slightly. "Not so good."
Mikey moved to sit on the edge of his bed. "Shelley…"
Shelley looked back at him.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to open the door on you, I just really had to pee, and I should've knocked…I'm sorry."
Shelley smiled slightly. "I know you didn't mean it. It was just…weird ya know?"
"I'm really sorry." Mikey repeated; he barely knew what else to say.
Shelley sighed and went to take a seat next to Mikey on the bed.
Mikey felt flushed as Shelley wrapped her arms around his arm, and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I know you're sorry. Like I said, it was just like, weird."
"I get ya." Mikey sighed. "I missed you."
Shelley smiled, cozying up to him. "Me too." She looked up at him. "Let's try make sure that doesn't happen again, k?"
Mikey raised his hand. "Oh I promise, I'll knock all the time. Even when I don't think anyone is in there, I'll knock. Even if the light is off, I'll still knock."
Shelley giggled. "K." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now move over and put on Netflix. I got so tired of watching TV alone, or with Raph. All he watches is wrestling, monster truck rallies and rugby…which I really don't get."
Mikey laughed. "Yeah, that's Raph." As he put on Netflix, he couldn't help but smile over at Shelley wistfully; he was glad to have his buddy back.
Raph peered out of a sewer drain at the pouring rain outside. He was on his way out when he heard the pitter patter of rain drops overhead, and then he came to face this. He let out a sigh of frustration, then turned away and looked around. He begrudgingly set off for the garage; even though it just wasn't the same without Cori there. He was slightly irritated that for years he'd gone to the garage alone, no problem, but the minute an interesting, and rather hot, newcomer came along, all of a sudden he didn't enjoy it as much without her.
Raph sat, lazily tinkering with a part for the motorcycle, when he heard footsteps. He looked up to see Cori as she stepped foot into the garage, her boots slipping across the concrete floor.
Cori looked over at him as she paused, one foot on the second step from the bottom, the other on the ground floor.
Raph just looked at her for a moment, and found himself annoyed to actually be glad to see her there. But he still tried to mask that, keeping his cool. "Hey."
Cori gave him a brief nod, and continued on to her workstation. She then sat down, grabbed her power drill, and went to work, earphones in her ear, still using the mp3 player Mikey gave her.
After a while, Cori heaved a heavy sigh, and took the earphones out. Then she got up, and made her way over to Raph.
Raph hadn't even noticed she got up, until he felt her presence practically right over him. He looked up to see Cori standing next to him, hands on her hips. "What?"
Cori then swiftly punched him; same spot where Mikey and Calla punched him not too long before.
He winced, looking down as he briefly held his shoulder. "Ok, ok, I deserve that."
Cori then stared at him a moment longer, apparently in a state of indecision. "I talk, when I wanna talk."
Raph's head snapped up and he stared at her in wide-eyed shock.
"Don't, push me."
"You can…"
Cori held up her pointer finger as she gave him a warning glare. "Not a word. Not a single, frickin' word to anyone or I swear I'll make your life a living nightmare. You will live in the hashi…that's right, I know all about that." She made sure to add gestures to the stress she put on her words of warning.
Raph couldn't believe his ears, he barely heard her threats, he was just amazed that she was talking. It took all he had not to jump out of his seat. "I knew it!" He had the inkling all along, but just couldn't prove it. He finally heard Cori's voice, which was a little deeper than her sisters', but without sounding in the slightest bit masculine; it was moreso sultry.
Cori folded her arms and shook her head as she looked at Raph. "Just couldn't leave it alone huh?"
"Of course not." Raph smirked.
"Of course not." Cori let out a slight laugh. "You're such a jerk, I swear." She made her way back to her workstation.
"So wait, that's it?"
Cori looked at him, somewhat confused. "What did you expect? You want me to sing or somethin?"
"Nah but…why don't you want anyone to know you can talk? Could you always talk? When…"
Cori held up her hand to stop his questions. "Could I always talk? No, I really couldn't talk right after…." She swallowed hard, looking away from him. "…right after Daddy left. It was about a year ago that I noticed I could talk again." She looked back at him. "As for your other question, don't worry about it. I have my reasons."
Raph looked completely baffled. "So you're just gonna…"
Cori turned the power drill on until it whirred loudly. "What?" She briefly cupped her ear towards him. "Can't hear you!" She pointed at the power drill. "The drill!"
Raph got the point. As hard as it was for him to accept that she wouldn't tell him why she was keeping her talking a secret, he tried his best. Calla's advice echoed in his mind. You can't push her. So for once, he decided to listen, and refrained from pushing the issue. He just reveled in the fact that she wasn't ignoring him anymore, and what's more, she was talking to him; and only to him. He was sure the rest of his questions would be answered in due time…