Disclaimer – What is this I see, a paycheck for me, with the turtles' names and – wait – papers saying that I own them, now? This must be a dream… Rein wakes up - shoot, it was a dream. Darn.
Anyway, it's been a while, I know. Please forgive. But, I had to take a break and do something else that was different. As for this chapter, it seems I'm back – at least for now.
As for the Scrabble game, one of my reviewers wanted me to add a bit about Beth playing against the TMNT's. And, per her request, I honored it the best way I could, without making Beth too much of a Mary Sue. I hope I didn't over-do it.
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Chapter 37 – Leaving – But Not On A Jet Plane!
A few hours later and after a few more rounds of Scrabble, all four turtles now escorted Beth through the sewers and back towards her apartment. It was a quiet march, where they kept as silent as possible. Nightfall, especially in the sewers, guaranteed more dangers with the chance increasing of crossing paths with the Foot. Where it was necessary and especially when they had to ford any watery areas, Leo would carry Beth, but for the most part, she walked under her own power.
As she traveled along,Beth thought back to the one game of Scrabble she had won. It had surprised her 'competitors', too, for some odd reason. That is, until Mikey told her Donnie and Splinter usually won. It was then she understood their shock. It wasn't that she had used big complicated words, either, but she had used words involving letters with more points and that seemed to be the winning factor.
When her father was still alive and before her problems had started, on many occasions Beth often played the game with him. He had told her then that the smaller words carried more merit, especially if she could include the higher point letters. It was a strategy that he had used in his law firm, too, using the minute details of an assignment to win whatever case he was working on.
"It's always in the details, Beth, not in the bold and obvious facts," she remembered him telling her.
Of course, after that one win and with a more determined Donatello pitting himself against her, Beth didn't have the remotest of chance of winning the next couple of games. She understood then how bright the purple turtle was, for he had caught on to her strategy very quickly. Why any of his brothers would even bother playing with him confused her,but she also understood that playing a game was often more important than just winning at it.
Of course, she had already discovered how competitive they were and how easy it was to goad them with a challenge.
Still, coming in second behind Donnie – and just a single point ahead of Splinter – Beth understood the importance of that placing. She had even caught an approving smile creasing Leonardo's face, too.
Nevertheless, that was hours ago, and now they were maneuvering through the tunnels, a quiet as a breath of air.
As they traversed the sewers towards their exit point, Beth recalled her departure. That was when Splinter had assured her, if she felt inclined to do so, that she was most welcomed to visit them again.They exchanged phone numbers too, a fact that surprised the girl. She hadn't even known that they had a phone in the first place.
in any event, Beth expressed her gratitude for their care, "Considering my rudeness in trying to leave earlier, I am very thankful for how you took care of me," she gulped back her emotions, as she said, "I don't deserve it, all things considered, but I do appreciate it!"
"My child," Splinter remarked, gently taking her hand, "it is not a matter of deserving it, but a matter of need, and earning such is not a condition of our looking after you." It was then Splinter suggested to Beth that once she recovered from her injury, she should seriously consider having one of his sons teach her the art of self-defense.
"It would give you a counter measure to defend yourself, if the occasion arose," the rat explained, adding, "and it would greatly improve your confidence, as well."
However, almost immediately, Splinter saw the girl pale and so he added and a little sternly, too, "Why bother controlling your mind, Miss Beth, when you can learn to control your body, too?"
Beth did find wisdom in the old rat's words, but for now, all she wanted to do was to get back home.
"Maybe once I'm recovered, Master Splinter, maybe when I get back to doing routine things again…," she had explained.
Splinter shook his head sadly, "And that is precisely why you need to begin something new."
Beth sighed at the memory of the rat's turned head, his own smile charming her, as he remarked, "You cannot convince me any more than telling me the sun is purple that you enjoyed living the way you did, before finding my son, Leonardo."
Beth felt defeated against such logic from the wise creature and she had to agreethat he was indeed correct.
So, she acceted a twice a week visit from Donatello to assess her healing – which was going along quite well, actually – and as soon as Don gave the okay, one of his other brothers would begin instructing her in martial arts.
That alone made for a rather uncomfortable situation, where it was obvious that two of Splinter's sons would be more than willing. Raphael's raised eye ridges and Leo's soft smile told the old ninja master that he very well might have opened the proverbial 'can of worms'. He had sighed then, too, almost as if tired from trying to out-wit his sons.
Either way, the moment the reality of what he had said occured to him, Beth remembered the soft groan from the old master. "How do I get myself into these things?" he had muttered sheepishly.
For such a wise sage, Beth thought Splinter was quite amusing.
Now, as the girl and her friends walked through the semi-darkness of the tunnels, she instinctively grabbed onto Leo's hand. With what she had gone through earlier with the battle, the darkness brought back the sounds and the fear, causing the girl to tremble just a bit.
Leo felt her tremors and squeezed her fingers reassuringly. He whispered softly,"It's all right, Beth. Trust me; we'll know well in advance if any Foot are close by."
"How…how can you just – know?" she asked just as quietly, mindful of keeping her voice low. Yes, they knew even back before that battle, but how they knew wasn't a question she had asked then. The fight had traumatized her far too much for her to have such a thought. For Beth, at the time it was enough to be safe – and in Leonardo's arms!
Shrugging, Leo looked away for a bit as he and his brothers walked along. Then, turning back to her, he said softly, "Maybe it's our instincts or possibly the mutation, but we have a sense about these matters." He paused and smiled, "Our Ninjitsu training has certainly heightened our natural abilities, though, giving us insight to our surroundings, but, still, we just 'know' when someone is lurking about."
Overhearing their conversation, Donatello eased upalong Beth's other side as he said quietly, "We grew up down here, Beth, so we're quite familiar with every sound, every turn in the sewers, even… the smells." He smiled disarmingly, "So, anything or anyone who isn't indigenous here will stand out. That's why we were able to discern the Foot's presence after we found you."
Mikey chimed in from behind, but a little louder, yet still keeping to the rule of 'running silent', "Yeah, Dudette, they still don't get it; they try to be sneaky, but ninja or not, they can't match our sharp sense of smell…"
"Or hearing…" Raphael added, sounding less glum and grouchy than he had been earlier. Considering when his attitude changed, it was obvious the prospect of Beth learning self-defense had intrigued him. He knew that he and each of his brothers had personalized their own style of fighting, their own brand of martial arts, even though the foundation of all four were firmly entrenched under their father's teachings. Raph knew, as well, that it would be to Beth's advantage to learn from each of them. In that moment, he felt something he hadn't experienced in a very long time…a chance for friendship, not love, but true, honest-to-goodness, friendship.
Now, Raphael smiled, if onlya little, but not so much as to give himself away. Most of it was internal, but it still made his steps lighter as a result.
As they approached their exit point, Raphael went on ahead. He slipped into an alcove, similar to the one Beth had tried to use hours earlier. He quickly jumped and climbed up the ladder that led towards the sewer access hole. Beth soon heard the unmistakable sound of metal as it scraped softly against the street above. Then, Raphael slid the lid way from its resting place. Because it was nighttime, only the dark of evening flooded through, yet not so much as to compromise the softly lit interior of the tunnel. A moment passed and then…
"All's clear," came Raphael's gravelly voice.
"Okay, Dudette," Mike exclaimed, "time t'go home," and motioned the girl towards the alcove.
Beth, although anxious to return to the familiar comfort of her apartment, hesitated ever so slightly.
Leo asked, "What's wrong?"Shrugging, she explained, "Last time I tried, I couldn't climb the ladder." She felt her side a bit, "The wound isn't as sore as it's been, but I'm afraid of doing any more damage." She shrugged, "Then again, it didn't seem to stop me earlier, did it?" Beth then looked at Leo and gave him a sheepish grin.
Leo smiled, "Just take it easy, Beth. I'll be right behind you, don't worry. You were probably tired and stressed anyway and that can make a difference, and your injury might have prevented you, too."
"I was kind of panicky earlier, when I tried to find my own way out; kind of forgot about my side, actually," she allowed.
"Fear uncontrolled can make us do a lot of things, Beth," Don explained softly, "A lot of injured people, when they're afraid or panicky, will accomplish things that normal circumstances would prevent them from doing."
Leo motioned her towards the access shaft, "After you, Beth."
Nodding, the girl inhaled deeply but then suddenly turned towards Don and Mike, "Thanks…for everything."
"Hey, we're not leaving you to do this alone," Don grinned, and then walked over to the niche in the wall where the ladder was and where Raphael waited above. Don motioned as he waved his hand towards their exit.
With a little assist from Leo to get to the first rung, surprisingly, Beth managed the ladder just fine. Her side did hurt a little bit, but not so much as to keep her from climbing. It also helped to know that she wasn't alone, too.
Before long, she found herself standing outside and above the sewers for the first time in three days. When she couldn't find Raphael at first, Beth quickly looked around and then began feeling a little panicky. She was about to call down through themanhole to alert the others, when a movement to her right caught her attention. It was then she noticed the red-banded turtle.
Raphaelseemed to be reconnoitering the alley. He visually scanned the area from where he stood, inspecting the alleyway from one end to the other,and then easing inalongside a building bordering the byway. With help from the moonless night, the buildings that ran along each side of the alley provided adequate shadows for her friends. The backstreet itself stretched straight away and crossed several other side streets for about a half-dozen blocks.
Catching her gaze, though, Raph motioned for her to do as he had done, so Beth hurried over to him. However, once she stood next to the turtle, she couldn't help but throw her head back to look up at the cloudless sky.
Even though the buildings andcity lights compromisedher view of the heavens, it was obvious to her that the sky was crystalline clear tonight. To her delight,Beth could still make out a few stars.
How she had missed them! It was one of her favorite things to do when she was living at her apartment, to star gaze late at night from the rooftop.
Then, she turned her attention back to her friends, watchingas Leonardo slipped out from the sewer opening. He quicklystepped away andover to where she was, thereby allowing his other two brothers to do the same. It was then that Beth looked around the alleyway.
She didn't immediately recognize where she was at first. This worried her until she thought they might have exited as close to her apartment as possible. The lighting wasn't as intense and it was possible their exit point had been deliberate because of that alone. It was obvious they would know the darker more shadow-rich alleyways.
She then wondered how she was going to get home and with such a strange escort as the turtles provided.
When Don and Mikey finally emerged from the sewer opening, Mike quietly replaced the lid as Don joined up with Beth and the others. Then, once the cover was in place, Mikey went over to where everyone else waited.
"So," Beth asked, "is this where we say good-bye?"
Leo looked at her curiously, "Here?"
Nodding, Beth uttered, shrugging innocently, "Yeah?"
Shaking his head, Leo chuckled a bit, "I don't think so, Beth; I'm not leaving you to walk home by yourself."
"But, won't someone see you?"Raph's voice piped up, "Not the way we go," and headed up the alleyway towards the closest fire escape.
Mike wryly remarked, a glint of mischievousness in his voice, "Since we're not using our trench coats and hats tonight, peoples, we're taking the…expressway," and moved on to follow his red-banded brother.
Don looked at Leo and, with a raised eye-ridge, suggested, "You'd better explain things to her, bro," and then the purple-masked turtle went and quickly caught up with the other two.
Leo watched his brothers work their way effectively through the shadows and towards their point of assent. He sighed and knew that, yes indeed,Beth definitely needed to know how they were getting her home.
With the soft scrape of metal whispering through the alley as Raph brought the fire escape ladder into play, Leo looked at Beth and said, "Um…forgot to tell you that…well, when we don't use our disguises…" he nodded towards Raph, who now ascended the fire escape ladder, "we travel by rooftop."
Beth followed Leonardo's gaze and lookoed over to where Raphael and the other two were. She saw Don and Mike as they began their climb, with the one in red leading the way along the fire escape. He was already up passed the second landing. The ease in which each turtle traversed their vertical assent, though, told Beth that all of them had a lot experience with climbing fire escapes.Yet, despite the fact the stairs were constructed of metal, the trio of terrapins never made a sound. It was almost poetic with the way they moved.
However, as Beth's gaze followed along Raphael's intended path and with said metal ladder leading straight up the side of the eight-story building and to the roof far above her, the girl's mouth dropped just a bit.
Turning towards Leo, she shook her head, her face clearly shocked as reality settled in, "No…way…you HAVE to be kidding me?"
Leo could only smile and shrug in response, "'Fraid not."
If it were not for her determined resolve to defeat her malady, Beth thought for sure she would have passed out right then and there!
A/N- Yes, not very exciting - other than maybe for Beth's fear of heights. But, I have to segue somehow into the next part and - well - there it is, such as it is.